“I volunteer as a tribute..”
The Hunger Games a is part love story, part survival of the fittest adventure, very reminiscent of Survivor.
Each year, in this futurist version of the USA, two competitors from each of the 12 districts are forced to fight the death as a part of the Hunger Games. Some districts are wealthy and train up youth to prepare them to bring their districts glory.
The main character, Katniss, comes from the far off District 12, with no training or hope of winning. She steps into the spotlight when her younger sister, Prim, is chosen to fight. She boldly takes her place as a tribute . She is paired with Peeta, the baker’s son.
[amazon_image id=”0439023521″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]The Hunger Games[/amazon_image]
Without giving away too much of the plot, the story follows these two as they face off against all the other competitors. In riveting fashion, you travel with Katniss in her fight to survive.
The books combines great adventure with a love story side plot.
There are a few moments in the Hunger Games where you can see parallels with the gospel.
Katniss stepping up to take her sister’s place much like Christ volunteering himself for us in the courtroom of God through substitution.
Different competitors display a willingness to lay down their lives for another. This reminds us of Christ’s work described in 2 Cor. 5:21. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
We see repeatedly in the book that debts cannot be repaid, rather they must be gifts freely given.
Marketed as a teen story, I would not advise younger audiences to read this due to some violent content. But as a fiction book, I must say it is the first “can’t put it down” book that I have read in the last few years.
The parallels with the gospel are nice, but even without looking for them this is a fantastic work of fiction. I look forward to the rest of the trilogy.
The hype is true.