Mainstream Author Highlight: Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games Trilogy

"Mainstream Author" highlights, as well as our "Mainstream" reviews are not necessarily recommendations for Christian families. Rather, as parents we recognize that many kids will read such books, with or without parental permission. Our goal is to help parents prepare for what their kids may read, offer insights into positive aspects of the books, and give tips on areas to talk to kids about. In addition, we recognize that sometimes "dark" books may be difficult to read, but can offer an excellent way for teens to think about the world we live in.

Suzanne Collins has written a powerful series detailing the horrors of war and violence and their effects on people and societies alike. The Hunger Games trilogy takes place in post-apocalyptic America, in the not-too-distant future. Each year, twenty-four children are chosen to participate in the "Hunger Games" a deadly form of Survivor. They are forced by the government to participate, in an effort to discourage rebellion. Each year, a new arena is created--some contain oceans and jungles, or live volcanoes, or poisonous food sources. The games are televised and watching is mandatory for all citizens. The games only end when one child is left alive.

When Katniss Everdeen and her friend Peeta Mellark are forced to participate, it changes their lives and their world forever. Their actions in the games set off sparks that engender chain reactions around the country. Soon, they must decide who their friends are and what side they are on. As war breaks out, their efforts to escape violence become more and more futile. Eventually they must choose to fight or face certain death.

These books contain disturbingly graphic scenes of violence, torture, and war, as well as futuristic mutated animals, bred to kill. There are also some romantic overtones in the books. Peeta has been in love with Katniss for as long as he can remember. She feels drawn to him, but is still loyal to her best friend and hunting partner, Gale. Katniss and Peeta share a bed often, for comfort and to ward off nightmares, but are not sexually intimate. There is a lot of kissing, but most of it is staged for the television audience.

Despite the disturbing themes and dark overtones, Collins' characters are people you like and care about. The more you read, the more invested in their future you become, and the harder it is to put the books down. Also, the books would be an excellent choice to begin discussions about war, violence, and post-traumatic stress syndrome. If you have time, I strongly recommend reading this series with the teens in your life. However, I would closely monitor the age and maturity level of your teens when allowing them to read the series.

For those of you who don't have time to read the books, but still want to discuss them with your teens, I've listed pros and cons surrounding specific issues, but this list does include plot spoilers.

ISSUE: Violence is rampant, both in the Hunger Games - where contestants must kill or be killed - and in the war, where people are shot, blown up and tortured.

PRO: Collins does nothing to glorify war or present it as a fun game. She also refuses to portray either characters or governments in black and white terms. She shows good people doing terrible things to survive, and neither the government in power nor the rebel forces are above killing children if it advances their cause. In this way she shows us the ambiguity of war. We also see, at the end of the day, soldiers on both sides of any conflict are simply people trying to survive.

CON: The images of violence and death are disturbing and graphic. Collins is descriptive, and I was in tears more than once while reading each of the three books.

ISSUE: While Collins never names it, many of her characters suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

PRO: This series could be extremely helpful for teens who either have PTSD or who have loved ones who are suffering with it. More and more American soldiers returning from the Middle East exhibit post-traumatic stress symptoms, and Collins does a good job showing us why.

CON: Many characters deal with PTSD through self-medicating with drugs and alcohol. Collins makes every effort to show characters lying in their own vomit, wasting away, and suffering because of their dependence on chemicals. Although realistic, few of Collins' characters learn any healthy coping skills.

ISSUE: Romantic situations are portrayed with a sensual tone.

PRO: Katniss' confusion about her feelings for her friend, Gale, and her fellow contestant Peeta, could help adults talk to teens about romance and physical intimacy. It is obvious kissing and sharing a bed, however staged or platonic, confuses Katniss even more.

CON: Katniss seems to rely on Gale or Peeta, but has a hard time standing on her own, or making choices without them.


What I Like About this Series: I like the way Collins unequivocally shows us how horrible violence and war are. Katniss and Peeta begin the games full of hope, but the series ends by presenting broken people with scars that will never go away.

I also like the way Collins refuses to write the predictable young adult novel with mostly happy endings. More often than not, I finished reading a chapter with a gasp or tears. In this way, Collins refuses to allow us to gloss over the horrible realities of war. These books left me thinking about their messages long after I finished reading the series.

What I Dislike: In the last chapter of book three, it feels as if Collins ran out of time or pages. She dismisses Gale with a sentence, and Peeta suddenly overcomes being psychologically programmed to kill Katniss. Collins subtly implies Katniss and Peeta consummate their relationship, and Katniss finally declares her love for him. However, these events happen too quickly, even though I was pleased the epilogue showed Peeta and Katniss with their children fifteen years later.

Age Appeal: Young Adult (14 and up), but I would say even older in many cases

Publisher Info: Scholastic, 2010; ISBN:978-0545265355; Hardcover (Box Set), 384-400 pages, $53.97

Buy it at Amazon.com for $28.88.

Special Info: At the end of book three, we learn some of the victors of the Hunger Games were routinely forced to choose between selling their bodies for sexual use, or witnessing one of their loved ones die.