The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

For over a year I have had friends tell me I just had to read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  One friend even bought the series for me.  I agreed I would read it, but I just hadn't gotten to it yet.  Finally last week, I decided I would read just the first one before I had to move on to my book club book for this month.  I was right when I thought it wouldn't take me very long to read.  I was wrong when I thought I wouldn't mind waiting to read the other two books in the series.

I wasn't very far into the book before I began to question my ability to stomach the storyline.  Since I am quite possibly the last person to get into this series, I won't worry too much about spoilers, but be forewarned.  Children forced to fight to the death?  That is horrific!  And this is considered a Young Adult novel?  Well I suppose a teenager is likely to have a slightly different perspective than a mother might have, so perhaps it sits differently with them.  For me, all I could think was "Who lets this happen?"  And don't try to tell me it was the only way to avoid total destruction.  Someone would have to totally destroy me before I would stand by and let someone take away my child and make a game of his or her death.  Did you ever read "The Lottery"?  It is a short story written by Shirley Jackson in 1948 and is considered classic American literature.  The Hunger Games felt oddly similar, yet much more gruesome. 

Once I was able to continue with my reading, I was able to enjoy the adventure aspects of Katniss' ordeal, but I am still disturbed.  I know- it's a book, it's not real.  As I've mentioned before, I become very involved in what I read.  Could this ever really happen?  In what kind of world?  What events could possibly lead up to such a thing?  It is my understanding that some of these questions will be addressed in the rest of the series.  While I am thoroughly sickened, I am also very interested in knowing what will happen next.  I will read the rest of the series, mostly because I can't stop now. 

What did you think?  Were you as distressed as I was?