Why is “The Hunger Games” so Popular? – Todd Harding Investigates!
Everybody is talking about "The Hunger Games". When we were talking to our volunteers during the 28 Hours of Hope, it seems like they had all read the book and all wanted to see the movie. What is all of this hubbub? I bought the book, so I could find out for myself. I wanted to read the book before I see the movie.
Just as expected, "The Hunger Games" was the number one movie at the box office over the weekend with 150 million dollars in ticket sales. The next closest was "21 Jumpstreet" with 21 million at the boxoffice. Charley Barnes took his daughter to a midnight premier of the movie and my friend Jon did the same thing. From what I hear this is one movie that is just as good as the book.
The book is a USA Today and The New York Times Best Seller. According to Wikipedia: It was on The New York Times list for over 100 consecutive weeks as of September 2010. My question is still why? So what is it about this book about? What am I getting myself into?
The back cover of "The Hunger Games" reads:
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death – televised for all of Panem to see.
Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, she knows it may be her death sentence. If she is to survive, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
You had me at terrifying fight to the death! I am going to read this book and report back to you. I hear, "Once you pick it up, you can't put it down". I will let you know!