The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
The Hunger Games is set in a future were North America has been completely wiped out as an effect of war. In the ruins of the dead civilization a new country rose, the shining nation of Panem. Surrounded by thirteen districts and armed with advanced technology, Panem is the envy of the world.
Before the main story-line of The Hunger Games starts, we have to look back into Panem's past. Some time after the rise of Panem, the thirteen districts rebelled against the Capital, Panem's center and the source of all government and laws. The war was bloody, and at times the rebellion seemed like it was on the winning side, but in the end the Capital won and destroyed District 13 all-together.
As punishment for the rebellion, the Capital started something called The Hunger Games; a deadly competition and fight to the death. Every year, each district must send one girl and one boy between the ages of twelve and eight teen to fight in the games. Only one comes back.
The main story starts when tributes are being gathered for the 74th Annual Hunger Games. During this time we are introduced to the main character; Katniss Everdeen, a average sixteen year old girl left to take care of her sick mother and baby sister Prim. Because of the pressure that comes with taking care of a family, Katniss has matured beyond her years and is a strong level-headed girl with a good heart.
Although she is from District 12 (the mining district) Katniss resorts to other means to bring home some money. Forced to hunt illegally in order to feed her family, Katniss has developed skills with a bow over the years and many other useful tricks. What food she and her family don't eat Katniss trades with merchants to bring some some extra cash.
When District 12's time comes, the reaping begins. The reaping is the event where a District is forced to give two tributes to the games. The way this works is simple. During the reaping there are two glass balls, each filled to the brim with slips of paper, each with the names of candidates on them. One ball for boys, one for girls. At the age of twelve, a citizen of the district only has to put their name in once. At the age of thirteen, they have their name put in twice. Every year until they're 19, a persons eligibility goes up.
During District twelve's reaping, Katniss Everdeen and her sister Prim wait to see if they live another year, and against all odds, it's twelve year old Prim's name that is drawn. To save her sister from certain death, Katniss volunteers to take her sister's place in the games.
During the course of the games and journey to the Capitol, Katniss is shown the lives of the people she has despised her entire life and witnesses the vast differences between them and the starving people of her district.
At times, it seemed like the best option for survival was to become exactly what the Capitol thought she, and all the other tributes were, toys. Not people, but pawns in a game meant only for the enjoyment of their superiors. But still, even in the darkest of situations Katniss held on to the one thing that the Games were meant to destroy, her humanity. Her love for her sister, mother, and even fellow tributes was the thing that guided her (and her fellow tribute) to victory.
I think one of the things that The Hunger Games teaches is that when you are in a society that is constantly trying to change you, sometimes the best comeback is to be yourself. No matter how hard people might try to push you, standing firm is the best spit in the face.
