Suzanne Collins’s book, The Hunger Games, has become an extremely popular reading choice among teenagers. So, it is no surprise that it has been turned into a hit movie that came out on March 23, 2012.

Personally, I think the book was very well written. The story line was interesting, the characters were extremely likable, and some of the events really struck my emotions.  I ended up reading it in only two days because I could not put it down. The book had the perfect balance of action, romance, and suspense. I have never read a book like it, making it very original. The romance between Peeta and Katniss was not corny like the one shared between Bella and Edward in Twilight, which was a refreshing change from most young adult novels. There is a possible love triangle between Peeta, Katniss, and Gale that you’ll have to read Book II Cataching Fire to see how it turns out. I think the love triangle could have been omitted from the story because I personally think stories involving love triangles are overrated. Also, it took away from the action that went on in the book.  The action and the suspense during the actual hunger games was nerve racking and had the reader wondering who the next person to die would be.

The movie was also very good. However, the scriptwriters could have done a better job of sticking to the plot of the book. The movie did not include some of the crucial parts of the book, which was disappointing. One of these scenes was when Katniss told Peeta that she had been lying to him throughout the whole hunger games.  However, most of the main events in the book were shown exactly how I imagined them while reading in the movie. Most of the characters also were exactly what I had hoped they would be. The only characters that I was disappointed with were Prim and Haymitch. I felt that in the movie, Prim was not as likable as she was in the book because she did not come off as innocent and helpless as Katniss described her in the book. I didn’t feel as bad for her in the movie as I did in the book. Haymitch was not as entertaining in the movie because he was not as witty and did not have as much of a sense of humor as he did in the book. I also think the movie could have been improved if some of the important quotes were included in it. For example, one quote that I wish they put in the movie was when Peeta said, “She has no idea. The effect she has.” This quote showed the start of her friendship with Peeta.

Despite the differences, both the book and the movie are bound to be hits.