Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: 14 September 2008
Date Finished: 5 September 2010
Buy | Borrow | Accept | Avoid
Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge, 42 Challenge, Women UnBound, 101 Fantasy Reading Challenge, YA Reading Challenge, Hogwarts Reading Challenge, Take Another Chance,
The Short and Sweet of It
Katniss has just been selected to compete in The Hunger Games, a national sporting event that takes place every year. If she wins, she gets rich and her District receives gifts, primarily food. If she loses, she dies. While the severity of the world may seem rather over-the-top, Collins' ability to narrate a story makes The Hunger Games suspenseful, believable, tragic, and all-in-all wonderful.
A Bit of a Ramble
That's right. I finally read it. The last person on earth to meet Katniss, Gale, and Peeta. Right now, I'm glad I waited. I'm freaking thrilled that I get to read all three books in the series back-to-back. Waiting for the next installment must have been torture - like waiting for The Ask and the Answer after devouring The Knife of Never Letting Go. When I started reading - at 10:30 at night - I figured I would read a few chapters before heading off to bed. At 1:45 in the morning, I had finished reading and had to restrain myself from picking up Catching Fire as I just wanted the story to continue.
I think what impressed me the most was Collins' ability to create a world so extreme. The governing body of Panem (a dystopian future North America) resides in Capitol, the wealthy center-city that is surrounded by 12 Districts. There used to be 13 Districts, but when the Districts revolted, the 13th was destroyed. Each of the 12 Districts has a responsibility - agriculture, mining, etc. - to provide for Capitol, and while the District inhabitants die of starvation, those lucky enough to be part of Capitol undergo frivolous cosmetic surgeries and live lives of luxury.
In order to maintain power and as punishment for the uprising, Capitol hosts the hunger games every year. One boy and one girl from each of the 12 Districts is chosen through lottery to compete. The 24 participants are delivered to an enclosed location and forced to kill each other. The last one standing wins. Not only is the very act of the hunger games horrific, but Capitol forces everyone to watch the games, to celebrate them as if it were some sort of wondrous festival.
Sometimes when dystopian novels go to the extreme like this I have a bit of difficulty suspending my disbelief. After all, how could a large group of people allow a smaller group to kill their children, some as young as 12? But throughout the novel, I felt so immersed in the world that I never found myself doing the eye-roll that accompanies unbelievable worlds. Collins kept world creation simple, not trying to over-explain or justify the population's acceptance of the games. It was all so matter-of-fact that I had no problem believing.
I could go on and on, but really as I'm the last to read this, I'll stop now and go start Catching Fire.
This Book Around the Web
If I've missed your review, let me know!
Seriously, if you want more reviews, head to the Book Blogs Search Engine. There are so many it's mind-blowing.
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Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: 1 September 2009
Date Finished: 6 September 2010
Buy | Borrow | Accept | Avoid
Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge, 42 Challenge, Women UnBound, YA Reading Challenge, Hogwarts Reading Challenge,
The Short and Sweet of It
Katniss returns home after the Hunger Games and wants to resume her former life; unfortunately too much has changed. And even if she could go back to the way things were, the Capitol won't let her. Her defiance during the games has sparked unrest and provided the unhappy citizens of Panem with a symbol of hope, and whether she meant to rebel or not, the Capitol has some nasty tricks up its sleeve to squash the uprising.
A Bit of a Ramble
While I enjoyed the story in Hunger Games more, I think I enjoyed the characters more in this one. Hunger Games was something new, unique, a plot line that I felt was creatively constructed and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Catching Fire, obviously, is a continuation of that plot line, so I didn't have the same sense of anticipation while reading it. What I did feel though was more...power. I cared about the characters more, I found them more interesting and sympathetic, and I felt a deeper understanding for more than just Katniss. Whether this chalks up to enjoying book 1 or book 2 more, who knows? I had a lot of fun reading both of them, especially since I was able to read each book in one sitting, my preferred way to read YAL.
Everyone and their mother seems to have an opinion on whether Katniss should end up with Peeta or Gale. Opinions popped up after book 1, teams popped up after book 2, and well..I don't know what happened after book 3 since I refuse to read any of the reviews for fear of spoiling it. Everyone else in the entire universe will probably find this paragraph pointless as they a) already had their fun guessing who she'd end up with and b) already know who she's ends up with. But perhaps my opinion will still interest you...
I don't care. Seriously, I'm not "feeling" either of these boys well enough to have a serious opinion on who she'll end up with. It's not that I don't like Peeta and Gale, or that I feel they are too underdeveloped, I just don't have a solid opinion. With Twilight, the Edward-Bella-Jacob love triangle was the primary thrust of the books. With Hunger Games, I'm more interested in - and I feel the focus is more on - the political unrest of Panem. The love story feels secondary, and so not as much time is spent with the love angle. In case you were wondering, my Twilight opinion was as follows: Jacob is clearly hotter, more stable, and more fun, but Bella should end up with Edward because she doesn't deserve Jacob.
Okay back to Hunger Games. I can't wait to read Mockingjay to see how it all turns out, especially after the highly intriguing ending to Catching Fire.
This Book Around the Web
If I've missed your review, let me know!
Once again, I'm just going to direct you to the Book Blogs Search Engine since the number of reviews on this book is astronomical.
The love triangle in these books are actually what's keeping me from pursuing the series- while I'm sure it's done well, I'm sick to death of romantic triangles lobbed into perfectly good stories for little to no reason. Katniss has a lot more to worry about (although, again, I'm sure the book deals with it). I just don't like seeing it flattened out by the fandom like that.
ReplyDeleteSee, I thought the characterization in Catching Fire (particularly Katniss's) was awful! And so contrary to the first book.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're enjoying these though. I hope you think it was worth buying the trilogy, even though you've marked them as "borrow."
Yes, there are lots of reviews - from everyone but me. I'm going to be the last person in the world to read this series.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the love triangle was not a driving force of the book, which was refreshing. I didn't really care who she ended up with. Finnick is my favorite guy! As far as Twilight goes, I completely agree with you about Jacob!
ReplyDeleteBook 1 was great, the world scary but I could believe it. As for book 2, still great, but a bit repetitive
ReplyDeleteYay, I'm glad you liked them! I'm not as crazy about them as everyone else but still like them. I liked Catching Fire better... I'm about a third through Mockingjay right now and it's pretty good.
ReplyDeleteClare - I agree 100%. I thought the entire series would have been much better without the love fiasco.
ReplyDeleteAmanda - I agree that Katniss was better in 1, but the other characters were more interesting in 2 in my opinion.
Kathy - I'm so glad to know it's not me! Any plans to read it?
Shelley - I loved Finnick too! And thank you! I'm so glad to find someone who agrees with me about Jacob.
Blodeuedd - I agree. The first book was really amazing; the second I thought had more interesting characters; the third...reviews coming Sunday.
Jenny - That's how I feel. I really enjoyed reading the series, but it's not "like the best book ever" to me. I just finished Mockingjay...reviews coming Sunday.
Yay you read them! I think you were smart to wait until you could read all three back to back.
ReplyDeleteGreat reviews....I've thought a bit about your comment about "dystopia novels taken to the extreme" and the suspension of disbelief. I agree with this hesitation...but what's funny is once I start suspending my disbelief and getting into the story, my mind thinks back on times in history where similar things have happened...and worse, to times and people in the present who are approaching the kind of behavior presented in the dystopia. I agree that it's hard to believe that we could ever come to that level of apathy and complacency. At the same time, we have to realize that it takes a slow, subtle, slippery slope to bring about dramatic changes. Slowly but surely, we could find ourselves approaching something similar...hopefully not as vile, but still something that our ancestors would find distasteful.
ReplyDeleteYou can not compare the Twilight 'love triangle' to the Hunger Games 'love triangle'. Bella's whole world revolved around Edward... Katniss was simply trying to survive! For Katniss, a love life seemed impossible and therefore unimportant. The love triangle aspect reveals more about Katniss's character because she didn't understand or believe that Gale and Peeta could love her. She did not see herself as someone that could be wanted (or didn't want to). It adds more reason for the readers to feel for Katniss and want her to find a way out of the world the Capital built and into a world where she can be free to live life and not just survive! In regards to Jacob vs. Edward... okay, Jacobs character is hotter... but he is an actor. When reading the books it is impossible for anyone to want Bella to end up with Jacob! She was in love with Edward and she loved Jacob. We all know there is a big difference between being in love and loving someone! Jacob never had a chance and not because Bella didn't deserve him, but because she already belonged to Edward.
ReplyDeleteThat's the thing about Mockingjay. You have to read it whether you want to or not! But it will be fun for you, just because there is SO MUCH controversy in the blogosphere over what happens in it!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - Wow, I have to apologize for offending you...er, actually no I don't. I understand the use of the love triangle as a form of characterization; however, I felt it detracted rather than added to Katniss's distinct personality. As for Jacob, forget the movies. He was more stable, more passionate, and in my opinion just more in the books. And as I said in my review, I didn't want Bella to end up with Jacob because I found her to be a rather weak and whiny character who deserved to be with Edward.
ReplyDeleteJill - I just finished Mockingjay today, and I can see why there's so much controversy. My review's up on Sunday.
Stephanie - It was really nice reading them back to back! That's the way I prefer series.
ReplyDeleteOkie - Too true. I think the unbelievability part for me in this series had to do with the use of children. Throwing adults into the Hunger Games wouldn't be that much of a stretch for me, but throughout history people have been rather protective of kids - whether their own or not. There have definitely been times where children were abused on a wide scale, but not for long and not so publicly. Defending our young is really ingrained in us; whereas we tend to allow such atrocities with adults who "should have been able to look after themselves". As I said though, Collins did a great job suspending my disbelief.
I agree with your assessment that The Hunger Games feels so much better because it is new and unique and exciting. I was disappointed in Mockingjay ... so I'm curious to see what you think of it.
ReplyDelete