4.56

3

Jan 06, 2012

The Hunger Games Trilogy: these are my issues, let me show you them.

Most of the good fiction/fantasy/scifi literature these days is coming out of the Young Adult and Juvenile areas, so every six months or so I round up the new stuff and go on a reading spree. Around two years ago that included the Hunger Games trilogy (thanks to an ARC copy of Mockingjay). I did a review on that for my work newsletter which made me think about it for a good long while. (It wasn’t my best review because we’re The Hunger Games Trilogy: these are my issues, let me show you them.

Most of the good fiction/fantasy/scifi literature these days is coming out of the Young Adult and Juvenile areas, so every six months or so I round up the new stuff and go on a reading spree. Around two years ago that included the Hunger Games trilogy (thanks to an ARC copy of Mockingjay). I did a review on that for my work newsletter which made me think about it for a good long while. (It wasn’t my best review because we’re encouraged not to say anything bad about the books, the object being to get people to read, not to drive them away.)

The first book, Hunger Games, is awesome. Beyond awesome. I loved it and I greatly encourage anyone who hasn’t read it to pick it up now and get to reading! Engaging characters, tight (in both senses of the word) narrative, a plot that, while being far from original, seems shiny and new for all the different spins Suzanne Collins puts on it. It draws out your emotions and engages them, keeps you on the edge of your seat. Highly, highly recommended.

The problem is, it’s best if you stop there. I sure wish the story had. At least Hunger Games stands on its own, and after reading the other two in the trilogy, I know that I can go back and just reread the first one and never have to touch the other two to have a complete fulfilling story.

That’s not to say that the second book is terrible. Catching Fire is actually pretty good. Not up to the same standards as the first book - it does feel like exactly what it is, the middle book in a trilogy - but not a bad read at all. Basically it both asks and answers the age-old question, “If you could go back and do it all over, knowing everything you do now, would you do anything differently?” Which is intriguing, definitely. But at the same time, it is kind of a rehash of the first book, which is what makes it less engaging. The characters, the politics and the good narrative stop it from feeling tired and dull, and again, it’s a good read, but it’s lost its originality and some of the excitement that made the first book so entertaining.

And then there’s the real problem; Catching Fire isn’t a complete narrative on its own. To know the whole story you have to read the third book, Mockingjay.

Oh man, Mockingjay. The book that had all the potential to be a wonderful, heart-racing, utterly amazing finale to the trilogy. So much potential; so much fail. The ideas were there, but the execution was...just that. An execution. It’s like everything that would’ve made it a phenomenal book was taken out back and double-tapped.

Even a couple years later I’m still somewhat angry when I think about it. Still so disappointed. I keep asking myself, did the author have a word limit she had to adhere to? Was she over her deadline by too much and had to rush? Was she simply bored/tired of this world? What on earth could’ve made her do this?

Going against one of the major rules of good writing, Mockingjay is an exercise in telling instead of showing. Nothing big happens in the book that the author isn’t telling us about it instead of giving us the wonderful descriptions of the previous two books. With very few exceptions, events happen off screen and we get an info dump explaining them. That alone was just terrible to read. But then there’s poor Katniss.

Remember the spitfire, kick-ass woman of the previous two books, the one who was determined to do whatever she could to survive and thus ensure her family’s survival? Yeah, well, say goodbye to her before reading this last book because you won’t be seeing much of her again.

It’s like she just floats through events, letting things happen to her and barely reacting. She just lets herself be used, over and over, turns into something akin to a leaf in the wind. The few decisions she does make often don’t make any sort of good sense and we’re left wondering if this is really Katniss or a robot in a Katniss skin.

The introduction of new characters should help things, but the narrative fails there too. The characters (heck, even the old ones we’re familiar with!) aren’t given nearly enough fleshing out; they’re just there. They don’t feel as real, as three dimensional as characters did in the last two books.

The combination of all that leaves us with a flat, lifeless book and what amounts to a boring read. You want to get excited, I mean, there are serious, emotional things going on! Or at least they’re supposed to be. Hard to say when you don’t feel it and it’s just words on a page. The originality, excitement and all the drive behind the first two books is just gone. Vanished. And it’s painful to see.

Yeah, two years gone and I’m still not over that. Such a let-down.

I still encourage people to pick up The Hunger Games, but I barely give the next two in the trilogy more than a cursory mention. I reserve all my glowing praise for the first book and try to pretend the third never happened.
...more

5

Jun 26, 2017

"You don't forget the face of the person who was your last hope."

No review will do The Hunger Games trilogy justice, no matter how well-written, but I'll do my best.

This is the first series that I loved unconditionally. Suzanne Collins is the first author who made me actually want to pursue reading. For this and many other reasons named below, The Hunger Games is truly remarkable.

I'm obviously very late on writing a review for this series, as there have been four fantastic blockbuster "You don't forget the face of the person who was your last hope."

No review will do The Hunger Games trilogy justice, no matter how well-written, but I'll do my best.

This is the first series that I loved unconditionally. Suzanne Collins is the first author who made me actually want to pursue reading. For this and many other reasons named below, The Hunger Games is truly remarkable.

I'm obviously very late on writing a review for this series, as there have been four fantastic blockbuster movies for these books that have been out for so long. Normally, I would say that the movies are usually incomparable the books they were based off of, but in this case, it's pretty close. I recommend reading the books before you see the movies, but that's just my personal opinion. But, seriously, read and watch all of The Hunger Games.

Getting back to the life-changing novels, they could not have been better. The setting is great, well-thought through, and everything is flawless. The characters are phenomenal. The storyline and plot are not slow or boring.

Characters:

Katniss:

"Katniss, the girl who was on fire!"
Katniss Everdeen is one of the most inspirational characters I've ever read or heard about. As an older teen and in Panem with barely-enough money for her family to live off of, and with her father killed in an accident while at work, she is someone many readers look up to. She loves her sister and mother endlessly. She is very strong, whether it's for herself, Peeta, Gale, Prim, or even the whole country (mainly in Mockingjay ). Not to mention her unmatched talent of archery, which she looks incredibly bad ass doing. Unlike some heroines, she does not make selfish, annoying, irrational, or stupid decisions, because she is neither of those. The beautiful Jennifer Lawrence portrays Katniss perfectly in the movies.

Peeta:

"And then he gives me a smile that just seems so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness that unexpected warmth rushes through me."

Peeeta Mellark is very caring, cute, sweet, and selfless. He's practically an angel who got the raw end of a deal. In the first book, he is the innocent (view spoiler)[half of the famous star-crossed lovers. With his declarations of love, marriage, and pregnancy, (hide spoiler)] and he could not have been any cuter. Yet, I may have cried non-stop at the cliff-hanger end of Catching Fire and throughout Mockingjay . (view spoiler)[ He was too good for what the Capitol did to him, and that only made me hate the tyrannical and evil President Snow even more. (hide spoiler)] Again, the amazing Josh Hutcherson portrays Peeta flawlessly.

I cannot possibly name all the characters and my opinions of them in this review, but they all have some sort of impact on you and your own opinion of reading this trilogy. I love most of them, for they have changed my life for eternity.

Ships:

Katniss and Gale
I hate Gale with a passion (though I have nothing against Liam Hemsworth, 'cause he's smoking hot), so we are not even going to discuss this. I gagged when I attatched the gif above this, and I cannot possibly look at it any more.

OR...

Katniss and Peeta

"And while I was talking, the idea of actually losing Peeta hit me again and I realized how much I don't want him to die. And it's not about the sponsors. And it's not about what will happen when we get home. And it's not just that I don't want to be alone. It's him. I do not want to lose the boy with the bread."

This is THE otp. It's obvious. No explanation needed. They're just shamelessly perfect for each other.

Note:If you are looking for a series filled with physical romance, this is not that book, though it does have its moments. This consists more of the deep, emotional love that pairs in this trilogy feel for each other. It will make your heart tighten.

Overall:

This series is a must. You will love it till the end of your days. It deserves an infinite number of stars. The amount of action, romance, heart-break, and inspiration in this trilogy is unforgettable.

Warning!

1. Have a box of tissues at the ready, because this is a definite tear-jerker.
2. There will be emotional pain being felt throughout the series, so prepare your soul.
3. Try to refrain from throwing your copy of this series at the wall nearest you-you may have to buy a new one, and not all books are cheap.
4. Attempt to refrain from yelling and cursing Suzanne Collins when in public. Suzanne Collins is a goddess given to us from above-she deserves to be loved. And no screaming in public. It causes a scene. That is something you do in private.
5. Save your money to buy any and all Hunger Games merchandise. It is not always cheap, but it is always necessary with this trilogy.
6. Enjoy!

"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor." ...more

5

Jan 18, 2018

Gladiatorial
The Hunger Games Trilogy is quite understandably one of the greatest successes in young adult fiction over the last decade. The concept seems to have really appealed to our sense of injustice from a tyrannical ruler and gladiatorial games full of horror, suspense and survival. The totalitarian political and social structure that exists creates the perfect dystopian environment to give someone hope of moving from a subjugated existence where people are governed frugally and Gladiatorial
The Hunger Games Trilogy is quite understandably one of the greatest successes in young adult fiction over the last decade. The concept seems to have really appealed to our sense of injustice from a tyrannical ruler and gladiatorial games full of horror, suspense and survival. The totalitarian political and social structure that exists creates the perfect dystopian environment to give someone hope of moving from a subjugated existence where people are governed frugally and ruthlessly, to one of abundance and freedom. While watching and participating in the games also keeps the populace distracted from the harsh realities of life.

Societies are split into 12 zones each responsible for delivering key societal needs such as coal, food, military etc. From each zone a male and female will be selected to participate in the Hunger Games which continue until only one competitor remains alive, to be declared the winner. The idea of the games are highly ingenious and appeal to our morbid fascination of duelling to the death. The games allow us to root for an underdog as long as we can draw empathy towards that person or persons. Off the bat, we connect to Katniss Everdeen as she jumps in to take the place of her younger sister and represent district 12 along with Peeta. Suzanne Collins does a wonderful job of creating these 2 characters with very different characteristics and talents. Katniss starts to become more of a thinker and an icon, and Peeta is a strategist who later has to wrestle with psychological indoctrination. There is a strange bond between them and we watch how this develops and transitions across the trilogy.

Sooner or later a people will rise up and challenge the state (the Capitol) and the end of the trilogy deals with this scenario. This political theme and uprising aren't as well dealt with as the excitement of the games themselves and I found the third book Mockingjay the weakest of the trilogy. It was satisfying that Katniss was also delivering and representing something much greater than her own issues to bring deeper meaning to the plot.

It is so imaginative, adventurous and climactic, on a book by book basis, that it is very easy to highly recommend the trilogy. ...more

4

Sep 23, 2019

The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset (The Hunger Games #1-3), Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games is a trilogy of young adult dystopian novels written by American novelist Suzanne Collins. The series is set in The Hunger Games universe, and follows young Katniss Everdeen. The novels in the trilogy are titled The Hunger Games (2008), Catching Fire (2009), and Mockingjay (2010). The novels have all been developed into films starring Jennifer Lawrence, with the film adaptation of Mockingjay split into two The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset (The Hunger Games #1-3), Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games is a trilogy of young adult dystopian novels written by American novelist Suzanne Collins. The series is set in The Hunger Games universe, and follows young Katniss Everdeen. The novels in the trilogy are titled The Hunger Games (2008), Catching Fire (2009), and Mockingjay (2010). The novels have all been developed into films starring Jennifer Lawrence, with the film adaptation of Mockingjay split into two parts. The first two books in the series were both New York Times best sellers, and Mockingjay topped all US bestseller lists upon its release. By the time the film adaptation of The Hunger Games was released in 2012, the publisher had reported over 26 million Hunger Games trilogy books in print, including movie tie-in books. The Hunger Games universe is a dystopia set in Panem, a North American country consisting of the wealthy Capitol and 12 districts in varying states of poverty. Every year, children from the districts are selected via lottery to participate in a compulsory televised battle royale death match called The Hunger Games.

تاریخ نخستین خوانش جلد نخست: پنجم ماه آوریل سال 2014 میلادی
تاریخ نخستین خوانش جلد دوم: از پنجم آوریل سال 2014 تا دهم آوریل سال 2014 میلادی
تاریخ نخستین خوانش جلد سوم: روز دهم ماه می سال 2014 میلادی

عنوان: عطش مبارزه - جلد نخست از سه گانه عطش مبارزه؛ اثر: سوزان کالینز؛ برگردان: شبنم سعادت؛ تهران، نشر افزار، 1389، در 408 ص، شابک: 9789642433179 ؛ چاپ دوم 1392؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان بریتانیایی - سده 21 م

عنوان: اشتعال - عطش مبارزه - کتاب 2؛ نویسنده: سوزان کالینز؛ مترجم: شبنم سعادت؛ تهران، نشر افراز، چاپ اول و دوم 1389، چاپ 1391، در 407 ص؛ شابک: 9789642434336؛ چاپ دوم 1392؛ چاپ چهارم 1395؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان امریکایی - سده 21 م
عنوان: بازی‌های گرسنگی: آتش‌سوزی؛ نویسنده: سوزان کالینز؛ مترجم: شهناز کمیلی‌زاده؛ کرج: در دانش بهمن‏‫، 1392؛ در 363 ص؛ شابک: 9789641741459؛‬

عنوان: زاغ مقلد - عطش مبارزه جلد سوم؛ نویسنده: سوزان کالینز؛ مترجم: شبنم سعادت؛ تهران، افراز، 1392، در 407 ص؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان امریکایی - سده 21 م

شرح تصویر روی جلد: پرنده و تیری محاط در حلقه‌ ای طلایی رنگ، با پس زمینه‌ ای سیاه است. همان سنجاق سینه‌ ای ست که «مج»، دختر شهردار و دوست «کتنیس» به وی هدیه داده، در کتاب از زبان «کتنیس» می‌خوانیم: گویی یک نفر پرنده‌ ی کوچک طلایی رنگی را ساخته، و سپس آن را به حلقه‌ ای که دور آن است وصل کرده؛ تنها نوک بال‌های پرنده به حلقه متصل است. ناگهان آن را می‌شناسم، یک زاغ مقلد است. پایان نقل

نخستین کتاب از سه‌ گانه ی «عطش مبارزه» عنوان کتاب نخست از سه گانه نیز به شمار است، و ماجرای دختری شانزده ساله ای ست، به نام: «کتنیس اِوِردین»؛ که در «مسابقات عطش مبارزه»؛ رقابت‌هایی که بین بیست و چهار نفر (12 پسر و 12 دختر دوازده تا 18 ساله)؛ هر سال به صورت رویدادی زنده، از تلویزیون در مناطق دوازده گانه ی کشور «پانم» پخش می‌شود. در مسابقات، یک پسر و یک دختر را، از هر دوازده ناحیه؛ با قید قرعه انتخاب میکنند؛ و آنها پس از نبرد با یکدیگر تا پای جان، در پایان مسابقه، تنها یک تن باید زنده بماند، و برنده اعلام شود؛ اما ...؛

در جلد دوم: با عنوان: «اشتعال»؛ پس از آنکه در رمان پیشین «کتنیس اوردین» و «پیتا ملارک»، توانستند در هفتاد و چهارمین دوره ی بازی‌های گرسنگی، به پیروزی برسند، به خانه‌ هاشان در منطقه دوازده، فقیرترین بخش کشور پانم، بازگشتند. همانروز که «کتنیس» و «پیتا»، تور پیروزی خود را در سراسر کشور آغاز می‌کنند، رئیس‌ جمهور «اسنو»، ناگهانی به آن‌ها سر می‌زند، و به «کتنیس» می‌گوید، که نافرمانی او در پخش تلویزیونی، موجب شورش‌هایی در مناطق شده‌ است. «اسنو» از او می‌خواهد، که در تور پیروزی، با مردمان دیدار کرده، و آنان را باورمند کند، که به خاطر عشقش به «پیتا»، نه برای ایستادن در برابر خواسته ی کاپیتول، تهدید به خودکشی کرده‌ است. نخستین توقف در منطقهٔ یازده، زادگاه «رو»، دوست و متحد «کتنیس»، در بازی‌هاست. در این مراسم «کتنیس» متن آماده شده را کنار نهاده، و سخنانی می‌گوید، و با ابراز احساساتش، از «رو» و «تِرِش»، که در بازی‌ها کشته شدند، یاد می‌کند. در پایان سخنان او، پیرمردی، به همان شکل که «رو»، برای نجات دادن جان «کتنیس»، برایش سوت زده بود، سوت می‌زند. پس از آن او و همه، با همان علامت دستی که او در خداحافظی از «رو» انجام داد، به او درود می‌فرستند. در حالیکه ترس «کتنیس» را فرا گرفته‌، صلح‌بانان (نیروهای انتظامی وابسته به کاپیتول)، پیرمرد را جلوی چشمانش اعدام می‌کنند. «کتنیس» و «پیتا» به دیگر مناطق و کاپیتول هم سفر می‌کنند. «پیتا»، به امید جلب رضایت رئیس‌ جمهور «اسنو»، در یک برنامه ی تلویزیونی، از «کتنیس» تقاضای ازدواج می‌کند. «کتنیس» هم می‌پذیرد؛ اما «اسنو» همچنان ناراضی است، و «کتنیس» را با تهدید جان عزیزانش می‌ترساند. مدت کوتاهی پس از بازگشت به منطقۀ دوازده، «کتنیس» می‌فهمد که شورش منطقه هشت از کنترل خارج شده‌ است. سپس دو مهاجر از آن منطقه، به نام‌های «بانی» و «تویل»، را می‌بیند. آن‌ها به «کتنیس» می‌گویند، که قصد دارند برای رسیدن به منطقه سیزده تلاش کنند، و امیدوار هستند که داستان‌های کاپیتول، در مورد نابودی کامل آن منطقه در سال‌ها پیش، دروغ باشند و ساکنان آن در پناهگاه‌های زیرزمینی هنوز زنده باشند. هفتاد و پنجمین دوره ی بازی‌های گرسنگی «سرکوب یک چهارم سده» نام دارد؛ کاپیتول می‌گوید این مسابقات هر بیست و پنج سال به گونهٔ متفاوتی از دیگر بازی‌های گرسنگی برگزار می‌شوند. همچنین اعلام می‌شود که پیشکش‌های بازمانده در دوره‌های گذشته بایستی در این بازی‌ها به رقابت بپردازند. «کتنیس» باید به همراه «پیتا» یا «هیمیچ» برای دومین بار در این بازی‌ها رقابت کنند (چون این سه نفر تنها پیشکش‌های قهرمان و زنده در منطقه ی خود هستند). «کتنیس» تصمیم می‌گیرد دیگر به خود اهمیت ندهد و تنها جان «پیتا» را حفظ کند. او «هیمیچ» را متقاعد می‌کند، که اگر قرعه به نام «پیتا» افتاد، او داوطلب شده و به جایش مسابقه دهد. اما قرعه به نام «هیمیچ» می‌افتد و راهی برای متوقف کردن «پیتا» نمی‌ماند (که سعی دارد برای محافظت از «کتنیس» در مسابقه شرکت کند). در کاپیتول «هیمیچ» به «کتنیس» می‌گوید که او و «پیتا» در این دوره نیاز به متحدانی در میان پیشکش‌ها دارند، اما از میان گزینه‌ های «هیمیچ»، ضعیف‌ترین‌هایشان را برمی‌گزیند. میدان مسابقه جنگلی در حول یک دریاچهٔ آب شور است. «کتنیس» و «پیتا» با «فینیک اُدِیر»، جوانی خوش تیپ و بیست و چهار ساله از منطقهٔ چهار که دهسال پیش جوان‌ترین برنده ی بازی‌ها شده بود، و «مَگس» مربی هشتاد ساله ی او، متحد می‌شوند. در جنگل «پیتا» با لمس کردن میدان نیروی تقریباً نامرئی، و محدود کننده ی میدان دایره‌ ای مسابقه آسیب می‌بیند. «فینیک» موفق می‌شود او را به هوش آورد. در حالیکه «فینیک» «مگس» را بر کول خود حمل می‌کند، با انتشار مه سمی این گروه پا به فرار می‌گذارند. هنگامی که «پیتا» به قدری ضعیف می‌شود که قادر به گریختن از مه سمی نیست، «مگس» با فداکاری، به درون مه سمی می‌رود تا «فینیک» بتواند به جای او به «پیتا» کمک کند. پس از مرگ «مگس» گروه «کتنیس»، «پیتا» و «فینیک» به پیشکش‌های دیگری می‌پیوندند؛ «یوحانا مِیسون» قهرمان نیش‌دار و بی‌رحم از منطقه ی هفت و «وایرس» و «بیتی» زن و شوهری از منطقه ی سه که گفته می‌شود «فوق‌العاده باهوش» هستند. «وایرس» در این بین متوجه می‌شود که میدان مسابقات، همچون یک ساعت طراحی شده، و در هر ساعت حادثه ی تازه ای تنها در محدوده ی خاص خود رخ می‌دهد و از همین راه رخدادهای بازی را میتوان پیش‌بینی کرد. «وایرس» در یورش پنهانی گروه «کریر» (گروهی از پیشکش‌های مناطق یک و دو و چهار که از کودکی برای شرکت در بازی‌ها آموزش دیده‌ اند) به قتل می‌رسد، اما تلفات «کریر»ها بیشتر است، و آن‌ها معرکه را ترک می‌کنند. «بیتی» پیشنهاد می‌دهد تا با مهار انرژی رعد و برق، «بروتوس» و «انوباریا» دو پیشکش بازمانده ی منطقهٔ دو را بکشند. «کتنیس» و «یوحانا» دیگر اعضا را ترک می‌کنند، و «فینیک» و «پیتا» در جنگل نگاهبان «بیتی» می‌مانند. «کتنیس» و «یوحانا» وظیفه دارند از محلی که قرار است رعد و برق فرود آید، تا دریاچه کابل بکشند، اما گروه رقیب، مانع عملی شدن این طرح می‌شود. پس از درگیری‌هایی میان دو گروه، «کتنیس» به محل رعد و برق برمی‌گردد، تا «پیتا» را بیابد، ولی تنها «بیتی» مصدوم را در آنجا می‌بیند، که کابل را به دور محل رعد پیچیده‌ است. در این زمان با مشاهده ی آغاز غرش رعد و برق‌، متوجه وجود میدان نیرو در آسمان می‌شود، بنابراین انتهای کابل را به پیکان تیرش می‌بندد و آن را به سوی آسمان نشانه می‌رود. با این کار تمام میدان مسابقه از هم فرو می‌پاشد و او هم در اثر انفجار بی‌هوش می‌شود. آنگاه که «کتنیس» به هوش می‌آید، متوجه می‌شود که به همراه «هیمیچ»، «فینیک» و «بیتی»، به منطقه ی سیزده منتقل شده‌ و «پیتا» و «یوحانا» توسط کاپیتول دستگیر شده‌ اند. همچنین آگاه می‌شود که نیمی از پیشکش‌های مسابقه، برای نجات او، که نمادی از شورش، در برابر کاپیتول است، همکاری کرده‌ اند. «گِیل»، دوست و دلداده ی «کتنیس»، نزد او می‌رود و او را مطلع می‌کند که منطقهٔ دوازده نابود شده، و او خانواده‌ اش را به منطقهٔ سیزده فراری داده‌ است.؛

کتاب سوم با عنوان: «زاغ» مقلد؛ نبرد نهایی «کتنیس اوردین» آغاز میشود، اگر ما بسوزیم شما هم میسوزید. «کتنیس»، به همراه خواهرش «پرایم» و دوستانش، «فینیک» و «گِیل» در تأسیسات زیرزمینی منطقهٔ سیزده به سر می‌برند، که شورشیان بر علیه پانم سازمان‌دهی کرده‌ اند. سرانجام کتنیس می‌پذیرد تا به عنوان «زاغ مقلد»، به نماد شورش بدل شود، و در جشنها شرکت نماید، به این شرط که رئیس‌جمهور «کُوین» به بازماندگان، از آن جمله «پیتا ملارک (دوست کتنیس)» و «آنی کریستا (دوست فینیک)» مصونیت دهد. و... ؛
ا. شربیانی ...more

4

Apr 19, 2012

I finished reading the entire trilogy in three days so I guess it captured something in me. Although it's touted as a book for young readers there is something here for everyone. The story is told in the first person by Katniss who unwittingly becomes the "Mockingjay" a hybrid bird that becomes the symbol of revolution as the story enfolds. She is an extraordinary literary concoction, a clueless adolescent who morphs into a mythical huntress without ever losing the voice of a troubled teenager,
I finished reading the entire trilogy in three days so I guess it captured something in me. Although it's touted as a book for young readers there is something here for everyone. The story is told in the first person by Katniss who unwittingly becomes the "Mockingjay" a hybrid bird that becomes the symbol of revolution as the story enfolds. She is an extraordinary literary concoction, a clueless adolescent who morphs into a mythical huntress without ever losing the voice of a troubled teenager, a sort of female Holden Caulfield impersonating Robin Hood.

Like all good dystopian fiction, the world created here is enough like our own to seem not only plausible, but inevitable, if we can't get our house in order. Archetypes abound and at the center of it all is Katniss, an unforgettable heroic force who has to battle against overwhelming odds before she is able to attend to her own happiness. Imagine yourself channel-surfing between Survivor and American Idol with a bit of I, Claudius and Star Wars thrown into the mix. I can fully understand why these three books are flying off the shelves.
...more

3

Dec 10, 2010

To start things off right, a quote from Hunger Games. "The girl’s scream. Had it been her last?" Context: Katniss has been confronted with a girl who had her tongue cut off as punishment and remembers seeing her years earlier just as she was caught. According to memory, as the girl was dragged away, she screamed. Now years later and in the present, Katniss wonders: "The girl’s scream. Had it been her last?" Because people without tongues apparently can't scream.

We'll get back to this and what

To start things off right, a quote from Hunger Games. "The girl’s scream. Had it been her last?" Context: Katniss has been confronted with a girl who had her tongue cut off as punishment and remembers seeing her years earlier just as she was caught. According to memory, as the girl was dragged away, she screamed. Now years later and in the present, Katniss wonders: "The girl’s scream. Had it been her last?" Because people without tongues apparently can't scream.

We'll get back to this and what it tells us about Suzanne Collins.

To start things another way, I'll admit this: I had no interest in Hunger Games until, upon hearing someone actually describe it, I thought: "Holy smokemonsters. That sounds like an American rip-off of Battle Royale." From that moment on, there was little that could stop me from diving straight into Suzanne Collins' derivative little world.



See, Battle Royale was this Japanese movie (adapted from a book I haven't read yet—Christmas, anyone?) in which the government, for inexplicable reasons, takes a class of thirty highscoolers every year and dumps them in this jungle-y arena and demands they fight to the death with a single victor remaining in three days lest the explosive collars they all wear be detonating, rendering no survivors. I mean, what's not to love, right?

So Suzanne Collins basically takes this idea and expands it and tries to give the story a more plausible explanation. (In the movie, the Japanese government televises the BR in order to, get this, quell youth violence in the country. I know, right?) Hunger Games takes place in a post-apocalyptic North America. There is the ruling State, the Capitol, and there are the thirteen vanquished American colonies districts (or twelve since one has been destroyed). For the last seventy-four years, the Capitol has demanded the sacrifice of a teenage boy and a teenage girl from each district to remind the districts annually of how miserably their rebellion failed and to keep them mindful of how absolutely the Capitol rules every aspect of their lives.

I don't know, but this strikes me as being only slightly more sensible than the Battle Royale justification. Apparently government officials in the future are as dumb as they are today.

In any case, the beauty is that these two sacrifices from each of the twelve remaining districts are not just killed outright, like on an altar atop a stone ziggurat Aztec-style. No, that would be too easy. Instead, they fight in televised survival games (inexplicably called the Hunger Games). These are wildly popular (like I'm told Survivor or American Idol used to be), especially with the Capitol crowd and contestants take on a form of celebrity and their stylists are princes and princesses among men.


[art by the stupendous Vera Brosgol]

So Hunger Games is the story of Katniss and Peeta,* two sacrifices from District 12. District 12 is the loser District. Katniss is a hunter (advantage) and Peeta is a baker's son (disadvantage). And since Peets has had a massive, sad, stalker-crush on Kats since they were, like, five, he is determined to keep her alive forever. Interesting dynamic when, Highlander-style, there can be only one. This is basically the same thing that happened in Battle Royale, so it was a comfy place to be.

Seeing how Katniss is going to get out of one scrape after another is exciting and the three books are compelling enough reading that I finished the whole thing in about nine days. (And by "about nine days," I probably really just mean ten days.) As demonstrated in the above, the writing's not fantastic by any stretch. Collins suffers from a typical need to over-dramatize, to the point where irrational things are treated sensibly. But (!) it's still a league-and-a-half better than Twilight, not that there isn't much that isn't better written than Meyer's delicious collection of vampire doggerel. I only compare them because they both occupy that meta-genre of light, compulsive reads that others may better know as Summer Reading. And yet, here we are in December! Regardless, I was several nights up far past my bedtime letting Collins plot have its way with me.

And for the most part, I really enjoyed the experience. There were very few lulls, most of which occurred in the first fifteen percent of books two and three as they tried to recover from the burst of excitement that capped off the immediate predecessor. The mediocre writing is entirely forgivable simply because the books not about that. Hunger Games is almost pure plot, so that's really all we should be expecting from it. Still, there were two major difficulties I ran into while reading.

The first is that the narration's kind of a cheat. Collins tells her story in the first-person present, meaning that we are supposedly getting new information at the same rate as Katniss is. Yet, the things this (largely clueless) girl chooses to report lead one to believe that she has future knowledge. She drops a ton of hints about the importance of the mockingjay, is constantly reminding us that she's wearing her mockingjay pin, and won't stop narrating about how the bird or its image is showing up everywhere. As a reader, we pick up that this is massively significant (because she beats us over the head with it), but since Katniss in the present she's narrating doesn't realize that, there's no reason for her to continue to point it out. That would be like you telling me about your day and stopping every five minutes to remind me that you're wearing your Chuck Taylor's and then after three months of this, Chuck Taylor's suddenly become sentient, rebel against humanity, and then install you as their king. Unlikely, at best. So narrator-Katniss knows everything while narrated-Katniss doesn't. It's a poor choice.

Collins almost certainly chose the first-person present because it builds tension (FPpresent is a standard usage in thrillers), but she wanted to be able to use things like heavy foreshadowing, which can only honestly be done in first-person past tense or in the third person. With FPpast, you're almost assured that the narrator survives the climax (save for narration from the after-life), so you're missing the kind of tension and intimacy that the present tense can deliver. Third person stories leave any character open to plot-driven dismissal, but they lack the immediacy and intimacy of the first-person.

The second is less tangible but perhaps the more serious offense. At this point, things may get vaguely spoiler-y so those who haven't read the books yet may wish to skip the following paragraphs and just end the review here.

So then, in comics, a trend has been noticed. It's been going as Women-in-Refrigerators syndrome for lack of a more exciting term. Essentially, it describes authors' propensity to abusively use female characters to prompt character development in male protagonists. The bottom line is that it doesn't pay to be a female character in superheroland because you'll inevitably wind up raped, maimed, tortured (in a sexy way!), accidentally killed off, murdered, or dismembered and stuffed into a refrigerator just like Green Lanterns girlfriend was—all for the sake of motivating the male lead in some direction or other. Of course, in the male-dominated world of the superhero, female associations are one of the hero's greatest weaknesses and the best way to really stick it to him.



Since the lead of Hunger Games is a teenage female, in order to commit a similar abuse, Collins can't just use other male and female associations to give Katniss the gut-wrenching motivation she needs. So then, what is frail in comparison to a teenage girl. Children. Specifically, little, sweet girls. Collins uses little girls twice (once in Book One and once in Book Three) to give her protagonist a human side that is otherwise unseen. Collins realizes that her hero is just a little too cold and too distant and so she must find a way to get the reader to sympathize with her. She puts forth a sweet little girl whom you'll come to find endearing and wise and beautiful and in need of protection from the dirty, cruel world that Collins has crafted and, of course, what's more painful than watching that little girl be destroyed for the sake of a melodramatic tug at one's heartstrings.

Kat cries and does something heartfelt and we think of her as human again. At least for a little while. And then we realize that this was the entire purpose for this character in the scope of Collins story and then we feel abused. These were never meant to be character; they were always only a means to humanizing a character that Collins didn't have the chops to humanize in a more talented way. I was a bit grumpy when Collins used the tactic in Book One, but when it reared up again in Book Three, the books became thoroughly diminished in my eyes. I felt abused by Collins' contrivances.

For this reason, I lower what would have been (meta-genre in mind) a four-star book series down to three. It's still good and worth the read (unless you have more important stuff on deck), but Collins disrespect for both her characters and her readers lessens their value.
_____
*note: Suzanne Collins should not be allowed to name anything. Not books, not characters, and certainly not real-life children. The one bit of silver lining here is that thankfully, this almost assures us that in four years we won't be babysitting a gaggle of brats named Peeta—apparently Bella was uncommonly common after the Twilight wave surged. ...more

5

Apr 20, 2017

Amongst the few book I read after seeing the movie (part 1) and I must say I liked having those extravagant pictures in my mind while enjoying the whole story.

It was a very compelling ride! I loved book 1 & 2 more than book 3, but not by much. It was the first series I'd read in ages and got me really hooked to books again - so for that alone I am very grateful.

The story was always gripping, didn't have slow parts and I was involved from start to beginning. I empathized with the characters Amongst the few book I read after seeing the movie (part 1) and I must say I liked having those extravagant pictures in my mind while enjoying the whole story.

It was a very compelling ride! I loved book 1 & 2 more than book 3, but not by much. It was the first series I'd read in ages and got me really hooked to books again - so for that alone I am very grateful.

The story was always gripping, didn't have slow parts and I was involved from start to beginning. I empathized with the characters easily. I'm realizing only now that my smartphone's notification sound is Rue's whistle - and I read the series 2 years ago!

I don't specifically watch out for the Young Adult genre, being over 40 myself, so I decided on reading this after having liked the movie and didn't mind at all. It has happened to me since that I only realized a book to be YA afterwards. I find myself ignoring this categorization. ...more

5

Nov 21, 2015

Book releases: Hunger Games 2008, Catching Fire 2009, Mockingjay 2010
Movie releases: Hunger Games 2012, Catching Fire 2013, Mockingjay, part 1 in 2014 and Mockingjay part 2 in 2015

I wanted to sit down and figure out the math of it and I figure 7 years. Between books and movies, I have about 7 years of my life invested into The Hunger Games.


I picked up the first book the year it was released in 2008. I had been on a kick where, after diving into the Twilight series (don't judge me, ok you can

Book releases: Hunger Games 2008, Catching Fire 2009, Mockingjay 2010
Movie releases: Hunger Games 2012, Catching Fire 2013, Mockingjay, part 1 in 2014 and Mockingjay part 2 in 2015

I wanted to sit down and figure out the math of it and I figure 7 years. Between books and movies, I have about 7 years of my life invested into The Hunger Games.


I picked up the first book the year it was released in 2008. I had been on a kick where, after diving into the Twilight series (don't judge me, ok you can judge a little)

I was not quite sure how to transverse myself in this new world of YA I had recently discovered. So, I was following Stephanie Meyer (tree of trust here) on her blog and she would give recommendations of books she was currently reading. She basically gave Hunger Games a drop everything and read this, read this now shoutout. So, being the lemming I was, I did.

And my life was never the same.



These books really rekindled my love for reading and the anticipation of waiting a year between releases, I think, really trapped me in this new fangirl universe.

Not since Harry Potter, which I first read as an adult-in my early twenties, had I been so enamored in a book world. My realities blurring in that fantastical way only true readers understand.


I was hooked, so before each new release, I of course would reread all books out to date.

Before Catching Fire's release in 2009, I reread Hunger. Then before Mockingjay's release in 2010, I reread Hunger and Catching Fire. Then of course, when the movies were released, the rereads again commenced.

Well at least for movie 1, Hunger Games, release in 2012 and movie 2, Catching Fire release in 2013. That would be two more rereads of all three books.

Seeing the pattern here?

Now, I did not reread before the Mockinjay movie releases, part 1 in 2014 and tonight's release of Mockingjay part 2 in 2015. The reason behind this being some events in my life in 2014 to now that simply altered my...well, my everything. But that's another post for another time.


So, if my math is correct, from 2008 to 2015, then 7 years. 7 years I have invested and I'm not sure what this says or means for me now, other than my evenings meanderings.


And I share because I know my fellow bibliophiles have read this in its entirety and understand.

So, happy reading. Who knows, maybe that next book you pick up might be the next 7 years of your life.
...more

5

Mar 08, 2013

I had settled down to write a glowing, gushing review that would make the idiots people who haven't read this, drop everything and get their hands on this one and bask in the glow that is Katniss Everdeen.
Yep, you read that right. As good as the plot, the writing and everything else is, the protagonist Katniss, outshines them all effortlessly. She is brave, courageous and strong, oh so strong.

So, anyway, about the review: Nothing I can say/write can't even begin to summarize just how awesome, I had settled down to write a glowing, gushing review that would make the idiots people who haven't read this, drop everything and get their hands on this one and bask in the glow that is Katniss Everdeen.
Yep, you read that right. As good as the plot, the writing and everything else is, the protagonist Katniss, outshines them all effortlessly. She is brave, courageous and strong, oh so strong.

So, anyway, about the review: Nothing I can say/write can't even begin to summarize just how awesome, beautiful, heart-breaking it was is. Just imagine all the things that blow-you-away, that make you cry, that make you laugh, that make you love, that give a warm glow to your heart, that make you smile through your tears, that make your heart ache, that make you want to be a better person and combine all of them. The result: The Hunger Games Trilogy.





















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...more

4

Jan 23, 2015

A dystopian 'Lord of the Flies' - loved it!! Thank you, Suzanne Collins, for a well-written YA novel.

2

Apr 21, 2012

Spoilers ahead.

Listen to the review of The Hunger Games series.

The new podcast from Digital Amrit is available on Anchor

or read the text at Digital Amrit

Introduction
It has been a long time since I read fiction and I read quite slowly and take only a little time each day for reading. So, my husband suggested this series to me. And now here is my take on all three books. I will go through each book, present its storyline and what I felt about each book and conclude with my opinion on the entire Spoilers ahead.

Listen to the review of The Hunger Games series.

The new podcast from Digital Amrit is available on Anchor

or read the text at Digital Amrit

Introduction
It has been a long time since I read fiction and I read quite slowly and take only a little time each day for reading. So, my husband suggested this series to me. And now here is my take on all three books. I will go through each book, present its storyline and what I felt about each book and conclude with my opinion on the entire series. If you have not read the books or watched the movies, beware of spoilers!

Let's start with the first book The Hunger Games.

Book 1 - The Hunger Games
Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist, is from the poorer section of District 12. Her sister Primrose, who is 12 years old, is chosen as the girl tribute to represent their District in the hunger games, where the tributes fight each other to death. Out of sheer love and fear for Prim’s life, Katniss volunteers as the girl tribute in place of her Prim. Hunger Games are organised and conducted by a group of people referred to as the ‘Gamemakers’. These gamemakers are at liberty to make the Games deadly for the tributes so that they are entertaining for the audience.

The story is about how Katniss and Peeta, the boy tribute of District 12, play the Hunger Games and emerge as victors. While both are elated that they the worst part is over, Katniss realises that she has made it in to the Capitol’s watchlist. This is because the Capitol feels that she had defied them by her move at the end of the games to ensure her survival as well as Peeta’s.

Katniss is portrayed as a tough girl, who loves her sister Prim more than anyone or anything. Her determination in ensuring Prim’s wellbeing after their father’s death and mother’s depression is explained very well. She would rather tell the truth because she cannot lie convincingly.

As a sharp contrast to Katniss, Peeta is the nice guy who does not care much about winning the game. He has the power of speech and spontaneity with which he sweeps people off their feet. ...more

4

Dec 27, 2011

Things I heard about this trilogy before reading it:

- It's about kids fighting to the death for the entertainment of the capitol's citizens.
- Just read the 1st book, because nobody likes how it all ends.
- If you do read all of them, you'll notice they get less enjoyable as it goes on.
- Those who don't just outright dislike the ending simply consider it appropriate.

As a result, I read the books with these things in mind. I can say I understand why people would say those things, but I also take Things I heard about this trilogy before reading it:

- It's about kids fighting to the death for the entertainment of the capitol's citizens.
- Just read the 1st book, because nobody likes how it all ends.
- If you do read all of them, you'll notice they get less enjoyable as it goes on.
- Those who don't just outright dislike the ending simply consider it appropriate.

As a result, I read the books with these things in mind. I can say I understand why people would say those things, but I also take issue with why people would say those things.

Why would people say those things? Because they are reading for entertainment, and expected an engaging plot with relatable characters and themes that would take them on a journey to another world. These books made the rounds through the ranks of those who were brought into the fold of readers by the success of Harry Potter, and that's the golden standard of what a story should be to them. The focus in the Potter books is on the plot and the characters' journey and growth through it all, and though they explore some mature themes, that element is used more as a storytelling device to drive character growth and plot development, and is only slipped in once the reader is enthralled by the world of the books and the characters within.

In contrast, The Hunger Games trilogy is not about Katniss, Gale, and Peeta, and their adventures in the land of Panem, and should not be read as such. This is where people get confused in their reactions to the books, and those who focus on the plot and characters as if they were reading another Harry Potter often give up reading due to taking offense at the content and events of the books. Instead of the characters and plot being the focus, they are merely vessels for exploring the presented themes.

"It's about kids fighting to the death blah blah blah." If you summarize the plot of any particular dystopian novel you will likely end up with something that sounds just as appealing to the average reader(not appealing at all). Example: 1984 - A guy manages to escape government surveillance for a time (which time he pretty much squanders) and is eventually caught and tortured for his disobedience. Like other dystopias, the plot and characters are only vessels for exploring the themes, which is what the trilogy is really about. The Hunger Games trilogy is about exploitation and manipulation (including propaganda), class warfare, human suffering, and many other morally gray areas that people in general find it difficult to cope with and discuss. The books ask questions about the morality of war, crime, and punishment. They don't dodge the reality of death and loss, which comes even to those who try to do everything they can to prevent it. They explore many facets of human imperfection and how they translate into life.

"Just read the first book." This kind of mindset comes directly from what I described. The reader is reading about Katniss, and not thinking deeply about the themes being presented. If you had to end the series somewhere easy for Katniss, then yeah, just the first book would probably be best. She had to go through the torture of the games, and SOMETHING had to happen for there to be a story, but she's only got boy problems left. Aside from that, life appears to be back to normal.

Except it isn't if you've been paying attention. How could life possibly ever be fine again for this young girl tortured and forced into murder by her government because she wanted to protect her little sister? There's a horde of deep moral questions raised that aren't resolved when the 1st book ends. If the reader was reading for the plot, they didn't notice or care for these, and the only question left is "who does Katniss end up with in the end?" which appears to be enough to propel people through the remaining two books otherwise there wouldn't be the continued poor reaction to the ending. The irony of it all is that someone reading these books with the mindset of needing to know what happens next is put in the position of comparing themselves to the citizens of the Capitol watching the televised games! "Who won the games?" is the question needing answering for both parties, and they are happy to set it aside after that has been answered (the first book). This ties into the "they get less enjoyable as they go on" experience as well. The themes come more and more to the forefront as the story progresses, and someone reading for the plot will definitely not enjoy so much death, confusion, and pain. They are reading for an escape, and do not want to be forced to think of the implications of such things.

As for the very ending, notice how I said ending after the first book would be "easy" for Katniss, but didn't say it would be best. The ending is perfect, really. Yeah, it is definitely sad that happened after all of that pain and suffering, but would Katniss have made the choice to do what she did if that hadn't happened? I don't think she would. She's motivated for partially selfish reasons, and that's what allows her to get manipulated so much in the first place. Personally, I think the ending is about as Hollywood happy ending as it could be made without betraying the themes of the book.

All of this being said, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. Although I applaud the author for attempting to bring the Potter rabble into the realm of heavy fiction, her writing style blurs the line a little too much and leads to confusion over what the reader is supposed to get out of the experience. Those who regularly read and study the kind of books that explore these deeper topics should easily recognize the merit these books deserve, however.

What I am most worried about is the movie adaptation. Will they effectively bring the thematic elements to the silver screen or will we be a nation enthralled by the special effects and intense action of the games, no better than the Capital citizens we detest? ...more

1

Oct 30, 2019

If you're into stuff like this, you can read the full review.



Shit-quels: The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset" by Suzanne Collins



Me: “Pardon me? There's enough in the books for prequels? There was barely enough in the books for the films themselves. They're not exactly a speculative tour-de-force and they offer nothing that no one's done or said before. Why exactly did they take off?”

Passerby: “Publicity brainwashing pre-pubescent fans. Loathsome books/movies. How about a shequel? A spin-off based on If you're into stuff like this, you can read the full review.



Shit-quels: The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset" by Suzanne Collins



Me: “Pardon me? There's enough in the books for prequels? There was barely enough in the books for the films themselves. They're not exactly a speculative tour-de-force and they offer nothing that no one's done or said before. Why exactly did they take off?”

Passerby: “Publicity brainwashing pre-pubescent fans. Loathsome books/movies. How about a shequel? A spin-off based on her character.”

Me: “With a role for Sean Connery, perhaps?”

Passerby: “I don't think that will shit well.”

Me: “You mean shit-quel? The entire bunch of these "movies/books" was shit, pure and simple.”
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5

Jul 07, 2011

Fabulous series! Highly recommended. Written as young adult fiction, but absolutely enjoyable for adults.

1

Dec 19, 2012

The Hunger Games trilogy left a bitter taste in my mouth - the taste of failure, of a wonderful opportunity thrown away.

The writer seems to have immersed herself in her fictional world just as much as a high school student would in a tedious, boring homework. Either that, or she is simply unable to focus her thoughts and make the readers actually see through her eyes. The descriptions are dry, the people and the world around them are colorless. It actually feels to me like the story has been The Hunger Games trilogy left a bitter taste in my mouth - the taste of failure, of a wonderful opportunity thrown away.

The writer seems to have immersed herself in her fictional world just as much as a high school student would in a tedious, boring homework. Either that, or she is simply unable to focus her thoughts and make the readers actually see through her eyes. The descriptions are dry, the people and the world around them are colorless. It actually feels to me like the story has been censored and stripped down to the bone in an attempt to make it appropriate for as wide an audience as possible.

The deus ex machina strikes mercilessly again and again at the already frail realism; the harrowing times when the characters are forced to wait it out in grueling circumstances don't harrow much at all - instead, they are shrugged off with an almost bored "and so the hours and days went by"; injuries always seem to either have an on-off switch or conveniently benefit from "coincidental" recovery periods (which are skipped just as easily with the same forced fast-forwarding); with only a few exceptions, the author seems to get scared and cringe away when reaching violent scenes. All of this finally contributes to the feeling that you're reading a medical treaty written by a butcher with good intentions.

Someone said "if in doubt, write about what you know" - so I expected at least a more profound delving into the female psyche; I was, again, sorely disappointed.

Just like the right spices in an exotic dish, teen angst can work wonders in a knowing hand, but the story overdoses on it and never recovers. Katniss is one-dimensional and never truly evolves; but since the entire world revolves around her, let's take a closer look. As profound and complex as a Hello Kitty sticker, her opinions and attitudes may change, but only erratically - there is no progress, no sense of becoming. It's beyond me how some women actually see Katniss as a role model - unless your ideal woman is a self-centered, conceited, ungrateful, narrow-minded, sniveling, responsibility-avoiding huntress who never comes to terms with her own survival instinct. The attempt to give her flaws that are supposed to make her human and bring her to life in our minds stops short, instead only managing to make her insufferable, willfully stupid and in possession of just as much female intuition as a weightlifter on steroids.

Neither heroine nor antiheroine, Katniss doesn't truly care about anything or anyone but herself and makes a perfect case in point for the selfishness of altruism. Her mother, her love interests, her friends - everyone (including the sister she apparently loves so much) are little more than cardboard figures passing through the background of her life, doing little more than complicating it. In the first person point of view dominating the books we have no chance of actually getting to know the other characters, not even though the Mockingjay's eyes - the whole world is Katniss, Katniss, Katniss. One would think that this might at least bring a solid insight into her own perspective - wrong. The artificial way in which she "misunderstands" situations and intentions only to be overcome by "sudden realization" over and over again goes from being irritating to insulting as the story progresses, only to end up not even being able to aspire to the status of a cheap writer's trick.

The love triangle pieces seem to have been forcefully inserted into the books by someone hating men and women alike with the fierce passion of an inquisitor but uncomprehending mind of someone growing up alone in a glass bubble. That's all I'm going to say on the romantic plot, since it's just an ugly mess, absolutely lacking any credibility or coherence.

All in all, reading the trilogy felt like I was being taken for a baby in a peek-a-boo game while being force-fed a cheap moral lesson and lectured on what I should feel and think instead of being allowed to actually experience it and come to my own conclusions.

I am, perhaps, so critical in my review because I've seen this whole thing done right in the "Mistborn" series. Sanderson starts from a similar idea of a conflicted young girl coming of age in an oppressive environment and ending up at the heart of a rebellion against the powers that be (even the star-crossed lovers angle is there) - but the similarities end here. While Sanderson creates an intriguing multifaceted world, masterfully picks at the organized chaos of the human mind and portrays the struggle of a girl powerful enough to make decisions (even wrong ones) and change herself as well as the world around her on her journey, Collins just ends up botching the job and presenting little more than a tiresome, judgmental, self-absorbed diary of a bitterly crude personality. ...more

3

Aug 02, 2011

I can't believe I read this. After I read Twilight and was bitterly disappointed with the last two books in that series, I swore I would never pick up any more YA fiction. Not to mention I feel slightly embarrassed reading YA fiction anyway. Well you know what they say about never say never...

Several co-workers and I exchange books and one passed this one along, saying that she thought I'd like it. I read the back cover description and said "nah." I am not into futuristic, dystopic, sci-fi, I can't believe I read this. After I read Twilight and was bitterly disappointed with the last two books in that series, I swore I would never pick up any more YA fiction. Not to mention I feel slightly embarrassed reading YA fiction anyway. Well you know what they say about never say never...

Several co-workers and I exchange books and one passed this one along, saying that she thought I'd like it. I read the back cover description and said "nah." I am not into futuristic, dystopic, sci-fi, Star-Trek, Lord of the Rings, blah blah. But I did enjoy Harry Potter because it wasn't a completely unrecognizable world but instead a parallel universe. It's not like Harry had to make a choice to never go back to the land of the muggles, unlike Bella, who turned into a vampire and was now a completely different creature. (and add vampire lit to my list - it's overdone.)

So after a few months of pushing this around, I picked up the first one and oh boy I finished it in two days. Had to take a brief rest so I wouldn't get saturated but I needed that instant gratification and read the next two books cover-to-cover in just a few days. Well I wish I had paced myself a little better.

I honestly cannot give this series 4 or 5 stars because, let's face it, 5 stars belongs to Crime and Punishment, On the Road, Sophie's Choice, etc.

I gave this 3 stars because I did enjoy the story, the writing was skillful and the author was very mindful in developing her characters and their environment. I totally felt myself plunked down into District 12 and felt Mrs. Everdeen's pain, Haymitch's wasted life, the superiority of the Capitol, Katniss's bitterness at having lost her dad and having to be the sole support for her family. That whole scene where Peeta threw her a loaf of bread while she was foraging in the trash, in the rain, oh my god, the pathos...

The reaping day description took me back to Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" and since that was a short story and this was a series, I knew that the sacrificial lamb was going to be around for at least one entire book. I did kind of wonder why Katniss wasn't thinking about Gale all the time when she was in the arena, but I suppose when you're fighting to stay alive your boyfriend back home kind of takes a backseat.

I did fall in love with Peeta - nothing more needs be said on that. Gale - meh. Although he is supposedly the one Katniss loves, I don't get that vibe at all, not in any of the books. I got more of a sense of romantic conflict in the Twilight series, so Team Peeta/Team Gale? nah. It's Peeta all the way, baby. Not to mention that Gale willingly went to, oh wait. don't want to put any spoilers here.

So it was enjoyable and I do like the young feller who will portray Peeta in the Hunger Games movie. I saw him in a few movies where he was like 9 years old, and these days he is looking fine.


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2

Oct 10, 2012

A stream of human unpleasantness, cruelty, cynicism, lovingly described pain and brutalities, lascivious dwelling on injury and slaughter and gratuitous death. Basically, these books are badly written torture porn. Deeply unrewarding, lacking in affirmation, and worse, rather insincere due to the lack of emotional impact and paucity of credible characters. Character development is replaced by facile violence whilst empathy is reduced to no less cheap empty sentiments, meaningless words trotted A stream of human unpleasantness, cruelty, cynicism, lovingly described pain and brutalities, lascivious dwelling on injury and slaughter and gratuitous death. Basically, these books are badly written torture porn. Deeply unrewarding, lacking in affirmation, and worse, rather insincere due to the lack of emotional impact and paucity of credible characters. Character development is replaced by facile violence whilst empathy is reduced to no less cheap empty sentiments, meaningless words trotted out. I could not care for any of the characters, who were a thoroughly unpleasant bunch for the most part, the lead characters lacking in credibility and real motivation; the good supporting characters few and far apart and always boringly bland and destined to die, the bad ones tirelessly verminous, either violent propagators of pain or uninterestingly, obliviously selfish. The romantic subplot was handled with the subtlety of mouldy porridge and the same level of emotional range. This is a trilogy that is at least three books too long, poorly paced, a truly powerful story and concept let down by characterless characters and a colourless, workmanlike prose that is the literary equivalent of whatever Kristen Stewart is doing when she's trying to act. ...more

4

Apr 23, 2012

Let's face it, the moment we all hear the words 'young adult fiction', our brains jump to the Twilight series. This jump is then followed by Edward-induced delirium or nausea so sickening that you wish you'd had a lobotomy instead of letting Stephanie Meyer infect your life. (No prizes for guessing which side I'm on). It's unfortunate that the Hunger Games trilogy is boxed into the same genre as Twilight. Not only is it infinitely better in terms of story and characterization, it has that one Let's face it, the moment we all hear the words 'young adult fiction', our brains jump to the Twilight series. This jump is then followed by Edward-induced delirium or nausea so sickening that you wish you'd had a lobotomy instead of letting Stephanie Meyer infect your life. (No prizes for guessing which side I'm on). It's unfortunate that the Hunger Games trilogy is boxed into the same genre as Twilight. Not only is it infinitely better in terms of story and characterization, it has that one special feature that is the hallmark of a truly great read - relevance. Irrespective of how you like or dislike each book, you will be left with that elusive feeling that some things in them are too close to our lives for comfort.

On the surface, the universe of the Hunger Games has very little in common with ours. The trilogy is set in the future and takes place in the country of Panem - we are given to understand that this was once North America, before war and avarice tore the continent apart. The country is divided into 13 destitute districts ruled by a rich Capitol city - a Capitol that ruthlessly punishes the districts for their only rebellion by forcing a young girl and boy from each district to participate in an annual, televised fight to the death called the Hunger Games. The Games are wildly popular among the 'civilized' audience of the Capitol who watch the 'show' with obsessive involvement as a bunch of 9-17 year olds from the 'barbaric' districts shoot, choke, hack and burn each other to death in the quest to be the last contestant standing (Reality shows anyone??). Winning the Hunger Games means a life of comfort for the victor’s family as well as a year's worth of food and supplies to the winning district.

In this horribly disturbing world, we are introduced to the protagonist Katniss Everdeen, a girl who volunteers to take her little sister's place in the Hunger Games. The trilogy is essentially the story of Katniss and how she goes from a girl struggling to win the Games to a symbol of rebellion for the oppressed. It is also the story of her complex relationships with the very masculine Gale and the doggedly loyal Peeta, two very different heroes whose characters are steadily etched out as the trilogy progresses. Katniss’s character is at once brave and selfish, steadfast and inconsistent, strong and weak – I was quite let down by the way she turns out in the last book but the author almost compensates for it by great character development in Peeta.

The books are by no means perfect, the most notable flaw being how the author invests time and effort in creating a strong, fearless heroine only to have her fall apart by the end. However, the plot is very gripping and it’s difficult to stop yourself from reading ‘just another chapter’. And when you’re done reading all three books at a breakneck pace and your eyes are about to give up, there will be a several lingering questions in your mind starting with the first and most important one - how far would you go for the people that you love?
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5

Apr 16, 2014

After completing this reading of the trilogy, all together, I'd like to pull up something profound. They are, of course, thrilling stories, full of clever traps and slick evasions. They are also deeply moving stories, about the desperate people on the outside of rich society. As well, it is the story of one girl, deeply wrapped up in her own small community, who is forced to taken a broader view of her society and what it means. It's a story about how to stage a rebellion. Even more, it's a After completing this reading of the trilogy, all together, I'd like to pull up something profound. They are, of course, thrilling stories, full of clever traps and slick evasions. They are also deeply moving stories, about the desperate people on the outside of rich society. As well, it is the story of one girl, deeply wrapped up in her own small community, who is forced to taken a broader view of her society and what it means. It's a story about how to stage a rebellion. Even more, it's a story about the high cost of war, and how none of the survivors ever stop paying. It's a reminder to not just question authority, but to question everything.Reading it has left me sad, in a good way.

Personal copy ...more

5

Oct 24, 2013

A mockingjay is a creature the Capitol never intended to exist. They hadn't counted on the highly controlled jabberjay having the brains to adapt to the wild, to pass on its genetic code, to thrive in a new form. They hadn't anticipated its will to live.
What did I think? Good question. For the last 2% I didn't think anything, I just felt heartbroken, sad, remorseful, regretful, desperate, full of loss and melancholic. I read these books back to back and it was a lot to take in. The last book A mockingjay is a creature the Capitol never intended to exist. They hadn't counted on the highly controlled jabberjay having the brains to adapt to the wild, to pass on its genetic code, to thrive in a new form. They hadn't anticipated its will to live.
What did I think? Good question. For the last 2% I didn't think anything, I just felt heartbroken, sad, remorseful, regretful, desperate, full of loss and melancholic. I read these books back to back and it was a lot to take in. The last book had a strong melancholic feel to it, because it felt like I had gone through so much with the characters. From the moment they call out Prim's name at the reaping up until the end of book three, so freaking much happens and the characters I came to love change so much. And nothing makes me hit the five star button faster than melancholy to the point where it makes me cry.

Which is not to say I didn't like a few things. I'm reviewing this trilogy as a whole and as a whole it was pretty damn good. But here's what I hated. (view spoiler)[The triangle with Peeta and Gale was totally unnecessary and stupid. Here you have two amazing guys who love Katniss. And then there's Katniss who just walks around in denial and gives away kisses left and right. Kiss Gale when he's hurting, kiss Peeta when he's mad. She needed to make up her mind already and fully go for one of them. I love Katniss, honestly, but I hate the way she handled this whole thing. I would've been fine with whoever she chose. As long as she just chose someone and fully went for it. Again, I think this triangle was completely unnecessary, especially if the author was planning to gloss over the love story the way she did. Because let's face it. There was no satisfaction in the emotional love department. I needed some true love moments, but she just ran away when Peeta went mad and she kept Gale at a distance because, I don't know why. Until Gale exited himself and she just kind of ended up with Peeta.

I'm also kind of bitter about all of my favorite characters dying except for Haymitch and Gale. I loved loved loved Cinna. He died. But I understand his death. He sacrificed himself for the Mockingjay. Died when I read the note I'm still betting on you. Then Boggs broke my heart. And Finnick's death was devastating. I went back to double check, because, really? Besides the fact that I loved him bunches, Annie lost the only person who kept her somewhat sane. Their love story was stronger than Katniss's. Devastated!!! And then Prim died. And I didn't believe it, because this whole thing started in an attempt to keep her alive. But this trilogy stopped being about Prim the moment Katniss felt she understood Peeta's words on the rooftop before the first Game. It stopped being about Prim when Katniss decided she didn't want to be a piece in the Capitol's games and she fought for freedom, dignity and a future. Still, Prim's death devastated me. I broke down and sobbed when Buttercup came to their house in 12 and grieved with Katniss. (hide spoiler)]

There were so many amazing side characters with their own story. They really made the trilogy for me. I could totally see Effie being cluelessly overjoyed, Johanna being blunt and bitchy and who doesn't know a Delly that thinks everyone in the world is kind and nice? I loved how real the characters all were. Katniss is still my favorite female character. And I still love Gale. (view spoiler)["That was the only thing I had going for me. Taking care of your family." sob! Back to what I hated. I hate how easily Gale was dispelled from her life. He was such a huge part of it. They were so close and they knew each other like the back of their hands. To have him just... Leave.. What the fuck? And where were Peeta and Gale when Katniss was wandering around in the mansion like a crazy woman? Gah it's all just so stupid. No passion there, at all. Not with Peeta, not with Gale. We just got fed a few kisses here and there. Okay whatever I need to let this go. But I don't think it's fair to make both men such a huge part in her life and then to just gloss over it. Sorry excuses for hunters and friends. Both of us. (hide spoiler)] ...more

1

Nov 28, 2017

Something I need to get out of my head, so here goes: in hindsight, when all is said and done and thought about, when Collins can only up the violence in her grand finale by burning to death a mass of children, I've become simply sad at what passes as "books we actually read and recommend to friends and then make into films." Book One, on its own, was a decent spin on the classic Japanese film "Battle Royale". (There is nothing new under the sun, we can forgive Collins for a remake, certainly, Something I need to get out of my head, so here goes: in hindsight, when all is said and done and thought about, when Collins can only up the violence in her grand finale by burning to death a mass of children, I've become simply sad at what passes as "books we actually read and recommend to friends and then make into films." Book One, on its own, was a decent spin on the classic Japanese film "Battle Royale". (There is nothing new under the sun, we can forgive Collins for a remake, certainly, as that's where the money is in publishing and in films: providing the public with a familiar theme, one that will sell books and movie tickets while stupendously produced, directed and acted films like last year's Best Picture winner, 'Moonlight"-with it's brilliant half-hour diner scene of two men sittin' around talking through an issue in the past that has haunted both of them- basically disappears.) Book Two, on its own, was an even better spin (the clock, the love triangle, the beginning of the revolution) on the same film, revealing some pretty smart moves by people on the outside of the evil government and on the inside of this government. Book Three, on it's own, was another, third, but weakest spin on the same film, as Collins was so intent on delivering to readers what they wanted instead of providing a way to utilize all of these smart characters, all who were part of a revolution, and all who could have reasonably come together to a brilliant but bloodless takeover. No, Collins delivered, I suppose, what American readers want most: horrific violence (turning the Capitol into Arena #3) instead of a brilliant game of brains thinking through non-violent options. (I intentionally avoided the third and fourth films, seeing it would have been a tough experience for me.) And even worse, at the end of the book, NOTHING has improved for Katniss: she is back where she started but now shattered beyond hope. Even her mother can't forgive her for the part she played in the fiery finale. Perhaps Collins, at best, was providing to us a lesson: violence and violence and more violence does not lead to peace. But no, I just can't give her credit for that: she went for the $$$ and simply slammed us with truly twisted horror. Sometimes the sum is far, far worse than the individual portions and in reality what we have is The Hunger Games Torture Porn Trilogy. But still, Collins used capitalism brilliantly: I can't fault her for making money as she delivered what America wants to read, to see on the screen, on the news, and even in real life. And to me, for what it's worth, that's just sad. ...more

5

Apr 10, 2014

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
It’s not everyday that a hero comes along who makes archery look totally badass. It’s also not everyday that a sidekick comes along who makes the art of baking pastries look totally lame. But needless to say, they make a great team when their lives are on the line. Suzanne Collins has crafted a book trilogy that seamlessly embodies rebellion, power, survival, and the collapse of a government due to a handful of berries.

Katniss Everdeen is your average, everyday, stubborn teenager who also
It’s not everyday that a hero comes along who makes archery look totally badass. It’s also not everyday that a sidekick comes along who makes the art of baking pastries look totally lame. But needless to say, they make a great team when their lives are on the line. Suzanne Collins has crafted a book trilogy that seamlessly embodies rebellion, power, survival, and the collapse of a government due to a handful of berries.

Katniss Everdeen is your average, everyday, stubborn teenager who also happens to support her family with her excellent aim with a bow and arrow. In mere seconds, she can shoot any Stephenie Meyer novel out of the hands of giddy teenage girls before they’re in too far over their heads. She also hunts animals outside the borders of her home, the coal-mining District 12, to bring back to her struggling mother and young sister. Each year, a male and female tribute are picked from each district (12 being the last) to participate in the Hunger Games, a televised fight to death involving, you guessed it, children. Lovely, isn’t it? Prim is Katniss’ younger sister, who has only had her name put into the drawing once, for the one year she has been eligible to play. Katniss’ childhood friend Gale, has had his name put in dozens of times, due to not only his age but also to his purchasing of food supplies in exchange for more entries. Because life sucks, Prim is chosen from the female candidates, and Gale is not chosen from the male candidates. Instead, we get Peeta Mellark, the son of a baker. Being the good, strong support system she is, Katniss volunteers in Prim’s place, and hijinks ensue.

By hijinks, I mean Peeta and Katniss meet their fellow tributes, train for a couple of weeks, and are thrust into an arena to brutally, unapologetically murder each other. But enough with the lighthearted aspects of the Hunger Games trilogy. Katniss and Peeta outsmart the Capitol by threatening to ingest deadly berries, and they both escape from the arena alive. The Capitol, a bunch of insane control freaks, isn’t thrilled with what went down. So naturally, the following year they force Katniss and Peeta to compete again, this time with former victors of the games. When they also find loopholes in THOSE games, things go haywire faster than they will once general audiences read my jab at the Twilight series. Katniss goes from being the pawn of a much bigger game to a symbol of freedom and strength… and that’s only in the first installment.

I was a fan of the Hunger Games the moment I picked up the first book. For a young-adult series, the books are dark, violent, and gritty, and that’s something I appreciate in popular culture. Collins was not afraid to push the genre to the limit, exposing audiences to the impenitent nature of a powerful dystopian government and the bravery that needs to rise to put said government in its place. These are very adult situations, but putting a young adult in those situations allows for a very different perspective and outlook, giving younger audiences the opportunity to read up on topics previously available specifically to adults.

On a literary level, Collins writes in a typical fashion for young-adult books of the same genre, but her voice adds a very adult, intelligent touch that kept me reading. She didn’t sugarcoat anything for her readers, and only those with strong minds (and at often times, stomachs) can handle the grit and velocity that the Hunger Games carries to the end. That was something else that kept me reading: the speed of the novels never lets up, and each installment is just as exciting as the last. If you hear any criticisms about the third installment, tell those critics to take it up with Haymitch Abernathy, Katniss and Peeta’s mentor, who will care about what they have to say as much as he cares about non-alcoholic beverages. Collins weaves a storyline that, with the events of the third book included, can only be ended in one way, and she goes for it. She has really written a great series of books that, to me, have become a game-changer for young-adult literature.
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4

Mar 13, 2012

I never got around to reading this series, though I bought the bundle back in September when it was on sale, until I started seeing the trailers for the movie. Then I saw an extended trailer at the theater and had to read it right now. I'll be going to see the movie, so I knew I had to read the books first.

Hunger Games: I thought the first book was outstanding. Very compelling and somewhat horrifying, but the pacing and narrative voice sucked me in. As the mother of 11 and 16 year old boys, I I never got around to reading this series, though I bought the bundle back in September when it was on sale, until I started seeing the trailers for the movie. Then I saw an extended trailer at the theater and had to read it right now. I'll be going to see the movie, so I knew I had to read the books first.

Hunger Games: I thought the first book was outstanding. Very compelling and somewhat horrifying, but the pacing and narrative voice sucked me in. As the mother of 11 and 16 year old boys, I did catch myself a few times imagining the Tributes as older, but I stopped doing that after a while. I couldn't put it down until I found out how it ended.

Catching Fire: This book was mostly a bridge between the first and third books, but still a good read in its own right. One thing that kept me uneasy throughout was the love triangle. I'm not a fan of love triangles anyway, but this one seemed like more of an emotional knot than most. When I got to the end, i was so glad I had the bundle and could just turn the page to the next book. I would have been so mad if I'd read it when it first released and had to wait for the third book.

Mockingjay: It fell apart a little with the third book. One thing I noticed as I was reading was that, because Katniss was our only POV character, a lot of the action took place off the page. We, as readers, had to sit around and wait with her to get a recap of the important events. It was still an engrossing read, though. And then came...the end.

(view spoiler)[The death that occurs at the end took a big bite out of my enjoyment of the series as a whole. Because of Katniss's primary motivation throughout the entire series, that death was the true ending and it wasn't a happy one. I think it only served as a way to resolve the love triangle and I was disappointed, even though we get a happily ever after epilogue for Katniss. (hide spoiler)]

I'm still giving the Hunger Games trilogy has a whole four stars, though, because it sucked me in and didn't let me go until the very last page. Since I don't read YA and I don't read post-apocalyptic fiction and I rarely read first person, that was quite a feat. ...more

5

Apr 07, 2012

I know there has been more hoopla about reading this book all over the place. This is the first book I read since the HP Series finished. Not sure if I have been unable to accept that the Wizarding World is over in a way. For me It will never be over. I read and saw many of my online friends tweeting and shouting about The Hunger Games, so I decided it to give it a shot. I was not sure I was going to like it. Still I went to the expense of purchasing the trilogy, just in case. I did not want to I know there has been more hoopla about reading this book all over the place. This is the first book I read since the HP Series finished. Not sure if I have been unable to accept that the Wizarding World is over in a way. For me It will never be over. I read and saw many of my online friends tweeting and shouting about The Hunger Games, so I decided it to give it a shot. I was not sure I was going to like it. Still I went to the expense of purchasing the trilogy, just in case. I did not want to buy one then the other and the other. It would have been more expensive.

Right now just thinking about all the events went on in the books and I want to cry and rage and then be so terribly content. I hope Draco doesn't get upset with me, but I think have fallen in Love with Peeta. I hope he will continue to love me. I can't find words to express how much the trilogy has touched me. Not sure how much research Ms. Collins did on the effects of war and I've never been in a was so not sure if some of the characters reaction were realistic. I found them to feel so real though. Just thinking about Katniss' pain and Peeta's struggle to endure his flashbacks makes me appreciate the world we in a little more. War causes so much damage and seeing your loved ones go through events and situations like that is not something I wish on my worst enemy. Not sure what other readers might think or feel, but these are mine.

On Gale; he is such a prick. I know he didn't think that his ideas would get used the way they did, bu the should have been aware that anything that can get them more points towards being seen as better was going to be used. Yes he is handsome and had more kisses given and taken, but I have so much anger towards him.

My Peeta; I think about him and my eyes fill with tears. I can't help but just thinking of his and Katniss' last conversation. "Real or not real?" I hope that anyone in here who has not read the books will get down to business and read them. Buy them if you can, they are worth every penny.

Elizabeth ...more

4

Sep 07, 2010

Katnis is a compelling character living in a time of deprevation and oppression. It is her actions in the face of this world that set her apart, that inspire others to action. But it is her humility, her lack of belief or understanding in her own self worth that make her so lovable. For the most part Katnis keeps her feelings and emotions guarded or hidden. These things make it hard for her to accept at face value that anyone could love her, or want to help her.
I loved the first book, it is hard Katnis is a compelling character living in a time of deprevation and oppression. It is her actions in the face of this world that set her apart, that inspire others to action. But it is her humility, her lack of belief or understanding in her own self worth that make her so lovable. For the most part Katnis keeps her feelings and emotions guarded or hidden. These things make it hard for her to accept at face value that anyone could love her, or want to help her.
I loved the first book, it is hard to comprehend a world in which these oppressive living conditions and the games were an accepted part of life, to see how Katnis reacted to this world and the games, and to see her love of life and her compassion for others in face of the oppression and injustice of the games.
I need to confess to a book prejudice...the ending is a major factor in my judgment about a book, and this one failed on several accounts. First the book builds this tension throughout about which boy Katnis loves or will love, but it turns out she just settles for one? And, for the most part Katnis is a girl of action in book one, and for the most part she's portrayed as a pawn especially in book three. You feel like jumping for joy when she yanks out her ear bud and runs to the roof top in the bombing raid, acting on her own, disobeying orders, but the rest of the book...
Since, for review purposes, I'm treating these three books as one I feel I need to asterisk my choice of stars, book #1 would be a 5 star, book #2 would be a 4 star and book #3 would be a 2 star in my mind.
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