I started off hardly intersted in the books but then the movie hype finally caught up to me as well so I bought a copy to read during my birthday trip to Surathani.
If you sum up the main ideas of who did what in as few words as you can, the movie would be very similar to battle royale; a bunch of people chosen to fight to the death in an arena full of weapons and obstacles. Only one will survive
But what The Hunger Games differ is that the " Hunger Games" is a political tool (not just pure S&M) designed to keep the 12 districts of a future country set out in the distant 22nd century (once known as north america) in line and remind them of the misfortune that had befallen the late 13th district.
Instead having thousands of people die each district sends in a male and a femal tribute to the capitol each year to fight to the death and so on.
"... Dark Days, the uprising of the districts against the Capitol. Twelve were defeated, the thirteenth obliterated. The Treaty of Treason gave us the new laws to guarantee peace and, as our yearly reminder that the Dark Days must never be repeated, it gave us the Hunger Games."
I enjoyed Catching Fire as much as the Hunger games. I really was trying to imagine what she could possibly do to maintain the suspense of the story but she did it extremely well. Even the arena was insane.
"On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors"
The sophistication of the arena is hands down well thought up.
So what didn't I like about it? Well, (many other reviewers agree as well that) there were way too many unnescessary casualties.
Finnick.
Finnick "Stud muffin" Odair.
The book describes him as "Tall, athletic, with golden skin and bronze-coloured hair and those incredible [sea-green] eyes" and Katniss says he is unarguably one of the most stunning, sensuous people on the planet.
How can you not love him? With the charming smile, the incredible athleticism and the soft character behind all that!
His death (I, myself too horrified to verbalize the specifics of it) was truly underserving.
Yeah we all know there was a war in Mockingjay and everything but come on! our main character, Katniss, volunteered to take Prim (her sister)'s place in the games to basically save her life.
But in the end, it didn't matter!!!
Prim got blown to smitherines towards the end of the war. She died less than a year after Katniss's entering the first Hunger Games. I felt like Katniss's primary motive literally died in vain.
So I am now left questioning the message of this book.
What the hell is it?
Is it telling us that fate is inevitable?
It's useless to protect the one we love?
This book is very very dark for Y.A.
I have no doubt that many kids will feel be left confused, drained, and hopeless for a couple of hours after finishing Mockingjay, the last sequel.
So the BIG shocker (I think I had goodbumps and had to reread it a second time) was when rebel president Coin said
"What has been proposed is that in lieu of eliminating the entire Capitol population, we have a final, symbolic Hunger Games,"
Way to put a damper on the youth of today's hopes by saying no matter how shitty things get, it can always get shittier.
And what about Gale? He didn't even say bye! He just...left. After all he's been through with Katniss that's how their five year friendship ends?
Okay, the writer kinda saved it in the last page with Katniss realizing her love for Peeta was what she needed all along.
Peeta and I grow back together. There are still
moments when he clutches the back of a chair and hangs
on until the flashbacks are over. I wake screaming from
nightmares of mutts and lost children. But his arms are
there to comfort me. And eventually his lips. On the
night I feel that thing again, the hunger that overtook me
on the beach, I know this would have happened anyway.
That what I need to survive is not Gale's fire, kindled
with rage and hatred. I have plenty of fire myself. What I
need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow
that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise
that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it
can be good again. And only Peeta can give me that.
So after, when he whispers, "You love me. Real or not
real?"I tell him "Real."
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