Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before - and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, …
Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before - and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Collins delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present.
Review of 'The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Having seen the movie before listening to this audiobook, I had to abandon any hopes of comparing my imagination with the film vision. Still, it was an interesting experience that made me think about audiobooks as a medium. The narrator could have whistled Rue's song, they could have had several narrators for all the characters, the book could have music and sound effects – but it didn't, yet it still delivered a rich world. Similarly, paperback books could have photographs, illustrations or varying typography, but they also work without these enrichment techniques. So why is it exactly that the film business keeps insisting a philosophy of "show, don't tell"? Just because you can do something doesn't necessarily mean you should do it. Anyway, this was a good read. Or a good listen?
So, I saw the movie first. This kind of story really isn't my usual read so despite the hype I didn't read it. However the movie put a lot of questions into my head that the book happily answered. There was a lot going on in Katniss' mind, and while everyone I know hailed her as this great female lead character the movie kind of whitewashes that a little. I wondered if the book did a better job, happy to say it did.
I'm holding out judgement on whether or not I truly like the series until I've done all three books. How they wrap it up is going to really determine that for me. ______
UUUGH this book. That's a good sort of UGH, but also just one of frustration. Looking at the series as a whole I just want to weep for humanity, because honestly …
So, I saw the movie first. This kind of story really isn't my usual read so despite the hype I didn't read it. However the movie put a lot of questions into my head that the book happily answered. There was a lot going on in Katniss' mind, and while everyone I know hailed her as this great female lead character the movie kind of whitewashes that a little. I wondered if the book did a better job, happy to say it did.
I'm holding out judgement on whether or not I truly like the series until I've done all three books. How they wrap it up is going to really determine that for me. ______
UUUGH this book. That's a good sort of UGH, but also just one of frustration. Looking at the series as a whole I just want to weep for humanity, because honestly it's not a massive stretch to see something akin to this happening.
This series is really one best reviewed as a whole because although the books are standalone, the actual story they tell is greater than each individual book.
So I read this after a friend made me watch the movie. The story's a pretty interesting one. I mean aftermath of a revolution as the Capital makes poor people fight to the death for their amusement. Plus the social commentary on reality TV? It was actually a really interesting book.
I wasn't expecting much when I ordered this book from the Amazon Lending Library, but I found the story to be more engaging than I'd expected. The book is clearly written for young adults, but it was pretty easy to look past that. While the prose could be awkward and the story superficial, I still found the main characters sympathetic and engaging. If you're looking for a quick, entertaining read from the lending l library, I'd recommend this book.
The Hunger Games had me completely riveted from the first line to the last.
It's a really novel idea, a fine depiction of what can happen if reality shows ever go too far.
Despite me knowing that it's this fact which I should have been focusing on, I truly got involved in the Games. I found myself rooting for our heroine, Katniss Everdeene, wishing her competitors dead, wishing she would kill them, and truly hoping that she would win.
As to Katniss herself, she's a bit of an enigma. She sometimes comes across as the tempestuous, temperamental teenage girl that she is, and often does completely unpredictable, irrational, and illogical things. Other times she's cool, calm and collected; a true survivor.
She's a truly interesting character, and I'd love to play someone like her in a tabletop role playing game. She seems as though she was made for it!
Review of 'The Hunger Games Movie-Tie in-Edition [Paperback] [Nov 10, 2014] SUZANNE COLLINS' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I saw the movie first. I was surprised that the movie was really close to the book. On the other hand: the book is so short there wasn't much room to leave out anything. That's my only critique really: way too short. I finished the book in one sitting. I enjoyed that sitting: the characters are believable, no weird motivational jumps, no unexplained skills or out of character actions. The emotions of the characters are credible. I was put off at first by the first person narrative but it turned out fine. If I had not seen the movie it would probably have been full of suspense. Even so I could not put the book away. Only four stars because all in all it is a bit too simple for my taste: the writing style, the plot, the characters - it all screams "young adult" and the books I read …
I saw the movie first. I was surprised that the movie was really close to the book. On the other hand: the book is so short there wasn't much room to leave out anything. That's my only critique really: way too short. I finished the book in one sitting. I enjoyed that sitting: the characters are believable, no weird motivational jumps, no unexplained skills or out of character actions. The emotions of the characters are credible. I was put off at first by the first person narrative but it turned out fine. If I had not seen the movie it would probably have been full of suspense. Even so I could not put the book away. Only four stars because all in all it is a bit too simple for my taste: the writing style, the plot, the characters - it all screams "young adult" and the books I read right before were the ASoIaF series ... a stark contrast.
So: if you enjoyed the movie it is worth a read and if you haven't seen the movie it is still worth a read.
A good story which is significantly hampered by leaden prose. I understand that this is young adult fiction, but the plodding along of 'I say' 'he says' with only functional paragraphs becomes tedious. As far as themes go, this is very interesting and I like the social satire.
Review of 'The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
This is a romance.
And it's also every bit as good as people claimed it was, and I'm sorry I doubted them and put off reading it for so long.
This is a story about a girl out for survival and the protection of her family, and the boy down the street madly in love with her.
And something about a hunger games thing full of children out to kill each other. I know that the games is the driving plot, but honestly the romantic side of the story is what drew me in, and I can see how easily the people watching the games in-story shared my feelings. In fact, it's easy to sayI honestly cared more about Peeta and his feelings for Katniss than pretty much anything else going on in the novel.
The writing is smooth and while the present-tense threw me at first, after a few …
This is a romance.
And it's also every bit as good as people claimed it was, and I'm sorry I doubted them and put off reading it for so long.
This is a story about a girl out for survival and the protection of her family, and the boy down the street madly in love with her.
And something about a hunger games thing full of children out to kill each other. I know that the games is the driving plot, but honestly the romantic side of the story is what drew me in, and I can see how easily the people watching the games in-story shared my feelings. In fact, it's easy to sayI honestly cared more about Peeta and his feelings for Katniss than pretty much anything else going on in the novel.
The writing is smooth and while the present-tense threw me at first, after a few pages I eased into it and stopped noticing that anything was odd and before I knew it I had finished the book. Everything is detailed just enough, and the focus on food in particular really sets the moments. You can smell it and feel your stomach grumble along with the heroine. The violence, too, in particular wasn't all that bad--most of the deaths occur out of Katniss' sightline, so we only get to see a few (and even then they're not very detailed). I can't tell if I'm desensitized or not having seen much worse, but for a book about killing children it didn't seem all that violent. Then again, I read a lot of gory serial killer novels--so this really wasn't all that bad.
If I had any complaints about the story, it'd be Katniss. Character wise, she's sort of all over the place. She's strong when she needs to be, she's weepy when she needs to be, smart when she needs it, dumb when appropriate, ignorant of social rules or witty on cue both at the drop of the hat--and so forth. You do get a feel for who she is, but her only flaw seems to be not noticing Peeta's huge, gaping, authentic crush on her. And even that's sort of a plot point and wink to the audience.
But, any issues I have with Katniss are balanced out by Peeta--of whom pretty much stole all my fangirl giddiness the second he arrived. His heart is on his sleeve and it's obvious even through Katniss' point of view how much he adores her--even if she doesn't realize it herself. My favorite moment, that solidified his place as favorite character (After Effie, of course), was when he loses his cool during a session with Haymitch and shouts at Katniss about how capable she is and how even his own mother thinks she'll be the victor. The hurt at both his mother's words, and his own feelings playing against him are vivid and paint an amazing picture of him. Peeta's got his flaws, too, with his ignorance out in the arena itself and maybe being too open about himself, but his heart's in the right place.
Granted, I may be a bit biased when it comes to Peeta.
The rest of the cast is up to task as well, and I found myself liking just about everyone on screen. Katniss & Peeta's team were all fun and colorful characters. Cinna's too much fun (really he is.) The few tributes who got names were interesting, and I found myself attached the the Boy from District 3 even though his time in the book was ridiculously short--I think he left us all with a bang. wink Cato, especially, turned out to be quite the heavy-hitter and it was fun watching him go from brutal to flat out crazy with rage. And of course one can't forget little Rue, and Gale sitting back home waiting.
Good book. Good read. & Now, to brace myself for the depressing sequels (if what little I've looked into is any indication).
