Why I Love The Hunger Games Books (Spoiler Free!)
NOTE: I will only discuss specifics of the first two books of the Hunger Games series as they are discussed on the flap of the first book. I won’t even bring up anything about the second book other than letting you know it exists. THIS IS A SPOILER FREE ENTRY. The comments, however – are not. DO NOT READ THE COMMENTS IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE BOOKS.
Mockingjay comes out this coming Tuesday and I am beyond excited about it. I’ve not been this excited about a book release since the days of Harry Potter. While these books are popular, they don’t have the widespread appeal I feel like they deserve so I wanted to tell you why I adore them so much and hope maybe you’ll find time to read the first two in the next week so you can wrap up the series with me next week.
Hunger Games is about a girl, Katniss Everdeen, who lives in Panem which basically post-apocalyptic North America. She lives in District 12. There are 12 total districts controlled by The Capitol which keeps the districts from rebelling by crushing their spirits annually with the Hunger Games. This is a televised fight to the death of 24 kids between the ages of 12 and 18. One boy and one girl – chosen randomly – from each district. Katniss – who has already learned to be a badass in District 12, just trying to keep her family alive – finds herself the girl contestant from her district in the 74th Hunger Games.
That’s really all you need to know. This is one of my favorite types of stories, whether it’s on book, TV, or film. The story of the little guy being treated poorly and rising up to fight the Big Bad Guy who is oppressing him.
Except, unlike in many movies and books…it’s not that easy.
While we like to imagine both historical uprisings and fictional ones as simply people deciding their situation is unjust and fighting (AND WINNING!) against their oppressors – It’s not that easy. And Katniss shows us that time and time again. She has friends and family she adores and wants to protect AT ALL COSTS. Although she has a killer survival instinct, she would even sacrifice her own life for theirs if she knew it would protect them. However, this is opposes her basic desire to fight against what threatens them all: The Capitol. I guess this is how oppressors in history (and fiction) keep power over those beneath them: With the constant threats to the lives of their subjects and their loved ones. It’s a great battle that plays out emotionally and in the Games as Katniss is constantly finding herself trying to protect herself and her family but also wishing she could fight what is so terribly wrong with her world.
It’s heartbreaking, at times. I’ve read Catching Fire (My favorite of the two) now 2 times and listened to it on audiobook two times and I sob in the same points every time. Collins writes a very realistic scenario of oppression and how little power the subjects usually have in these situations. And how, often times, no matter how wrong you know your situation is: There’s often not a damn thing you can do about it.
I would love to get into these books more, my favorite parts and my hopes for Mockingjay, but I want to keep this entry spoiler-free. HOWEVER: I have no control over the comments. Do Not Read The Comments On This Entry If You Haven’t Read The Books. If you guys who have read the books talk about them in the comments? I’ll come back and join you. If you’re read them – what are you hoping for most out of Mockingjay? What were your favorite parts of the previous two books?
I am so glad you wrote about this! More girls should be reading about Katniss than Bella. In my opinion, Katniss is one of the best teenaged heroines to have come around for a long, long time.
My hope for Mockingjay? I am hoping Katniss finally gets to unleash her inner tiger and will get to kick some major ass, as she was destined to do.
I hope Peeta lives, of course! And Gale! However, I am still very torn on the Peeta vs. Gale triangle. I lean towards Peeta. I think this is one spot where Collins missed the boat – I felt that we had not been given enough “time” with Gale and Katniss, not nearly as much as with Peeta and Kat.
I don’t have time to reread both books, but am thinking a re-read of Catching Fire will have to do.
Yes, More Katniss (and Katsa from Graceling) and less Bella. Ugh.
Team Strong Bitches!
Hooray for Hunger Games! Reading this set me off on a YA tear that I have enjoyed tremendously. I can’t wait for Mockingjay–your harry Potter comparison is right on. And I loved Graceling, too.
Has anyone read Collins’ other series? Is it also excellent?
On a different tip, Libby Bray has an awesome Victorian YA series that I’ve really been enjoying as well. But post-apocalyptic fiction always has my heart. Go Katniss! I don’t know who I’m rooting for, though–Gale or Peeta. I’m so afraid one of them will have to die so she can choose.
I love these books! I agree – Katniss is a kick-ass heroine that girls need to read! The whole world Suzanne Collins has created is fascinating. What I found was that I was totally judging the Capitol for exploiting the people from the Districts for the Games, and yet, I was lapping up the story and the bloodshed and I could see how it all could totally be an amazing reality show. I mean, a sick, perverse, morality-free reality show. So, basically, I am no better than these bloodthirsty people.
The twist at the end of Catching Fire really caught me by surprise. I had no clue it was going that way.
What I love about it coming out next week is that it’s my son’s first day back to preschool – so you know where I am going to be! Running to the bookstore for my copy!
I’m less enthused. I found both Hunger Games and Catching Fire slow to get going. They did pick up and I enjoyed them, but not to any great level. I will of course read Mockingjay – once my request comes in at the library.
I think in the past I recommended Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdoch. There have been 2 more books in the D.J. Schwenk series and all are quite good, especially the 1st and 3rd novels.
It seems I need to check out this Graceling series…
Also, Collins has written other things AND has a new series planned that sounded interesting (I read about it in my Costco Membership magazine and why yes, I am 80 years old – why do you ask?)
And while I am rooting for Peeta, I hope nothing bad happens to Gale!
Can I tell you my guess? I think the mine incident from when Katniss’s Dad died? Was some sort of Capitol staged attach on an uprising. Like – maybe Katniss’s Dad and other miners were using their times in the mines to “stage” an uprising? And the Capitol got wind and caused the explosion? Maybe?
Kim, my sister Sarah sent me your blog. It’s funny! A couple weeks ago I was dashing through the aiport on my way to up-state New York for a business trip when I grabbed Hunger Games off the shelf to read on the plane. I couldn’t put it down!
Two weeks later, I stopped in a book store to pick up the second book to read on vacation. The lady at the store pulled it off the “Children’s Shelf.” I must say, I was a little embarassed – but couldn’t wait to read the book none the less.
Now, I am eagerly awaiting the release of Mockingjay (which ironically coincides with my next trip out west).
I had told Sarah about my “guilty pleasure” reading this series when I saw her on my vacation. And, how ironic you make comparisons to Harry Potter. When she sent me your blog, I responded with the following email:
AWESOME!
I get a little embarrassed when I get hooked on books like this – especially when they come off the Children’s Shelf – hahaha. Although I hated to see the Harry Potter series end, I was also very glad it was over. Each new release was like an addiction for me. I would neglect my wife and kids for 2 or 3 days until I got through the book. It was over the top. I actually felt guilty when I finished a book for how obsessed I had become about reading it.
And yet, I feel a bit like that about the last book in this series. So I am glad to know there are a few crazy people out there who feel the way I do!
Thanks for sharing. I plan to post!!!”
Ultimately, I think you are absolutely right, this is a great story with a great heroine. What really draws me to the story is the conflict Katniss goes through in becoming the heroine. Her killer instinct. Her desire to fight against the Capitol. Her even stronger desire to protect the people she loves. And, the way she impacts the people around her! Can’t wait to see how it all ends.
Thanks for sharing!
I have NO guesses about where it’s going. I just can’t wait to go there with them.
I, personally, love Katniss because life feels VERY MUCH like the Hunger Games. You get to a point where you feel safe, and maybe you can get food and sleep for the first time in a long time, and then KAPOW! THE MAN SENDS YOU SOME DESTRUCTION BWHAHAHAHA.
I have issues. GO KATNISS!
I cannot WAIT for Mockingjay. And I must say, when my niece gets just a little bit older, I am going to have the most amazing YA collection for her to read.
Okay, so I’ve read them all too. But I didn’t like them. I think the reason is the basic concept of kids killing kids. It’s just horrifying. Yep, I can’t get past that aspect of it to fall in love with the story. But I swear, I read them all and gave it a chance.
(I’m not even sure I’ll read Mockingjay. Don’t hate me. Please.)
I cannot wait to get my hands on Mockingjay! I’ve been trying to get into The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but I just keep thinking that maybe I should wait because I know I’ll drop it as soon as Mockingjay comes out.
Hunger Games pulled me in from the very first page and I can’t wait to see what is going to happen next. I had the same thoughts about the mine – that maybe it was caused by the Capitol to squander an uprising. Other than that, I’m still stuck on the whole Gale-Peeta thing and I really wish Katniss could just be with both of them.
Zoot, I completely 100% agree with your guess. Enough so that when I read it, I was like “well of course, didn’t we already know that?” only to realize that no, we actually didn’t. On another note, I am so rooting for Gale. I never really liked Peeta, as opposed to Gale who got my vote from the beginning.
I’m also a Hunger Games/Suzanne Collins fan.
It’s not *as* good, but Incarceron is the start of another decent series (once the Mockingjay itch gets scratched and you need something new).
While it seems as though Incarceron rips off Hunger Games, it actually came out before in 2007, it just took some time to cross the pond. The author seems to be a fairly prolific and respected sci-fi author in the UK.
My friend was involved in a car accident last year so she spent like 3 months in plaster – so she read ALOT!!
About 3 or 4 weeks ago we were talking about Twilight and she recommended that I read the Hunger Games – well I went and bought the first book and read it cover to cover in about 4 days. (Loved it!)
I then went and read another book while waiting to get the second book – I asked my brother to get it while he was at our local shopping centre/mall but the girl in the book store had never of The Hunger Games and then when she’d looked it up she said that Book 2 was out til this Summer (during this conversation me and my brother are having a text message conversation and I point out that Book 3 comes out this summer) Anyhoo he wasn’t able to get it so I had to do that lol.
If it’s possible to Love it given the subject matter then I do LOTS! I would like to see Katniss happy with either Gale or Peeta – but as I told my friend Peeta understands the psychological trauma that the games brought on Katniss and he understands how they still haunt her – where as Gale doesn’t really understand that. As Cagey said first – we’ve not really been given enough time with Gale to develop their relationship – maybe it will survive and Gale will try to understand the trauma – or maybe the fact that he’s managed to get Katniss’s family out of District 12 before the explosions that she’ll feel she owes him something (okay so maybe I’m not explaining very well lol)
Might be back with another comment later – I need to go out now
John Wright up there somewhere in the comments – don’t be embarassed, there are plenty authors out there who are put in the teenage/children section and probably should be in the adults and unless you tell people who’s going to know
Funny, I see the love she has for Gale as more brotherly and not romantic love, versus the love she has for Peeta. But I could be wrong.
Also, I’m interested in learning more about this Distract 13 and how it ties in and if the women Katniss met in the forest (and helped a bit) made it to that place. I am SO excited for the last installment! Thanks for the recommendation – you are why I started reading them!
I just finished re-reading Catching Fire last night – I am SO glad I re-read it. For one, I caught so many more details and took extra time to keep track of victors and allies in the Quell (since I am assuming they will be in Mockingjay, too)
I have to admit, I am wondering if perhaps Katniss’s dad is not alive, after all and in District 13. I can’t put my finger on why I think that. I do wholeheartedly agree with you, Zoot, that the mine explosion that supposedly killed him was orchestrated by the Capital to squash an uprising.
And for everyone saying Peeta was a wimp? No way, no how. Physically, he was weak (partly not his fault because he lost a leg in the Games) but man, that guy had such an incredible strength of character. And that is precisely why the whole Team Gale/Team Peeta thing is so interesting to me – Peeta is strong inside, Gale is strong outside. Katniss has quite the decision on her hands.