My review: I knew that everyone loved it, but I still didn’t want to read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I read the description and grimaced; it sounded like Lord of the Flies and “The Lottery” had a love child; it sounded awful, so I ignored the hype.
Flash forward to this past September. I was spending a weekend at my cousins’ apartment in Boston. What did my three grown cousins want to do? Play the Hunger Games board game (yeah, they’re 27 years old and up). Despite my protests, I ended up winning and decided that it was a sign for me to finally read this series.
Final word: I loved it! Read it before the movie comes out in March; the trailer looks awesome!
While we First-Worlders, like the Capitol dwellers, are generally removed from it, life is all about fighting for survival. I don’t care what anyone says, the latter, with love as a close second, is the predominant message of the book. After Collins forces you to go primal, this series, like the Hunger Games themselves, is wildly entertaining. The obstacles that act as matters of life or death make you want to pick favorites, root for them, and find out if they die. Also, if they’re going to die, you’ll want to know how and who’s responsible. Then, you’ll want revenge.
Thus, it’s not surprising that this is the type of series that you’ll ultimately become invested in, the type that’s worth throwing your sleep schedule off an entire week. In fact, one of my tweeps, @CMandelski, said that her family almost didn’t get Christmas dinner because she was so engrossed in the second book, Catching Fire! Ha! I believe it…
Although there are definitely some gruesome deaths that night readers may want to steer clear of, HGT isn’t all gore. It’s a smart and suspenseful look at what could happen with the wrong people in control. It’s an all too rare portrayal of a strong female character. It’s the human spirit on crack. What’s left to say? Let the Hunger Games begin!
Book Breakdown:
1) The Hunger Games: 5 stars
2) Catching Fire: 4 stars
3) Mockingjay: 4 stars
I was also surprised by how much I liked this series! I feel like a lot of the series which have gotten a lot of hype lately (Twilight, Inheritance Series) have been disappointingly shallow and poorly written. This series was neither! What finally got me to read it, was being stuck at home over break with nothing to read and I’m so glad I picked it up
This series is the only one that all four members of my household read; first, I read it, then passed on to my eldest, who then forced her sister to read it, and then the three of us cornered my husband. We were all CONSUMED! Loved it. Thought it was very well-done. I also think the last line of Mockingjay may be one of my favorite last lines ever. Can’t wait for March 23!
I was really annoyed when a snobbish literary friend refused to entertain the Dragon Tattoo series, yet here I’ve been resisting Hunger Games. OK, Kelley. I hear you, I trust you, I’ll read it. The trailer *did* look good. And after Lisbeth Salander, who doesn’t Hunger for another awesome female hero.
I thought it was a good series, and I definitely got into the characters. Made me think of the most dangerous game. A couple of things I didn’t like but, it was still fun.