the hunger games

These books were, beyond everything, I couldn't put them down. I see them as a must read for anyone who loves to get involved in a book, and attached to the charters. But it is not a book for the faint of heart. There was a lot of intensity. Katniss, Gale and Peeta had me so entranced, i was envisioning their world, the struggles, pain and love.

There were many times that I forgot how young Katniss is throughout the entire trilogy. Collins portrays her in some ways as a Joan of Ark. Standing against all odds, with her only fear being the loss of her family and friends who are always for front in her mind. She was the burning savior of the people. 

As I read along I couldn't help but relate many ideas with 1984. There was the body of government taking control with no regard to the people. The people were just pawns for them to play with. They used them as free labor, gave them nothing and punished anyone who they saw as a threat.

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I'm not going to lie. When I started reading I was board, the first chapter didn't catch me right off the bat. I stand by the rule that you should always give a book a few chapters to get into it. So I did. Boy do I not regret that! 

The world that is created by Suzanne Collins is beyond spectacular. The intricacies, and how fast you become apart of that would is a credit to her mind. After getting through the first chapter I became Katniss. I felt her pain and confusion. She was willing sacrificed everything for the people she loved. 

The theory of the Hunger Games that Katniss and Peeta are forced to become a part of is terrifying. The idea is morbid, it's almost as if the Capital sees everyone as toys, dolls that they can play with. Play with and watch as they tear each other apart. 

It's strange that the part of the book that sticks with me the most, is possibly the shortest part of the book. There is so much build up until finally just when you think the actual games won't start until the next book. You are there, in the middle of the arena, terrified, running for you life. 

Although Gale is not a big part of the action shown in this book, you feel for him as a reader. You have to. Everything that happens, all of the build up, suspense, romance that accrues durring the Hunger Games, everything is shown to Gale and everyone else daily in broadcast. So many times I couldn't help it but feel my heart breaking for him as well as all the other families and friends of the competitors. 

I refuse to give away any more, but I will say this is not a fairy tale happily ever after.

I started right in on the second book after I finished the first in the trilogy. The suspense was killing me and I had to know what more could possibly happen to Katniss after the horrors she faced in the first book.

Of course the worst thing I could thing of was exactly what happened. The parallels in the structure of the first two books was so striking to me. The story was entirely different, but it followed such a similar path, and of corse ended in the Hunger Games, not quite as I expected, but then it's nice to have the unexpected happen sometimes. 

I knew something was going to be different about the Hunger Games that were portrayed in this book. I feel that it shows the arrogance of the Capital. For them to put together a game like that and not expect something to happen, is insane. Once again I feel that Collins showed her true genius in story telling. 

Unlike the first book, I feel that you have more empathy for the competitors in this books Hunger Games. I think the reader has a better idea of the awfulness that is about to commence in the pages. The build up is less necessary, the explanation has already been made, and the reader is already mad at the Capital. 

The twists are great. It is impossible to not keep your hopes up for something to happen. Something to stop the Hunger Games. From the moment that President Snow announces how the games will be run this year to the moment before everything changes you are held on tenter hooks with anticipation. 

The third book held the most, maybe frustration is a good way to put it. I had a much harder time being drawn into the story. To become a part of the world. 

In a way, maybe this is how I was supposed to feel, or at least I can see the advantage of this feeling. Katniss didn't feel that she was apart of the world she was living in. She was confused, frustrated and in more pain then I think anyone could realize. And I felt this with her. Eventually, Katniss found a way to cope. With Gale at her side and Peeta as a goal and friends and family supporting her she became the mockingjay. But the revolution sure got more then they were asking for when it came to putting her in such a position.

Romance still played a roll, but the intensity took a back seat. Katniss was left in total confusion coming from so many directions. She felt betrayed, had problems trusting anyone and had no clue which direction her heart was trying to lead her. In a way she was cornered and felt that there was no way out. 

The "games" in this book were almost of a nature greater cruelty then the ones in the previous books. The build up was intense from the beginning, what was endured mentally by all the charters that the reader grew to love in the previous books was more drawn and cut deeper then almost any before. 

Once again, this is not a happily ever after, but it is a much happily ever after then the second book. At the end, after I turned the last page I hurt. In a way I had become Katniss, and now her story is told and all the pain she had felt all the pain she would endure for the rest of her life came to me.

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The movie that covers the first book comes out in March of 2012.

I am waiting in great anticipation to see how they do at creating the atmosphere and having the charters come to life. Although the actors are not exactly how I envisioned them while reading the books, I was very happy with the choices they made. I hadn't looked at the cast before I read them so I would have no image in my head of how they should look. I think that is the worst part of books they turn into movies. The actor that portraits the charter becomes who you see when you read the books. 

From the trailer, I think they will do a pretty good job, but time will tell.