I started reading the Hunger Games trilogy when I heard that there was a movie being made and that it was supposed to create a craze similar to the Twilight Trilogy. I did the same thing with the Twilight books and became an instant fan and was blind to all the craziness the plot of the story holds. I have read in some reviews of the Hunger Games that it puts Twilight to shame and I kept this in mind while reading to form my own opinion. Normally when I read a book, I don’t think too much about the holes that the story might have or even question the story just a little. That is until I met Jason because after any movie that we watch, he becomes Mr. Movie Critic. So, this time when I picked up the Hunger Games, I have already begun to form my own set of critic-like questions and comments but only a little.
I really enjoyed reading the Hunger Games and it was the first book in a long time that I have finished in under a month. I just had a lot of moments where I was asking questions and not quite understanding how the Hunger Games system works. I am pretty sure that if I had read this before I met Mr. Movie Critic, I wouldn’t have even thought twice about questioning the story. I don’t quite understand how the Hunger Games keeps the districts from starting an uprising. In my mind if a family has to let their children go into an arena and fight until death then someone should rebel against this. Are we supposed to believe that there aren’t any protective parents that don’t want their children to fight to the death? I can’t imagine a community where this situation would not make a family want to fight against the Capitol for their loved ones.
I couldn’t put the book down once they were released into the arena. I wanted to know who was declared dead at the end of each day and who survived the crazy situations the contestants are put into. I really didn’t have any problem with the time that they were in the arena. My favorite part in the arena is when Katniss sets the trackers jackers loose on the other players. I cringed a little as I read about the stings and the intense pain that they caused for the contestants. Katniss is one tough chick for being able to get stung but keep fighting to move along. She really is a very likeable character for me because while she is a very skilled and seems to be always serious, she also has her flaws such as being unaware of Peeta’s true feelings for her. I think this shows that she has an innocent side that is covered by the toughness that she has had to put forward in her society. Everything is about survival for this girl because she has learned that was her only choice as she was growing up and protecting her mother and sister.
I think I was a little confused on why the rules of the games were changed and they announced that there could be two winners at the end. I understand that they were trying to play along with the audiences want for the two lovers to make it out alive but I instantly thought, “wait a second, the games weren’t created to entertain the citizens but instead scare them so why would they change the rules for that sole reason?” Until the very end when it comes down to just Peeta and Katniss. It is then announced that the rules have changed yet again and only one survivor may exist! By the end of the book, I was pretty attached to both characters and couldn’t choose a side! I didn’t want anyone to eat any poison berries! I didn’t like the idea of both of them eating the berries especially because there are two more books for me to read. So, I was very happy when the rules changed yet again just moments before they committed double suicide and two survivors were once again allowed. Immediately after finishing the first book, I couldn’t help but jump right into the second!
Overall, it’s a good enough first book that I have continued on to the second but just as with Twilight it wasn’t a literary masterpiece. It’s just a good story that pulled me in from the beginning and I can’t stop reading until I reach the end!