Jenna Likes to Read

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Posted on 28 August 2009

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, “The Hunger Games.” The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat’s sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.

Well, if you’ve been reading my blog at all, you know I love this book.  I just read it for the second time so I am refreshed on everything and ready for Catching Fire.  Reading the book again, I liked it just as much as I did the first time.  The book is fantastic in my opinion.  It has a little of everything – survival, grief, hope, family, romance, action, adventure, complexity…  So good!  Katniss is strong, smart, resourceful, and very likable.

I recently found a fan forum for the book and it has been very interesting reading others opinions of various characters.  It has really gotten me thinking.  The book is in Katniss’ point of view, so everything we know is tempered by her feelings.  Many people on the forum mentioned not liking a certain character because Katniss doesn’t like the character.  It just seems so odd to me because I feel there are many clues in the book that this character’s actions are not motivated by the things Katniss thinks they are.  (I know that sentence was vague, but I don’t want to give away anything.)  On the flip side, there is a character that Katniss likes a lot that I don’t care for.   I don’t really know what point I’m trying to make, just that it is interesting how a character’s opinions can shade our feelings about the people and events in books.

Anyway!  Can’t wait for Tuesday!