Collins,Suzanne The Hunger Games, - informal buddy read begins 15 May 2024

[Cat]

I'm super late, but better that than never!

30%in, Peeta's just switched up and separated from training with Katniss....

Mostly my thoughts are that I get that Katniss is angry and focused on surviving, but if she'd just chill she'd see that there's people wanting to change things more effectively than just raging. I get that Madge and Peeta have more time to think and plot, but that's not stopping me wanting to shake Katniss.
I do also understand why they wouldn't tell her in a million years because she's such a loose cannon, which makes for a great rallying figure but is crap for keeping secrets!

[Ashlee]

I just finished Part 2, where the tributes have learned that two from the same District can reign victorious. It has been so long since I originally read this series, that I've forgotten some of the best details of the strategies during the games.

[Cat]

Melissa wrote: "While reading Part 2, all I can think of is that my favorite part in this entire book is Katniss and Rue's 'friendship'. The way Katniss protected her as if she was her own little sister and the wa..."

Agreed! I had forgotten how early Rue actually died, but I guess she serves to put Katniss into the cooperation frame of mind and primed to save Peeta. Would she have prioritised Peeta over Rue otherwise?

[Cat]

Ashlee wrote: "I just finished Part 2, where the tributes have learned that two from the same District can reign victorious. It has been so long since I originally read this series, that I've forgotten some of th..."

The Games sections are great mixes of action and strategy

[Katie]

It's more frustrating on the rereads to see how, even though Katniss is amazing at understanding Hunger Games strategy and even some of the motivations of the other players, she still is so terrible at reading Peeta. Every step of the way he shows how much he loves her and all she can see is strategy.

I can't hate her for it though, it makes for a great story. It also make sense with having to grow up scraping by and trying to save her family after her father dies.

[Shelby]

Katie - I agree. She’s so aware of others motives but Peeta she’s always assigning the worst reasoning to his actions. Despite his never having done anything to hurt her she can’t see any of his actions as anything but self serving. Really the only person she gives good intentions to is Rue. I wonder if that’s because she so young that Katniss can still trust that she doesn’t have an ulterior motive?

[Laura]

I think she has an underlying assumption that his actions are all motivated by his desire for his own survival. She doesn’t see that his motivation is her survival.

[Sanskriti]

Katie wrote: "It's more frustrating on the rereads to see how, even though Katniss is amazing at understanding Hunger Games strategy and even some of the motivations of the other players, she still is so terribl..."

I had this exact same thought! I read Hunger Games for the third time and realized that I really don't like Katniss much. She assumes the worst of Peeta constantly, right until the very end, even though she has no reason to – he has always helped her, even back in District 12 with the bread incident. I get her psyche, she comes with a history of having to struggle for food. And yet, I thought that would make her warm up to Peeta more because he belonged to same district.

Also, at the start of the Games I thought the two of them would naturally team up, but they don't. In fact, I found it jarring that Collins didn't end up describing why Peeta teamed up with the Career tributes in the first place, and why they let him. It would have helped to flesh out Peeta's character a bit more.

[Sanskriti]

I felt the best moments of the book were between Katniss and Rue. Something about their partnership felt odd, Rue being smaller than other tributes, and yet, it felt natural. Of course, Katniss ended up thinking of Rue in terms of her sister Prim and being protective of her, but the strategy that emerged from the two teaming up goes on to show that no matter how "small" someone might look, you never know how much of an impact they could have until you collaborate with them.

[Sanskriti]

I'm amazed that despite the fact that I've read the book twice before, there was so much I had forgotten! The tracker jackers, Peeta teaming up with the Careers, and even the mutts at the end! How could such details just slip away so easily? Goes on to show, a reread brings in a more deeper appreciation of not just the plot or the character arcs, but the writer's style as well.

[Katie]

Finished!! I am a big fan of re-reading books over and over again and this book solidifies why I do it. It is true that you can gain a deeper appreciation of a good book by getting all the little details. I sometimes get funny looks when recommending a YA book series to people, but this book truly is one that everyone should give a try and truly transcends the genre.
The ending is written so wonderfully. Collins makes to see that all at once that Katniss feels deeply for Peeta and regrets the loss of him, even though she still is confused about what she actually feels. It's easy to get frustrated by her confusion, but at the end of the day she's still just a child that has to try to behave as an adult.
The mental health implications all this has on everyone shines through too. Collins puts it all out there. I love it.
Can't wait to start on Catching Fire...

[Cat]

I'd forgotten how rubbish Katniss is at a lot of stuff, probably conflating her with all the perfect ya heroines that followed after this book. I ended up enjoying the reread more than I was expecting to!

I also forgot how little time Snow gets in this book.

[Maritza]

I listened to the audio book and liked the author and the book. Katniss inner thoughts was really lacking from the movie. It really let us know why shs acted like she did. The tributes did not have any choice in choosing to kill. The hunger games was an apt title.

[Ashlee]

Glad for the reread. I had completely forgotten about the ending of the Games with the wolves. My heart does break for Peeta in the end.

[Shelby]

I had forgotten the mutts at the end as well. It’s probably the most horrifying event in the book in a lot of ways. I felt for all three of them in that moment. To realize that you had to kill the same people you’d already been forced to kill one more time and then to know they were slavering to get to you…so traumatic.

I’m such a HEA girl that the ending of this is a little more of a struggle for me. I understand where Katniss is but I really feel for Peeta. He really is still more innocent than he should be. He just doesn’t see or understand duplicity in those he cares about or trusts.

[Robin (Saturndoo)]

I remember when I first read this book several years ago. I left it unrated and didn't even add it as being read to my GR shelf. I did finally rate it 4 stars a couple of years ago.

I had then and still do have a lot of issues with this book. Being that I'm not a big fan of reality tv, I didn't like that in this series. What draws others to reality tv is what turns me off about it!

My other big problem with this series is the concept of children killing children. With all the problems in today's society with bullying in schools, the violence and sadness in this series is disturbing--making violence seem like a game.

This series evokes so many different emotions for me that I always question my 4 star rating and am tempted to change it to one star AGAIN.

[Robin (Saturndoo)]

Angie ☯ wrote: "I know that I am in the minority, but I am usually drawn to the "unlikeable" characters. This was and is the case with Katniss. She is bitter about alot of things and untrusting, but I never found ..."

I like Katniss! After each read of the Hunger Games, I find that I like her more and more. I think she is brave, extremely resourceful, and smarter beyond her years. I often think she isn't given enough credit that she is most certainly due!

Those are probably my favorite two scenes as well. I agree! I thought it was bad-ass how she shot the apple from the pig's mouth. Too bad it wasn't some of the asses of the judges she was aiming at and hitting 🤣 That would've been hilarious!

The scene of Rue's death is absolutely heartbreaking! Although I know it's coming, it upsets me every time. It shows that Katniss does have a softer side that is rarely ever seen.

[Robin (Saturndoo)]

Judy wrote: "Still chugging through part 1. There have now been a few scenes and things I didn't remember at all, but the moment we got into the private session with the gamemakers, I had a really clear vision ..."

I hate love triangles in YA books!

I still feel the same way about Peeta with this reading as I've always felt except stronger! I can't stand him! I'm Team Gale all the way!

I agree with you! With my multiple readings of the series, I still can't get on board with Katniss and Peeta being a couple! I didn't care about him making his confession on stage either--probably the major reason I've never been able to jump on the Peeta bandwagon--absolutely gross and disgusting!

On my first reading of this series, I had hoped that Peeta would die. I wanted him completely out of the picture so that Katniss would be drawn even closer to Gale. I still wish the author would've killed him off. So disappointing that he lived.

[Shelby]

Robin (Saturndoo) wrote: "Judy wrote: "Still chugging through part 1. There have now been a few scenes and things I didn't remember at all, but the moment we got into the private session with the gamemakers, I had a really ..."

I agree with you about HATING love triangles! I've never quite understood Peeta and Katniss as a couple either. But I don't hate Peeta. I felt for him even while not really sure he and Katniss would be a good couple together. But I wasn't really sure Gale and her were going to be great together either. I've only ever read this book and really while Katniss and Gale have been friends for so long we really don't get much time with him for me to firmly be on Team Gale either. I'm pretty much indifferent to either guy as a fit for Katniss at this point. All I'm sure of is that I'm going to be stuck hearing about both of them in the next book.

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