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Collins,Suzanne The Hunger Games, - informal buddy read begins 15 May 2024
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Upton
(last edited May 19, 2024 09:18PM)
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May 14, 2024 08:09PM
I am going to give this a try as well :) Here for District 10
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I'll be doing a re-read of this one. Normally I try to re-read about once a year but failed to do so last year so it's overdue :D
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omg. two months?! I'd have to start again
Finished part 1 of the book and I enjoy it a lot!It's been more than 10 years since I last read this book and it's crazy to see how much I still remember. Not just the things that are shown in the movie (which I've watched a couple of times) but also some details that weren't in the movie. I'm glad that after all these years I still like the book this much.
first time for Hunger Games, joining from District 6
first thoughts from first timer - 25% completeI don't have a lot of experience with the Young Adult / Post-Apocalyptic genre, hadn't read or watched any of the series, but can't help having absorbed some detail from general cultural osmosis :)
Expectations - fairly neutral
So far, enjoying this a lot.
Great to get into the action early and still there are enough hints to start to build an understanding of the world we find ourselves in.
Really liking our strong female protagonist
The first-person narration is very effective for me - connecting with the character and getting immersed in her world
When I just started the audiobook and it said "read (or narrated??) by Tatiana Maslany" I had a sudden flashback to when I actually met her when she was filming The Woman in Gold in Vienna exactly TEN years ago in June omg. I can't believe it's been 10 years already. She was super nice and kind and so appreciative! And ignored all the older people in the back who were just there for autographs to sell them probably hahahahANYWAY- I'm not sure how much we can say here without using spoilers or if I should use the spoiler tag for literally everything but here it goes.
I've read chapters 1-5 so far and I love all the little background and flashbacks we're getting as to how Katniss learned how to hunt, how to use which plants and essentially how to survive. It can't have been easy for her as an 11-year-old to have to take care of her sister and her mother. It must have been a massive burden, and kinda still is now at age 16, and I can definitely understand her resentment towards her mother. (Also someone please tell me the author wasn't serious when she wrote that Mrs. Everdeen didn't have the means/herbs then to help her sadness but she does/would now??? SURELY they can't mean that depression can be cured by HERBS???? (I mean no offense to natural remedies but DEPRESSION?!?))
I had forgotten that the baker came to see Katniss after the reaping and brought her cookies (which to be fair were a bit unnecessary as she soon would have tons to eat anyway) but it was a nice gesture and maybe his only way in to be able to talk to Katniss to let her know he'd keep an eye on Prim and that he'd make sure she's eating. Prim seems to be quite loved and Katniss appreciated, even if she doesn't feel so herself.
But I'm still most upset about [person/scene missing from movie](view spoiler)
Also, may I just add- I love her; she's hilarious without meaning to[image error]
Christina your comment on depression is interesting...you are right to question. My sister had some luck taking sugar out of her diet and it really helped her. I think it had a lot to do with feeling better myself. I've started the prequel and I'm almost done with the first part.
Commenting on Christina's comment with prequel in mind...(view spoiler)
Christina wrote: " (Also someone please tell me the author wasn't serious when she wrote that Mrs. Everdeen didn't have the means/herbs then to help her sadness but she does/would now??? SURELY they can't mean that depression can be cured by HERBS???? (I mean no offense to natural remedies but DEPRESSION?!?))"Well, so many mixed thoughts of stuff like this. I do believe in natural medicine to a degree, and being nutritionally deficit would affect all of them since they are supposed to be malnourished.
But as someone who had neurological and psych issues growing up and legit imbalances in the brain, it is so frustrating how so many people just think diet and supplements can cure it, or just exercising. Yes, exercising is good for you, but it's frustrating seeing some think it's a cure all for serious issues, as it's not.
I used to study herbalism in my 20's and its fascinating, but there are not many herbs used for depression actually, so it's kind of funny with the book the author went there. We'll just assume it's fantasy herbs that just exists in that world?
There are many different types of depression or other conditions affecting mood, and I guess it would first of all depend on what is causing it.If the root cause were some underlying medical reason (even one unknown to the patient) that could be alleviated with a change in diet, I guess it would be possible, and explained away as being due to the herbs added to said new diet, but most forms of depression and such aren't dealt with so easily.
My cousin was misdiagnosed as having depression for years, when it was actually an intolerance to a specific food dye that was causing mood swings!
Either way, it would be a clunky way of explaining it, so the author could maybe have tried something that was more easily explained, lol.
I tend to think that it was Madge providing something from the capital to the Everdeen family on the sly. I have a question that has been bugging me since I first read this.
Why is The Capital in the Rockies? Probably around Denver?
Is it due to climate change and wars making the coasts unlivable and at some point the US capital moved from D.C, to Colorado? Or, do you guys think that the current (our current) government was defeated and the people ruling Panem are those victors?
Collins never really gives us a time frame for this story does she?
Sammy wrote: "There are many different types of depression or other conditions affecting mood, and I guess it would first of all depend on what is causing it.If the root cause were some underlying medical reaso..."
I gathered from this book that it was grief, so the use of herbs to fix that is even more bizarre. She said the mom shut down after (view spoiler) Herbs would not help that!
Jenny wrote: "I tend to think that it was Madge providing something from the capital to the Everdeen family on the sly. I have a question that has been bugging me since I first read this.
Why is The Capital in..."
I'm pretty sure the time frame for the prequel is around 2025. (joking, we aren't THAT close to being Panem, right?? RIGHT?!)
I think it has to do with climate change and to be more centrally located to both protect from wars and also to be able to more centrally control the districts. I dont think the current govt was defeated - just a gradual shift towards complete totalitarianism.
Jenny wrote: "I tend to think that it was Madge providing something from the capital to the Everdeen family on the sly. I have a question that has been bugging me since I first read this.
Why is The Capital in..."
I never pay attention or much deep thought to this geography stuff. Was looking up my doomed 13 last night and see we were supposed to be stretching for District 13 from Ontario and Quebec up to New York.
You have me curious now on the other districts and countries incorporated. I'm guessing maybe the author assumed it may be slightly too US centric or cheesy to assume headquarters again in Washington DC?
Hmm, pulled up this map. What happened to the rest of the world? Did they just die off?? Or maybe they are there and just not affected by Hunger Games and under different control of someone else.
Being from the States - it's way too easy to see correlations to our current socioeconomic climate - but I'm curious how our international tributes feel when reading The Hunger Games. Do you see ties to your country or the world as a whole?
And I guess even the author has gotten rid of Florida by choice LOL. I'm in Florida but always see the comments if they had to give up a state for a reason, to choose Florida :D
Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "Sammy wrote: "There are many different types of depression or other conditions affecting mood, and I guess it would first of all depend on what is causing it.If the root cause were some underlying..."
It's been about 5 years since I read it, and didn't remember that much, lol.
With grief, no. Herbs could be brewed into a tea that could provide a little temporary comfort, but not fix what's ailing her!
It is also a completely different animal from depression.
Michael wrote: "JI'm pretty sure the time frame for the prequel is around 2025. (joking, we aren't THAT close to being Panem, right?? RIGHT?!).."
I don't know, the world is pretty wild anymore. Who would have thought we would have had so much talk of aliens with government, pandemics, murder hornets, so many odd social issues uprising, and our even weirder politicians the last 10 years? Nothing would really surprise me going forward lol
It was interesting re-reading 1984 recently with the new audible version that came out, that was for sure. Ties in with rewriting history books in schools that has risen politically last few years and not trusting any country's media and none of them matching the same stories due to government control and influence in each country's media system.
Erin wrote: "Hmm, pulled up this map. What happened to the rest of the world? Did they just die off?? Or maybe they are there and just not affected by Hunger Games and under different control of someone else." I also wonder about the rest of the world. Guessing that any coastal countries were wiped out by the sea, and the others warred over resources as well. So either Collins didn't want to go there, or somehow, the different continents just don't communicate. Or Panem is the last outpost standing.
That would be an interesting book for her to write. What happened in the rest of the world in her story setting. Hmmm...
Jenny I was curious about this as well...found this on wiki re timeframe for movies:In an early draft of The Hunger Games film script, the events of the series are said to take place 300 years into the future. Considering that the film was released in 2012, this would mean that the trilogy begins around 2312, and 1 ADD would correspond to the year 2238.
...but this is the film, which I didn't watch. I also found a lot of dialogue on the web which ranges from 100-400 years in to the future.
Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "Michael wrote: "JI'm pretty sure the time frame for the prequel is around 2025. (joking, we aren't THAT close to being Panem, right?? RIGHT?!).."
I don't know, the world is pretty wild anymore. W..."
Yeah. I am trying to not compare what is happening in the book to what is happening in the real world. I still have to get up in the morning after all.
Although I just read an article about Lauren Groff opening a bookstore in Florida, I think. the store is stocking pretty much all of the banned or questioned in a school board meeting books. Good for her!!!!
Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "And I guess even the author has gotten rid of Florida by choice LOL. I'm in Florida but always see the comments if they had to give up a state for a reason, to choose Florida :D"Florida is there... just under water. The gators and manatee are much happier this way!! 😍😭
Jenny wrote: "Yeah. I am trying to not compare what is happening in the book to what is happening in the real world. I still have to get up in the morning after all.Although I just read an article about Lauren Groff opening a bookstore in Florida, I think. the store is stocking pretty much all of the banned or questioned in a school board meeting books. Good for her!!
Valid. I cannot help myself but to think of what district I'll end up in whenever something else happens in the news each day. I have even pondered for a little too long if Suzanne Collins was sent here from the future to WARN US about the path we're heading down. 😲😭😭😭
I need to go outside and touch some grass.
(also - that is amazing about the bookstore!!! I'm sure she'll have a lot of backlash but it's an amazing effort! Go her!)
Jenny wrote: "That would be an interesting book for her to write. What happened in the rest of the world in her story setting. Hmmm...."
Maybe they just went on as normal and we were the only ones who turned weird.
Or else the Capitol continues to trade and prosper with them but keeps radio silence about them to the rest of the Panem on purpose.
This book is a great example of our America is joked about by some countries to think the world revolves around them. At least she included some of Canada lol.
Jenny wrote: "Although I just read an article about Lauren Groff opening a bookstore in Florida, I think. the store is stocking pretty much all of the banned or questioned in a school board meeting books. Good for her!!!!.."
I am not sure who Lauren Groff is. I was surprised to learn a few years ago that Judy Blume lives in FL and has owned a small bookstore and greeting card/knicknacks here in FL for years.
Michael wrote: "Florida is there... just under water. The gators and manatee are much happier this way!! 😍😭"
Hm, probably so. I still find it fascinating how wild FL really used to be with the water and wilderness areas.
It would make sense them fearing animals outside their Panem fences so much. Without people interfering I am sure the wildlife did resume and build itself up quite substantially "out there"
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Sophie wrote: "So on the depression and herbs note - there have been some studies suggesting that compounds in magic mushrooms can help with depressive symptoms. If that's the type of thing she's found, herbs mig..."Mixing in hallucinogenics with the Rosemary! It could be a whole new cooking fad! 😆
Started my re-read of the series. I read the books originally shortly after they came out (15 years!) but just read the prequel for the first time this year! My initial though about the book when I first read it was that it was a cross between gladiator games and Survivor (reality tv). And the name, Hunger Games, was sensationalizing the people in Panem that were hungry/starving (ie. hunger for many things, not just food, ) to provide entertainment in the form of a deadly survival game for the people of the Capital. A lot of that still seems true to me as I have read the first 5 chapters.
I find it interesting that I have lived all my live in what was District 12! That's just me being weird!!
I didn't remember (view spoiler)
I'm not a fan of YA stuff but the pacing is very good so I find this pretty easy to read. I'm struck by how unlikable I find Katniss, she is so self-centred, not terribly bright & often foolish. I've no doubt her upbringing would have hardened her outlook & that she'd have no trust for Capital-types but to be violent towards her own people the instant she doesn't like something is sheer stupidity, & not endearing. Onwards...
I heard about the book and the movies when they came out, but neither sounded like my cuppa, so I gave them a miss at the time. I owe finally reading Book 1 to Tower Teams, as I distinctly remember a thread where we were asked to share our most hated books and then we needed to read a book from that list (excl. own recs).
I don't recall whose anathema this book was ;) but Christina recommended the audiobook version by Tatiana Maslany, so I went with that. And she was an excellent narrator and I ended up enjoying it more than I expected.
I followed up with Book 2, but abandoned 3. For some reason I just couldn't get into it.
The same goes for the movies. I watched 1& 2 after reading the books, but not 3.
Ok, I decide to break this up into the 3 parts of the book.Reflecting on Part 1, several themes and character dynamics stand out..
* The relationship between Gale and Katniss offers a nuanced exploration of unrequited love. Revisiting their dynamic reveals Katniss's lack of romantic interest in Gale, contrasting sharply with his more evident feelings for her. I didn't remember this, which is probably due to the movies. While it's subtly portrayed in the book, it appears differently in the movies, where their relationship is often depicted with more romantic undertones.
* The reaping scene still gets to me! Knowing the outcome intensifies the emotional impact, (view spoiler), immediately stirring a sense of heartache. I remember this moment being such a heartbreaking part for me once we realize (view spoiler).
* The complex dynamic between Peeta and Katniss is something I definitely forgot/didn't remember correctly. Katniss's struggle to comprehend Peeta's genuine caring behavior underscores her profound lack of understanding of interpersonal relationships, particularly those rooted in love and compassion. Having primarily been the provider of care rather than its recipient, this makes some sense, even if it is frustrating. This also circles back to her lack of understanding of Gale's feelings towards her.
Overall, I am so excited to be revisiting this book. I was wary, and worried that I might not feel as positive towards it, but that has not been the case!
Ashley, thank for these insights. Will remember them once I can get the book from the Library.
Catsalive wrote: "I'm not a fan of YA stuff but the pacing is very good so I find this pretty easy to read. I'm struck by how unlikable I find Katniss, she is so self-centred, not terribly bright & often foolish. I'..."I actually agree with you. I get the horrid life leaves her bitter and cold-blooded but I don't find her particularly likeable either. She may get better in later books, dunno. She came across better in the movies, I think, although a bit flat -- but that's probably because of my feelings of the actress in general.
And do have to say this bugs me ---
SPOILER for CHAPTER ONE
(view spoiler)
Melindam wrote: "IThe same goes for the movies. I watched 1& 2 after reading the books, but not 3.."
From what I remember the 3rd movie bored me, but it was when they were dividing ending books/movies into two full-length movies for the cash cow mentality of these. They did it with the last Harry Potter and this one. Nothing was really added to the stories, don't think, it was just the part was slower and then the second the "end" of the book.
I haven't read the third book so no idea yet what I'll think about it.
Ashley wrote: "* The complex dynamic between Peeta and Katniss is something I definitely forgot/didn't remember correctly. Katniss's struggle to comprehend Peeta's genuine caring behavior underscores her profound lack of understanding of interpersonal relationships, particularly those rooted in love and compassion. Having primarily been the provider of care rather than its recipient, this makes some sense, even if it is frustrating. This also circles back to her lack of understanding of Gale's feelings towards her."
You actually make some insightful psychological views here. I will say though that Katniss was not a case that never grew up as a recipient of love and compassion. She speaks often of her father's warmth and their strong bond and it seems her mom was great before (view spoiler), and she's also close to Prim. She now is the caregiver for both, but that was not always the case. Clearly all of them would have to have developed a hardened demeanor and heart to live the way they do and deal with all the Panem starvation and hunger for other things, but I don't think it is all that with Katniss as she was not always deprived of affection.
I remember the whole Gale Vs Peeta debate with the movies. Cannot remember now who I was rooting for and if it will change this time around. I like both.
Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "And do have to say this bugs me ---"I have to agree with you on that.
I have not been into this Dystopia kind of fiction, but it seems like it was a conscious decision on Collins part to make Katniss as unlikeable as possible, maybe to bring home the fact even more what hunger and having to make do on your own as a kid may do to you. I wonder whether it was "fashionable" before Hunger Games to have an unlikeable MC. Maybe it was and I am not aware as I did not read these type of books, but I would appreciate all your insights on this.
Sophie wrote: "So on the depression and herbs note - there have been some studies suggesting that compounds in magic mushrooms can help with depressive symptoms. If that's the type of thing she's found, herbs mig..."That I actually did not consider; good point! Maybe she was referring to magic mushrooms 😏
I wonder if i could ever be brave enough to do what Katniss did for her sister; volunteering.
Melindam wrote: "I don't recall whose anathema this book was ;) but Christina recommended the audiobook version by Tatiana Maslany, so I went with that. And she was an excellent narrator and I ended up enjoying it more than I expected."lmao apparently I've been talking about the Tatiana Maslany narrations a lot even then xD and I still stand by it obviously!
If anybody's listening to the older version(s), what do you think about the narration? Please tell me it wasn't just me who couldn't vibe with it lol.
Ashley wrote: "* The reaping scene still gets to me! Knowing the outcome intensifies the emotional impact, (view spoiler), immediately stirring a sense of heartache. I remember this moment being such a heartbreaking part for me once we realize (view spoiler)."I was thinking of this too!! It's almost as if Katniss (view spoiler) It really is heartbreaking.
Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "Melindam wrote: "IThe same goes for the movies. I watched 1& 2 after reading the books, but not 3.."
From what I remember the 3rd movie bored me, but it was when they were dividing ending books/m..."
You're probably right about the "cash cow mentality" of making two full-length movies out of one book, but I can't say I minded. I love going to the movies and it was nice to get a bit more out of the world and to get to stay in it a bit longer. I'm sure you can tell I'm quite sentimental haha. I also don't know if it would have worked as well as just a 2-hour movie; they would have had to leave a lot out or just squish everything into ~120 minutes which might not have been very satisfying either.
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 her unlikeable. 😃Two of my favorite scenes from Book 1:
(view spoiler)
In the past I never thought I would read this series because I don't enjoy books with a lot of on screen violence, but I am really enjoying it so far as a first time reader.In Chapter 3 Gale says something to Katniss that really resonated with me. (view spoiler) This way of thinking made me start to root for Katniss. I was ready not to like her after the kitten incident early on in the book but she is a strong character and is just trying to survive life the best she can.
Nothing But Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (other topics)The Hunger Games (other topics)
Catching Fire (other topics)
The Hunger Games (other topics)
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Carolyn McCormick (other topics)Lauren Groff (other topics)
Suzanne Collins (other topics)
