Young Adult Fiction for Adults discussion
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The Hunger Games by Suzzane Collins
I didn't read the above posts just to avoid spoilers *LOL* But I started the book this morning and I am loving it!
I hated the Harry Potter epilogue. This one I thought was appropriate (and short thankfully). It needed to show that plus that there was some progress in the right direction as far as society was concerned (for all we knew they were doing to start all over again). I think there was a need for a little bit of happiness at the end because there was SO much unhappiness in the book. Otherwise it may have felt completely hopeless. I want a map of Panem so bad. I understand where district 12 is (Appalachia, probably WV would be my guess) but I could not figure out where district 13 is...even though it's only 45 minutes away by hovercraft. From KY by plane Chicago is about that distance, from other Appalachian regions it would be the Northeast. I think we already visited the South so I eliminated that as a possibility.
There are a few fan made maps that put district 13 up through New York state and into New England. California, most of Texas, and the East coast as far in as 1/3 PA are under water.
Tracy wrote: "There are a few fan made maps that put district 13 up through New York state and into New England. California, most of Texas, and the East coast as far in as 1/3 PA are under water."I looked at the map (the same one popped up over and over). I think 12 is too large (to me it seems that its more a small community than a wide-spread district). 2 seems to be in the wrong place (because there are no mountains there). I think what the map doesn't take into consideration are the no-mans land that seperates the districts. There is a small area of a district THEN a large area preventing it from communicating with the next district.
Cassi wrote: "Tracy wrote: "There are a few fan made maps that put district 13 up through New York state and into New England. California, most of Texas, and the East coast as far in as 1/3 PA are under water."..."
I agree; the placement of 2 is way off and 12 is too large because in the first book, 11 is described as being much larger than 12. I do think 13 is in the right area because there are graphite mines in that area. I understand that some land has been taken back by the ocean, but I don't think its as much as President Snow says.
Lindsey Jane wrote: "You didn't feel like the end was kind of an "and they all lived happily ever after" ending? I certainly did. The ending certainly did not feel post war in any way to me. It just felt happy and unreal. "***SPOILERS!!!***
Moved to the MJ thread.
*********SPOILERS TOO******MOVED TO MOCKINGJAY THREAD
I liked that Katniss didn't know who she wanted. Even though by the end I could care less who she ends up with, I couldn't tell who she was going to choose or even if she was going to choose at all. The only good thing about the epilogue is that it leaves some room for another book if Collins ever wants to write one. I think a book on what happened immediately after the rebellion and how everyone adjusted would be great. I agree, the ending with President Coin was awesome. I was so happy that Katniss did that.
okay I am starting a new thread so that there is no more spoilers in this one!
I'm so behind in this series! I just finished The Hunger Games last night. I actually read it in one day. I have to admit, I wasn't sure that I was going to like it, but since so many people were raving about it, I gave it a try. It took me a bit, but I got completely sucked in and stayed up all night reading it! Now I'm trying to not read any spoilers for the next two books, but I'm really dying to know what happens next. I have them on reserve at the library, but I'm 34th in line for Catching Fire and 205th in line for Mockingjay (!) so I may have to break down and buy copies.
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Brittany (finally graduated and can once again read for fun)
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Just buy them Jessica. I got the 1st two at the library, them preceed to just go buy them for myself. It's wel worth it in my opinion.
I agree with Brittany. The books are worth it. You'll have a great time with them, Jessica!
If anyone has not seen the EW poll about the movie cast, I put the winners names in Peeps "books into movies" thread.
I was just thinking I should go to Borders today and use my 33% off coupon because I don't think I can wait months for the next two! I felt really bad for Peeta at the end of Hunger Games, so I want to see what happens next.
Do it Jessica!! p..s I also bought them after reading library copies.
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Brittany (finally graduated and can once again read for fun)
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Excellent choice, Jessica!
Jessica wrote: "I'm so behind in this series! I just finished The Hunger Games last night. I actually read it in one day. I have to admit, I wasn't sure that I was going to like it, but since so many people wer..."Buy them...!
:) I just finished Catching Fire last night and it was soooo good! I can't believe that cliffhanger ending about District 12 and other districts. I was so surprised about the Quarter Quells too. I'm starting Mockingjay tonight!
Jessica wrote: ":) I just finished Catching Fire last night and it was soooo good! I can't believe that cliffhanger ending about District 12 and other districts. I was so surprised about the Quarter Quells too. ..."I loved it too! Definitely let us know what you think of Mockingjay...It's turning out to be a very divisive book!
Will do! I probably won't be able to put it down, so I should have some thoughts soon! I'm intrigued it's been divisive, so now I really want to start reading it right away. I've been avoiding all the spoilers so far luckily.
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Brittany (finally graduated and can once again read for fun)
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Good for you Jessica. Avoiding spoilers is a must. I'm curious to see what you think too. I had 8 months of waiting to analyze and over-analyze so I would to curious to see what someone thinks who was able to read stay through.
I finished it last night, actually. Um.... I haven't decided how I feel about it yet. I definitely wasn't as excited by it as the first two. I'll head over to the Mockingjay thread now and see what the other reviews are and maybe that will help me process my thoughts about it more. I didn't like the Peeta "hijacking", but I did like what happened to Coin. Some quick first thoughts reading some of the comments other people wrote on here, I have to agree that I also wanted to slap some sense into Katniss to suck it up and deal with things. I think I may reread it again this weekend and see if that helps.
I loved Mockingjay. I made it all the way until the last few pages before I started crying like a little kid. lol. I actually got to met Suzanne Collins at a book signing last week and got my copy signed(well stamped cuz she broke her wrist). It was cool. I got a second signed book and am giving it away if anyone wants to enter. http://christinasbooks.blogspot.com/
After nearly every friend I have insisted I must read this series I finally broke down and bought it. I keep sneaking peeks at it even though I'm in the middle of another book!
Okay, I know you guys have already done this but I don't want to read all of the thread in case there are spoilers that i'm trying to avoid. Can you please, pretty please, post the people you think would be good for this series? Peeta Love, all the way!
Actors? Is that what you mean.I'm actually terrified of them making this a movie.
Yeah, that's what I mean. I'm always terrified of them making movies out of my favorite books. I just also can't help but feel excited too, and hopeful that they will actually do a really good job (ex, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings). I'm more hopeful about this series because at least Suzzane Collins has a hand in the writing. I have no hope for One for the Money or Outlander.
It's not that movies of my favorite books scare me.It's that a movie about kids killing other kids scares me. I'm just not sure how you can have 12 year olds dying at the hands of 16 year olds. I L-O-V-E Hunger Games but I worry about how the brutality will work on screen.
That is a very good point, and to be honest I never even thought about it. It's a YA novel that will have to have a 'R' rating. They couldn't do it any less without losing some of the story but at the same time that seems sort of wrong too.
Still, I am curious to see how other's who've read the book picture the characters which is the main reason I asked.
I understand. I'm the worst at this though. I never picture actors in my head.I know they plan to make the movies, and I'm just worried the point of the book will be lost in all the gore and people will think it's less brilliant than it is.
Im never any good either, lol. I like to look at people's picks and decide if I think they fit.So far my favorite is Malese Jow for Katniss.
I hope that they focus more on the emotion of it then of the violence. I read Gone and the author spent alot of time writing about all the gore and blood and less on the emotional pain. I liked that Suzanne seemed to focus more on Katniss's pain. I wanted to cry when Rue died (I would have if I wasn't sitting at my desk at work) instead of feeling grossed out.
I read Gone and thought the violence became a little gratitius and the characters were underdeveloped. Which is sad b/c a great concept.But I agree Hunger Games didn't feel that way and it's because of the characters being so real.
What has Malese Jow been in?
I saw her for the first time in Vampire Diaries, she played Anna (if you watch that). This is what she looks like...
She could make a good Katness. Pretty but not drop-dead gorgeous.
Yeah, she's who I picture as I read. I think she's got a good personality for her too.
Someone please tell me that Cinna is okay! I'm going to be really upset!!
I've been in the YA sci-fi group for awhile and just recently joined this one. I finished Mockingjay last week. The entire trilogy was one of the most enjoyable reads in awhile. While I was posting a review on Amazon, I couldn't help read a 1-star review. Fiction's relative, I get that. Tastes differ and even poorly written fiction can turn someone into a jillionairre (that should be a real word). But 1-star? Seriously? The review was well-written, very thorough. And the reviewer loved the first two books, but claimed Mockingjay was so poorly written that she couldn't get the bad taste out of her mouth. To each, I know. But 1-star? 1?By the way, I enjoyed Mockingjay the most. There's my two Lincolns.
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Brittany (finally graduated and can once again read for fun)
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Tony, I agree one star is very harsh. My guess is that the reader had higher expectations than any author could meet. But the tone of MJ was very different than that of HG or CF, so I guess I can see why that reviewer didn't like it. From a critical standpoint my only real complaint about Mockingjay is that I felt the end was very rushed.
Sure I had other issues with the book (as we all do) but it was a great journey and I loved it, even the depressing parts.
Cassi wrote: "It's not that movies of my favorite books scare me.It's that a movie about kids killing other kids scares me. I'm just not sure how you can have 12 year olds dying at the hands of 16 year olds..."
I completely agree! I am excited about the movie... but at the same time, how are they going to put that on the screen and not have it be believable but not completely gory? Especially Mockingjay- if they make all three books into movies.
It is easier to edit things in our minds, but when it is up there on the screen and you are seeing it....IDK. I am interested to see how it will go.
One reason I'm not necessarily scared the movie will be terrible is that even if it is bad, the books are still great!
Tony wrote: "I've been in the YA sci-fi group for awhile and just recently joined this one. I finished Mockingjay last week. The entire trilogy was one of the most enjoyable reads in awhile. While I was posting..."I had a lot of problems with Mockingjay, but even I agree that 1 star is harsh. I gave it 2 because I found both the political half of the story and romantic half to be poorly resolved, but it didn't ruin the entire series for me. It still has a good story in it, but I think the first two books set an impossibly high bar to live up to.
Jason wrote: "Tony wrote: "I've been in the YA sci-fi group for awhile and just recently joined this one. I finished Mockingjay last week. The entire trilogy was one of the most enjoyable reads in awhile. While ..."I have to admit, I was all right with the romantic conclusion (I could've done without the epilogue). I never liked the Gale connection. From the very beginning, it seemed more like a brother so I never bought into the boyfriend angle. I was annoyed with it all in Catching Fire. Peeta? Gale? No, Peeta. No, Gale. I just wanted it to stop.
Cortney wrote: "Cassi wrote: "It's not that movies of my favorite books scare me.It's that a movie about kids killing other kids scares me. I'm just not sure how you can have 12 year olds dying at the hands of ..."
Think of the publicity it'll get. Picketers and boycotts will make it famous!
Jason wrote: "Tony wrote: "I've been in the YA sci-fi group for awhile and just recently joined this one. I finished Mockingjay last week. The entire trilogy was one of the most enjoyable reads in awhile. While ..."Good observation. After relentlessly promoting the first two books (I think she worked in a bookstore), she sounded personally offended by the third. Even embarrassed.
I'm almost finished with Catching Fire, and I'm a chronic peeker so I already know that she ends up with Peeta romantically (yay!).I've read such mixed reviews about Mockingjay that I'm really nervous. I was/am a big Harry Potter fan, but I take issue with books that rush the ending, or with books that build up to a very anti-climatic ending. This was one of my biggest issues with Harry Potter, (With Twilight too, but lets not start arguing about that again, heehee). There was 7 years of build up to an duel between the big bad V and HP that was summed up in a quick paragraph.
I'm nervous that the 'rushed' feeling reviewers got in Mockingjay will change my views on this series.
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Brittany (finally graduated and can once again read for fun)
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Wendy wrote: "I'm almost finished with Catching Fire, and I'm a chronic peeker so I already know that she ends up with Peeta romantically (yay!).I've read such mixed reviews about Mockingjay that I'm really ..."
Okay, I know it's completely off topic, but I'm saying it anyway. Really Wendy?? I have to say I didn't feel that way at all with HP. I thought it was great. I do have issues with other rushed endings like Hunger Games, Twilight, and Graceling, but not Harry Potter. That being said, it was probably about 3am when I finished reading Book 7 and I haven't read it again since so the my critical analysis might have been a bit off. Still, I loved it, even if I thought it was predictable.
I loved it, and there were things that touched me (I cried for a very long time when Dobby died, lol). And the whole battle overall was good. I LOVED how Snapes story ended, it was literally my favorite side story in the whole series. It was just Harry and Voldemort's duel that I was upset about. When Dumbledore and Voldemort dueled in Order of the Phoenix it was intense and heated and drug out. But Harry who wasn't nearly as adept as Dumbledore took him out with one curse, or it felt like that anyway.Don't get me wrong, I still loved this series and own each one in Hardcover and the movie, lol.
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Brittany (finally graduated and can once again read for fun)
(last edited Oct 08, 2010 02:21PM)
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okay, I guess I can see your point. Maybe I just figured out what was going to happen with that final dual so I wasn't surprised at all when it actually happened. As to the whole Snape thing... Probably my favorite chapter in the whole series! LOVE! And I can appreciate the dual in OotP, it is my fav book in the series.
Okay no more off topic chat from me (at least for now)!
I thought the HP ending was epic! p.s. if that person who gave Mockingjay one star gave Breaking Dawn 5 stars they need to be shot.
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I wish that Collins included a map of Panem in all the books. Trying to keep which district is where was confusing. I would love for her to write a book on Panem and what exactly lead to the destruction of the US and the world.