The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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The Hunger Games Discussion
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Cynthia
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Jun 01, 2010 02:57AM
If you choose to read The Hunger Games for the Group Reads task (or another task for that matter) please feel free to discuss it here.
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I have already read the Hunger Games before this challenge, but I just have to say that it is one of my favorite books of all times. If you haven't read it, you definitely should.
I am looking forward to this discussion because I'm one of the few that doesn't really like this series. I'll read Mockingjay, just to finish the story, but I don't see the appeal of this series and I'm baffled.Hopefully, this thread will help me to understand what I may be missing.
You don't like it? Can you explain why?
******SPOILERS BELOW********I found the book(s) long-winded, drawn out and, at times, boring. All due to the slowness of the storyline. Things just dragged. (I know....this is where many/most disagree with me)
Catniss herself should have been killed in the Arena a few times over. She was so slow to understand and react.
I felt truly sorry for Roo and her death. She was my favorite character....her and Peeta. Her death was the most unfair of them all. I liked how Catniss took the time to honour her, despite the possible dangers.
That's why I'm not terribly impressed with the book.
It has it's other side, too.
Catniss has locked herself up and not trusted since the death of her father and then her mother's depression. Since then she's all about survival and doing it herself and not trusting anyone to be there for her.
Gale is an exception but, as close as they were, their's is a friendship of Need & Survival and The Games will seperate them mentally. Unless one has lived through such an experience, one can't appreciate living through such a thing. "Winning" the Games would change a person forever. From then on, they live a life of luxury on the bodies of 23 others. The guilt must be excrutiating. I can't see the Catniss/Gale relationship advancing after The Games. The two no longer fit together. The Games changed that relationship forever.
Peeta, because he also experienced The Games can understand Catniss and the two of them can help each other (and help Haymitch) come to some sort of understanding of how to live with the knowledge & experience of The Games. He's proven that he'd give up his life for hers and that he'll protect her in every way that he can (that goes back to the days when he gave her the bread). They understand each other now in a way that no one else can. There's never been 2 survivors of the Games. Catniss has to learn to trust him. He's her only chance of opening up and healing from the death of her father and The Games.
Haymitch.....one has to feel sorry for him. Imagine knowing you're alive because you helped kill 23 others? Reliving those memories and not having anyone to share them with who would really understand; no one could who hasn't lived through the Games themselves. Remember that Catniss decides that she won't marry because she won't risk bringing a child into the World, as the child is not exempt from The Reaping. She decides she won't do that to a child. I think Haymitch made that same decision. Having made that decision, he leaves himself in a lonely position: he lives in a house, in a deserted part of town, without a spouse or family and no one to confide in or talk to who really understands. What's there to do but drink your sorrows and memories away?
These are the reasons why I'll read Mockingjay. I am interested to see how these situations resolve. However, I'm prepared for long-winded, slow-moving and, at times, boring writing.
i love the series and i think you're absolutely insaneee
Nola, I see that you are new to this group, having joined just before making your comment. This is a discussion about a book. What makes a discussion interesting is hearing everyone's points of view. It leads to a deeper understanding of the material we read together. Perhaps, instead of posting an opinion about myself, you'd like to post why you "love" the series.
What draws you to the story? Who is your favorite character and why? What do you think of the Society?
That's the sort of discussions we are used to.
For myself, as I stated above, I'm looking forward to hearing why people enjoyed the book so much. Perhaps what I read here will help me see what I'm missing.
I don't really see how you think it's long winded and boring, but that's alright. Everyone gets an opinion. I love how you describe Gale's relationship with Katniss, vs. Peeta's relationship with her. That's exactly what I've been trying to put into words.
Perhaps it was the audio version (unabridged) but I found that sentences and thoughts were repeated over and over again. Once, maybe twice...okay....but after that, let it go and move on. It slowed it down way too much for me and took away from the enjoyment. I'll find out because my library has only purchased book versions of Mockingjay; no audio. :)
I really enjoyed Roo and her part in the book. It sticks with me even now. And her District will always be special to me as I read the books. The people in this Society deserve better treatment, especially those who live further away from The Capitol.
Rue is how you spell her name actually.
Petra~I really appreciate your view of Catniss and Peeta's relationship. I overlooked the facts of why they would work together. I do believe there is more to the Gale/Catniss relationship that we haven't been told. "Catching Fire" gets into it a bit more, but I think there is a longer story to be told and hopefully we will see it in "Mockingjay". What did you think of "Catching Fire"? Did you have pretty much the same reaction?
I guess we shouldn't be talking about a different book in this forum. Sorry!
Lavendarlol- (Special Civilian Roleplayer) wrote: "Rue is how you spell her name actually.":) I wondered about that. I didn't really like to think of her name being "Rue" because she was so sweet that one just couldn't rue her in any way. So...I mentally went with Roo.
Roo just makes me think of the Winnie the Pooh character...
Carrie wrote: ".... but I think there is a longer story to be told and hopefully we will see it in "Mockingjay"...."I agree.
******** SPOILER ALERT ************************I just finished reading "The Hunger Games" about two weeks ago and truly enjoyed it. I do have to say that the beginning for me was a bit slow but once the games began I couldn't stop reading.
I like Katniss but get frustrated at how she doesn't catch on to how much Peeta really loves her and would do anything for her.
Peeta and Rue are by far my favorite characters. I have to agree with Petra that Rue's story still sticks with me now and it really made me sad when she died in the book.
I just started "Catching Fire" and can't wait to see what happens next.
What are your opinions on the Haymitch character??
What an amazing book! I now know what the gladiators fighting in the Coliseum must have felt! The twist is that two of the gladiators have truly bonded, not just an alliance of convenience, but of true feeling. I can't wait to start on the next installment!
Manuela wrote: What are your opinions on the Haymitch character?? .."I think Haymitch is a lonely, hurt, guilt-ridden Survivor of the Games. He lives alone, isolated in his surrounding and his thoughts, surrounded only by his memories. It's not hard to believe he turned to the bottle. I feel sorry for him for what he's been through and how he's coping.
Petra, after having read The Hunger Games for this task, I'm listening to Catching Fire on audio, and although the reader isn't that great, I find the story to be quite gripping.Did you read the book before all the hype? I was really worried that I would suffer a let down because most everyone loves this book. I was really pleased that that didn't turn out to be the case. I really thought that the book was tremendous, the reasons why are captured in my review, if you are interested.
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
In regard to Haymitch, I believe he is drunk all the time before he has to tutor two kids every year as part of the games, and the kids die all the time. It's also probably why he is single and without any kids of his own. Could you imagine having to tutor your own kid to his or her likely death? Not me.
Mod
Sera wrote: "n regard to Haymitch, I believe he is drunk all the time before he has to tutor two kids every year as part of the games, and the kids die all the time. It's also probably why he is single and without any kids of his own. Could you imagine having to tutor your own kid to his or her likely death?"
Great point. Even if they're not your own kids, it would be awfully hard to be involved with kids every year and then watch them die, unless you did something to detach yourself and deaden your feelings about it. Also, he had no one else to really share the burden with. I don't know how much it would have helped, but it might have been a little better if there had been another previous winner to share the load.
*SPOILER WARNING*It also probably doesn't help that every child he's sent away has died. I mean, the point of having him around is to help 'mentor' the kids, and teach them how to survive and he's failed each and every time. That has to weigh heavy on him. After all, he survived when no one else did, so there's that guilt, and on top of that, he hasn't been able to 'save' anyone else. He probably has reached a point where he doesn't even feel he deserves to be around, and therefore drinks away the pain.
I really enjoyed this book when I first read it. I'd heard about it before, and read it out of curiousity. The first time, I was slightly annoyed at Katniss and how she was acting but this time, I just had to keep reminding myself that even though this is a very grown up situation, and has been parentified within her own family, she's still just a teenager.
I really felt for Peeta. For whatever reason, it's why I haven't read Catching Fire yet, although I've been wanting to. I just don't want to see her playing with his feelings/emotions anymore to her own end. Did that bother anyone else, or is that just me?
Yes "Iamthez" I totally agree with what you said about Peeta. I felt so bad for him throughout the book. He has always genuinely had feeling for Katniss and she doesn't catch on to this. At the same time I see her point of view. She is so busy all the time focusing on her survival and that of her family and that she has no time to even realize what it's like to have feelings for someone. You should continue on and read Catching Fire though... I'm reading it now and it goes a lot deeper into all of the character's lives back in District 12.
How does everyone else feel about the relationship between Peeta and Katniss??
I agree with both Iamthez and Manuela about the relationship between Peeta and Katniss. Girls, even women (including me throughout the course of my life), can be clueless at times when it comes to noticing men's feelings for them. I think that boys, and men, can behave similarly, too. SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS for those who haven't finished Hunger Games yet
I'm almost half-way through Catching Fire and the relationship between Peeta and Katniss continues to be an important theme in the story in a number of ways, as well it should be for book 2 in the series. When I finished reading HG and thought about how it ended, I had all sorts of questions about what would happen next. How would Gale fit into the picture after the games, especially since Katniss and her family would now be rich and want for nothing? Would Katniss and Peeta have to continue the charade even after the games were over? And so on.
I'm thrilled that the story continues, because I often have to speculate "the rest of the story" for the characters.
Petra, thanks for your honest assessment of the book. It's so much nicer to hear people's real thoughts and feelings about a book (without being rude), than "it was great, loved it, etc." Clearly, you gave careful thought and consideration to the book, and your review has piqued my interest to want to read it. I appreciate your observations on the motivations and psychology of the characters; I also appreciate the comments about the pacing. This gives me a sense of what to expect and prepare for to really enjoy the book. I also liked the other comments, pro and con.
I've been hearing so much about this book since before it even came out that I was really glad it was chosen for the group read. Sadly, after hearing all that hype for so long I have to say that it was a bit of a letdown. I thought the story was original and I can't find fault with the writing, but I just didn't find it all that compelling. I thought it read "young" for a YA book, I didn't think it had the sophistication that make some books great cross-overs into the adult market. I read plenty of kids and YA books, I just didn't think this one was anything that special. I'm sorry to hear that no one was impressed with the audio because my first thought would be that it would be a great book for a family to listen to together on a long car ride. I've read thru all these posts again and I think that y'all have given a lot more thought to motivations and psychology of the characters than the author did. I'd recommend for middle schoolers who are breaking into the action/adventure genre, but not adults.
SPOILERS AHOYFor me, I enjoyed this book because it took me back to being a teenager. There were times reading this as the 23 year old that I am, where Katniss's decisions made me think, "No she would not have done that." or "Clearly, Katniss, you are stupid in that you can see *this thing*" But then, I think it was with one of her moments with Peeta, it made me think about how me-centric I was at 16 and how even though she lives in a scary dystopic world where she has had to be an adult, she is still a kid and does not know everything. After that point, reading it I could remember how I felt at 16 and yeah, I would have done some of the exact same things that she does.
I can't imagine how I would be at 16, still not an adult but you think you are, in a world where you are forced to hunt for your family's survival and then get thrown into the hunger games where you have to kill to survive.
The plot just grips me. See how these characters interact and react to and with each other is what keeps me reading.
In a side note, these names sometimes really bug me. The one that continually makes me laugh is Peeta. I mean seriously. His name is Peeta and he works at a bread store. Really? Peeta bread? lol
I have read now read the book twice and found it to be much better the second time around. I started off the second trip with the teenager frame of mind and found it much more satisfying.Julia~I agree with you. If you think back to how you may have behaved or the ways in which you thought, they would be similar to Katniss. She is still a young girl who is forced into a life of being the adult/parent in her family and then thrust into the Hunger Games where it is fight or die. It's not surprising that she reacts to very grown up situations in a very teenager way.
This book is going to be a reread for me, and I'm actually pretty excited to read it again. I want to finish a few library books first so I can return them, but my plan is to read Hunger Games and Battle Royale in quick succession. Supposedly, the two are almost exactly alike, but having only seen the film for BR, I can't say for sure. The premises of both are the same, at the very least--kids forced to battle to the death while the world watches, with the last survivor being the winner. Anyone wanna play along with me? :3
Julia wrote: "SPOILERS AHOYFor me, I enjoyed this book because it took me back to being a teenager. There were times reading this as the 23 year old that I am, where Katniss's decisions made me think, "No she ..."
LOL - "Peeta" Bread - that's hilarious! I completely missed that.
Ms Anderson wrote: "This book is going to be a reread for me, and I'm actually pretty excited to read it again. I want to finish a few library books first so I can return them, but my plan is to read Hunger Games and ..."The books are basically the exact same plot. I've read both, (Battle Royale first!) and while reading The Hunger Games, I just kept referring back to how they did it in Battle Royale. I mean, there are differences, obviously, but it was definitely clear that they're for completely different audiences. I think in Hunger Games, she did a good job in remembering that this was a YA novel, and she had to really stick within that genre. With BR, it's more of a pulp fiction/adult novel, so it goes in a different direction while explaining things. I was actually debating re-reading BR for the Foreign Vacation task...maybe I'll join you in this ;)
And I absolutely missed Peeta bread too lol Now I can't read that book again without thinking this ;)
I read The Hunger Games a few months ago and really enjoyed it. It felt like Lord of the Flies meets The Running Man (1987 movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger). I've been dying to read Catching Fire ever since but it's not yet available on the Kindle. I'm trying to hold out! Oh, and ditto on missing the Peeta bread connection. Too funny! Side note, I liked the name Katniss. Seemed pretty to me.
Patricia, I consistently misread Katniss as Katnip. I did enjoy The Hunger Games when I read it several challenges ago, although I thought Catching Fire was pretty much the same story. Still, I look forward to Mocking Jay later this summer.
I just finished this book, and I thought it was a very interesting dystopia. There is a Kingsley Amis book called "New Maps of Hell", where he talks about science fiction as social criticism, painting the future as an exaggeration of chosen features of the present. The everyday is blown up and stretched out and made foreign in a way that allows it to be actually seen. It is very hard to see the everyday, like trying to see air. So I was interested in what parts of our culture Collins was critiquing. We have on the one hand this "Survivor"-like television show, this superficial culture of beauty and sensual pleasure, this editing down of truly horrible happenings into entertaining narratives; on the other hand we have this vast economic discrepancy between rich and poor, center and periphery, as well as draconian enforcement of laws that maintain that discrepancy. Is a superficial entertainment culture somehow connected to an inegalitarian global economy? Also, questions this book left me with: who is responsible? Who is in a position to end the hunger games? What are the forces and incentives that keep them in operation? Clearly the general population of the capital is vapidly entertained by them, but would they even notice if they were changed? The Capitol residents all seem so spacey and oblivious. I want to know more about the powers behind the games. I would like to read the next book in the series to find out.
SPOILER ALERT (POSSIBLY FOR BOOK 2 AS WELL)Petra, doesn't Haymitch actually have the guilt of 47 deaths on him? Wasn't he the tribute the year each district had to send twice the number of tributes?
I loved both books and can't wait for Mockingjay. I didn't think they were long-winded. I wonder if it being like that had anything to do with you listening to it on audio. I don't generally like listening to anything on audio because I always feel like it is long-winded on audio versions.
I personally prefer Peeta to Gale. Peeta 100% has Katniss' back; Gale has his revolution and then Katniss. Sometimes, I want to strangle her though.
I hate love triangles in books.
Lauren wrote: "I just finished this book, and I thought it was a very interesting dystopia. There is a Kingsley Amis book called "New Maps of Hell", where he talks about science fiction as social criticism, paint..."Lauren, I had never heard that theory before, but I think it makes total sense!!
As for who could end the Hunger Games, I would go even further and say that not only do the people have an interest in the show, they would WANT the games to continue because it is their best chance to get enough food for a year.
Mod
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like the districts who have people basically training to participate. For some of the districts, it's almost like professional sports.
I'm over half-way through Catching Fire and I think that it is a nice sequel to the Hunger Games. I don't think that the books are the same. I see it as a nice continuation of what happens after the first book, even though some of the premises have been included again. I am completely hooked on this series. I just believe that it took me so long to get to it. Too many books, so little time :)
Sera wrote: "Petra, Did you read the book before all the hype?..."No, I read (listened to) both the books after the hype. I don't think I went into it with any expectations other than I thought I would like it.
Julia wrote: "But then, I think it was with one of her moments with Peeta, it made me think about how me-centric I was at 16 and how even though she lives in a scary dystopic world where she has had to be an adult, she is still a kid and does not know everything. After that point, reading it I could remember how I felt at 16 and yeah, I would have done some of the exact same things that she does. ..."
Nancy wrote: " I thought it read "young" for a YA book, I didn't think it had the sophistication that make some books great cross-overs into the adult market...."
These two comments help solidify some thoughts that I had but couldn't adequately put into words. I think one of the reasons the books don't resonate with me is that they are so young. Katniss is 16 and yet the books read younger. Also, we (Readers) are expected to give Katniss the same feelings/thoughts/reactions as a normal 16 year old in our current Society.
Would that happen, though? Growing up in such a Dystopian World would make a child grow up fast. They wouldn't think or react like a normal 16 year old in our Society. They would think and react older than their years. Think back to any time in History when children were married and had children at 16 years of age and it was considered normal to do so. The children were mini-adults and reacted & thought as such.
In the Society of The Hunger Games, the people of the furthest-removed-from-The-Capitol Districts are starving and have to fend for themselves. Hungry children grow up quickly. They are no longer children.
The closer-to-The-Capitol Districts raise children who are less serious and less aware of Need. Hence, the children from Districts 1 & 2 are trained to be Winners. They can spend the time training because they don't have to survive like the other Districts.
Lauren wrote: "Also, questions this book left me with: who is responsible? Who is in a position to end the hunger games? What are the forces and incentives that keep them in operation? Clearly the general population of the capital is vapidly entertained by them, but would they even notice if they were changed? The Capitol residents all seem so spacey and oblivious. I want to know more about the powers behind the games...."
Lauren, great questions! All of these have crossed my mind while reading these books.
Who keeps the Games continuing? What would happen if the Districts refused to send their children? They can't all be anihilated. The Capitol needs the resources that are being sent to them. The Capitol exists only because the Districts send them food, fuel, resources.
Really, there is no need for a sequel to this book except for the answers to your questions. Had The Capitol just accepted 2 winners to the Games, the series would end.
Someone(s) feel somehow thwarted and now wants revenge and ultimate control of power. Whoever this person or group is, they seem to think that allowing 2 winners lessens their control.
I agree that the general population of The Capitol wouldn't have an issue if rules or procedures of The Games were changed. They don't think about anything except entertainment and they are easily entertained. As long as they continue to be entertained, they don't care how it comes about.
Kathryn wrote: "Petra, doesn't Haymitch actually have the guilt of 47 deaths on him? Wasn't he the tribute the year each district had to send twice the number of tributes?..."
I think you're right, Kathryn. I'd forgotten. That just makes things worse for Haymitch's guilt. No wonder the poor man drinks to forget. So many ghosts....
I missed the Peeta bread connection, too. LOL! Great recognition, Julia!
Ashley wrote: "Lauren wrote: "I just finished this book, and I thought it was a very interesting dystopia. There is a Kingsley Amis book called "New Maps of Hell", where he talks about science fiction as social c..."It's also a classic strategy of divide and conquer - you get the districts busy with fighting each other over the small amount of victory and food, and you make it so that certain districts are more privileged than others, so districts hate one another. When in reality, all the districts are under the thumb of the Capitol and none of them have a really great life - some just have a better life than others. So the people in the districts would have to sort of rise up to stop the games, but they are also being manipulated to NOT do that.
I'm new to this book, but I just got to the part where Katniss throws the cookies out the window because she is trying to stay tough for the games to come. AWWW! What a revealing moment to give insight to the character--it's understandable why she does it, but you want her to at least enjoy something nice for a change, especially with what's to come.
I just finished this book and thought that it was an enjoyable read. I agree with Nancy, it is not as sophisticated as some of my favorite YA books. But I found the premise very interesting.
Nancy wrote: "I've been hearing so much about this book since before it even came out that I was really glad it was chosen for the group read...."At some point I remember being told that when you set out to write a YA story, you should consider the protagonist’s age as the absolute upper age limit of your targeted audience. Maybe this explains why I agree that HG “read young” as Nancy put it, but that fact didn’t necessarily put me off of the novel as a whole. I thought that for the target age group, it still handled some pretty big issues. No, I didn’t think that it had as much crossover potential as, say Twilight, but I thought that it did delve deeper into many of the society-related topics than that particular series did. Overall, I agree with the middle school recommendation, although I really enjoyed it myself as well.
I am still digesting this book (just finished it last night), but I think one of the things that I found most compelling (and disturbing) was how close a lot of the societal elements of the novel were to what we are experiencing today. Just taken a little bit further...
Just finished this book and I really did love it. I was hoping it would live up to the hype and it did for me. I do agree with those who said that the beginning was a bit slow, but once the Games started, I really couldn't put it down. I thought the story was very original, nothing like I had ever read before. I was just crazy thinking about the situation that these young children were in, forced to kill their peers in order to keep order in Palem. I did love the characters of Rue, Peeta (Bread hahaha), and I did like Prim and Gale, even though they were minor characters. I am really interested in reading Catching Fire to see how all of these relationships play out after Katniss and Peter return to District 12. Will Gale be able to go back to how things were with Katniss before the Games? How will she be viewed by her sister and mother? What will happen with Peeta? Will she push him away? And just how will her and Peeta adjust to life again after being through such a traumatic experience?
Mod
I think that's when a book really gets to you - when it's just a few steps farther along from where we are now. If it's totally "out there" then you don't see it as an extension of current reality so it's easy to stay detached. (A lot like humor - Dilbert and The Office are funniest when they're just a couple steps farther along from what we experience at work).
I absolutely loved this book. Unlike some other readers, I was grabbed by this story from the very beginning. It was slower before the actual games began, but I didn't find it any less interesting. I liked learning about their way of life in District 12 - it gave a great picture of Katniss's background, family relationship & her instincts as a survivor. I loved watching the relationship between Peeta & her - I was frustrated with her not recognizing Peeta's true feelings, but then again, they had never actually talked before the reaping (is that what it was called?), they were separated for much of the arena time, & she belives that their being in love is just a strategy for surviving. How could she belive Peeta's feelings are genuine when they hardly know each other? I also really loved Rue & was so sad when she was killed. But I'm also glad that it didn't come down to Katniss having to kill her. Her death was a real "stick it to the man" awakening for Katniss, so I was happy with that aspect of it at least.I'm really excited to read Catching Fire. This is definitely a new favorite series for me!
I really liked the book and it was an an absolute page-turner. I was surprised when I searched and saw that this book was going to be made into a movie aimed at the Twilight crowd. I was able to kind of accept the premise (with imagination much required) of children battling and killing each other in the book, but a movie? I'm not sure about that.
I really liked this book and was totally surprised by that. It was chosen by my book club so I killed two birds with one stone by reading it for this challenge also. I usually don't like fantasy/futuristic type of books, but this really held my attention once I got into it. It was a little slow at first, but after a little bit, it was hard to put down.
Marg wrote: "I really liked the book and it was an an absolute page-turner. I was surprised when I searched and saw that this book was going to be made into a movie aimed at the Twilight crowd. I was able to ki..."I'm really excited that they're making a movie of it, but I'm also nervous about watching all the bloodshed. I imagine it will be pretty intense, but hopefully not too disgusting.
Twilight is the one that dragged for me at times, only because every thought is laid out and dramatized over and over, but they were meh, ok. I'm on the side of the ones that have truly enjoyed this series (THG). I'm really looking forward to Mockingjay, especially for what happens to everyone. A movie could be interesting, though it'll have a lot to live up to, methinks.
The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Catching Fire (other topics)Mockingjay (other topics)
Tunnel in the Sky (other topics)
Lord of the Flies (other topics)
Battle Royale (other topics)
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