It's Repetitive and Redundant and Repetitive and Redundant

[Kathleen]

My main problem with Suzanne Collins' writing is her constant need to repeat herself. Practically every time Katniss thought of her father, Collins had to rewrite how he died in a mine accident. She needs to give her readers a bit of credit for not having a three-page attention span. When Collins wrote about Rue, we had to go through the same spiel of how Rue reminded Katniss of Prim. Yes, we got it ten pages ago! And twenty pages ago! There is no need for authors to treat their readers like they're idiots.

[Kirby]

perhaps it didn't annoy me too badly b/c I had read the earth's children series by jean auel...talk about repetitive!

[Kristen]

I didn't really notice it, but I might if I went back and read it, now that you've pointed it out...

[Karlie]

I hadn't even noticed until you said something...but now that I really think about it, you're right. I think I overlooked it because I was totally riveted by this series. I loved it. :)

[ℂᖺαᖇᒪἷ℮ ⊰1017 &Tardis⊱]

The fact that everyone is so riveted to it inclines me to say no. If it was too repetitivemost people would get bored. And the books wouldn't be popular. And there wouldn't be a movie coming out in March. Maybe it is true a little bit, but if it annoyed poeple enough, there would be more people saying how much they didn't like it.

[Kathleen]

Charlotte- insert an inside joke here- wrote: "The fact that everyone is so riveted to it inclines me to say no. If it was too repetitivemost people would get bored. And the books wouldn't be popular. And there wouldn't be a movie coming out in..."

That's hardly true. Some of the most popular books in the world are horribly written. Whether parts of the book are repetitive is not open to debate; all you have to do is read them to find out.

[ℂᖺαᖇᒪἷ℮ ⊰1017 &Tardis⊱]

Yeah I guess that's true.

[Kathleen]

Don't get me wrong. I thought the books were riveting, too. And come to think of it, her redundancies led to some fun times for me.

My daughter read the series before I did, which led to many a "What part are you on now, Mom?" Every time I mentioned Rue, she'd ask me if she reminded me of Prim and we'd have a good laugh. So I will forgive Ms. Collins her redundancies since it led to a nice mother/daughter bonding moment.

[Racheal]

I notice this in a lot of books. But, I think the repition is more for people who don't read on a daily basis. My brother would take 3 months just to read a book, so it was refresher for his memory. But, there are times when it's a bit too much. I do agree, but I actually didn't find it too distracting in this book. Like Kirby said, I read books far worse, LOL. Like, the Blood Coven series, by Mari Mancusi. Instead of a quick recap of what happened in the last book, she started each new addition recapping every book thus far. It got annoying, and I had start skipping the first chapter in each book.

[Sabine]

Reading it not and didn't notice any repetition. This just goes to show that if the story is good enough, the readers (and apparently even the editor) would not care about other details. Anyway, fabulous story. Can't wait to finish it. But it's violent enough to give me nightmares...

[Lea (Peeta's #1 Fangirl!)]

I might of found that she explained things a lot more than needed. It didn't bother me too much. I guess it just got things perfectly clear in my brain/

[Molly]

Mmm, I would agree, although that was not the thing that really jumped out at me. It's a decent book, but very overrated.

[Yue]

This reminds me of Sweet Valley series and Baby-sitters Club series. Boy they were very repetitive, describing the twins and the babysitters in the first chapter in every single book (and each series has at least 200 books!).

[Tracy]

I assumed that it was a purposeful technique given the age range that the series was intended for. I think most successful books written for YA and younger audiences make use of recaps and repeats. They make use of it becuase it is effective in keeping younger readers engaged in the story line by providing not only a reminder, but also a sense of being "in" the story by being aware of what is going on. In a book as action driven as these, it also gives readers a much needed break and grounding within the story line. It also supports a greater number of readers as we can effictively start the series almost anywhere in any book and through the recaps and repeats understand what is going on.

[Walter]

You want to know what bothered me? She kept calling the thing in which you carry your arrows an "arrow sheath". Please call it a quiver. ;)

[Valerie]

I didn't find it too distracting. P: Lots of YA books are repeatative like that, but that doesn't mean they're poorly written.

I realised The Hunger Games gets really poetic and beautiful when read aloud, it's well-crafted in my opinion. The characters are balanced, it isn't boring, it's emotional.

I acknowledge its flaws, no book is perfect. :3

[ℂᖺαᖇᒪἷ℮ ⊰1017 &Tardis⊱]

Valerie wrote: "I didn't find it too distracting. P: Lots of YA books are repeatative like that, but that doesn't mean they're poorly written.

I realised The Hunger Games gets really poetic and beautiful when r..."

I agree!!

[Dhfan4life]

I didn't notice it being all that repetitive really. Because I guess she figured that not everyone is going to start with the first book. So when she or other authors repeat like that. They want to make sure that with each book in the series or trilogy, newcomers understand what has shaped the characters to be the way they are regardless what book they have picked up. Which I think is a good thing in a way. As not everybody hears about or finds a series from the very beginning.

[Hannah]

Well the recapping makes it kinda realistic because that makes it seem even more like it is set in katniss point of veiw which it is
and it is a fantastic story but feel free to have your opionion this is mine

[Riah]

Some of it was pretty repetitive, but if you think Suzanne Collins is repetitive you should read the Ranger's Apprentice books. Talk about repetitive.

[Alpha]

Didn't bother me either. Repetitive typing doesn't really bother me at all especially if you read transgressional novels.

[Racheal]

Dhfan4life wrote: "I didn't notice it being all that repetitive really. Because I guess she figured that not everyone is going to start with the first book. So when she or other authors repeat like that. They want to..."

This is kind of off topic, but I don't understand why people do that? Why start off in the middle of the series? Or pick up the last book before the first? That would drive me insane! I am so OCD with my books, and having them in order, even reading them in order, I couldn't imagine doing that.

[Dhfan4life]

I don't think it is something most people do by choice when they go looking for a book. I mean I personally have come across some really great books in the store or at the library that sounded so good I got them on the spot. Only to get online or talk to some other friends and discover it is like book 8 or 3 in the series.

And for others I guess they read out of order when they are waiting for the book to be found in a particular format. Like a friend of mine prefers audio books to actually reading a story as he is pretty active in his day to day life and can listen while he goes through his day. And he gets those through the library. So whenever another book in the series is available he just reads it and goes back for the other ones that become available after that. So kind of why he reads most series out of order. Aside from his way of doing things. I think most people are like my first example of why they read things out of order. And even I will admit it sort of drives me batty to discover after the fact I've read a much later book and not started with the first either. About the only OCD moment I have, lol.

[Racheal]

Dhfan4life wrote: "I don't think it is something most people do by choice when they go looking for a book. I mean I personally have come across some really great books in the store or at the library that sounded so g..."

Okay, yeah I can see that now. That almost happened to me once. But I picked up on it right away. The book immediately picked up where the last one left off. I read to page three, and was like, I'm completely clueless. Then my friend told me she gave me the second book by mistake.

[Dhfan4life]

Exactly. That is why I'm thankful for having found this site when I did. Cause otherwise I think I would have kept finding interesting books and reading them out of order. But at least on here, I know what order series go in. Also helps me to narrow down what series I want to continue and others I want to give up.

[[deleted user]]

Kate wrote: "My main problem with Suzanne Collins' writing is her constant need to repeat herself. Practically every time Katniss thought of her father, Collins had to rewrite how he died in a mine accident. ..."

Kate, I don't think she is redundant at all. Collins never repeats herself. She is definitely not redundant or repetitive.

XD Seriously, I didn't notice that when I read the book, but now that you mention it, I vaguely remember...