The Hunger Games - Spoilers

[Jess]

This thread is for the discussion of:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

[Darcy]

I was quickly sucked into this book right away. I really liked Katniss and thought she did a great job with having to support her family at such a young age, making her grow up years before she needed to. I loved her friendship with Gale that started out of necessity and the same situation. You could tell that he really wanted more from her, but while they were old in what they were doing to support their families they were still so very young.

The whole concept of the Hunger Games made me mad, just to think that these people had to put up with the possible death of a child or themselves just to survive. Katniss sacrificing herself for her sister was so much a part of who she was that it didn't surprise me.

Peeta's reaction to being paired up with Katniss was an interesting twist. As the games and ceremonies went on and we learned more about him and where those feelings came from it really made me root for him. I could very well see Katniss's problem, and felt for Peeta at the end. I loved how they each were trying to protect each other when they could during the games.

The brutal nature of the games was horrifying, to pit kids against each other for sport. I was glad to see the little kindnesses here and there between all of the players.

It will be interesting to see how the council will deal with the outcome of these games and what Katniss will do with her own feelings.

[Irene]

I'm about 20% into it (according to my ereader). Dystopia isn't really my thing so I wasn't so much feeling it even before I started it. So far, I'm not feeling it. I definitely like the character of Katniss. The love triangle is set up in the very beginning. Which one does she choose? that part of the story line lacks surprise for me. I'm skeptical about anything that receives a lot of hype. I will say with the Twilight series- another series that received a lot of hype. I didn't really like any of the books till I was about three quarters of the way in and then I was really sucked in. I ended up reading all the books in that series. Even though I panned it- if I read it all, it wasn't that bad. I'm thinking this series will run the same way. I'm getting a little bored but I'm not giving up yet.

[Irene]

Just finished it. I did not want to like this book but after a while I couldn't put it down. I'll be starting on the second one of the trilogy right away.

[Jacy]

I've read the whole series. While there are some aspects of the first book in the second, I always felt the first book was the hardest to read. The relationships that Katniss has with all the characters are going to change in profound ways.
One thing I enjoyed about Peeta was that he never lost sight of who he wanted to be. He set out in the beginning to make sure that Katniss survived. He made so many decisions with that outcome in mind that it was hard to see it come down to the two of them because I knew she couldn't kill him, but I wasn't sure that he wouldn't kill himself for her and then I thought she would be full of survivors guilt just because she didn't stop Peeta. I think that the consequences of Katniss' actions in the games are so mind blowing throughout the trilogy that the story actually ends the right way!

Katniss as a heroine is sometimes unbelievable because she's one of those characters where greatness was thrusted upon her and not something she wanted. Which of course, makes her a better character. But at the same time it makes you question some of her decisions. Like was she being defiant when she saluted District 11 in the aftermath of Rue or was she just a girl showing respect to a fallen friend. It is in these small decisions that determine the heroine she's destined to be and at many times in throughout the trilogy, I'm left feeling like she wished someone else had been picked!

[Robbi]

I read the series and liked them all. The series wasn't my favorite but I found myself routing for the characters. I couldn't put the books down. (I read them all in 3 days.) I have told people to read them and would again.