Tuesday, April 10, 2012
behind the times
Confession: Until recently, I have only read the first book in The Hunger Games series. When the book first came out, I was so caught up in the hype and the excitement of family, friends, and the New York Times, I went and bought my own copy. As warned, I devoured it and became consumed by "the boy with the bread." I have always been a Peeta fan although I wished he would show some sort of backbone in the first book. A problem arose that kept me from finishing all three like a fiend because I only had a copy of the first book. I read with such vengeance that you would expect that I couldn't rest until I had finished the entire series. However, that was not the case. I don't know whether I was simply stubborn because I decided to go against the hungry crowd, lazy because didn't want to fight the library for a copy, or broke because I couldn't buy the next addition...Whatever the case, I didn't read the last two novels until about two weeks ago. Don't judge.
Another confession: The movie came out and everything changed.
I wasn't planning on going to the movie. Then, my friend Laura said it would be fun to go on a Tuesday when Century 16 has matinee prices in the evening. If I can get a deal and hang out with good company, hey, I'm in! My sister, Melanie, went for the midnight showing and LOVED it! She kept talking about it over the weekend and made me more excited to go. Once Melanie shows overwhelming interest in something, it's contagious! The movie came out on Friday and I went the following Tuesday. There went all my stubbornness of going against the crowd. Suddenly I'm a follower...
The hype was back in full force. The Saturday after the movie came out, I shanghaied Melanie into letting me borrow her Kindle and letting me read Catching Fire. I spent most of the morning reading when I should have been doing a number of other things. It was past lunch when I decided to take a break and then I realized I had read until Chapter 12! Thanks to Jury Duty, I finished the book in record time. That night, I went and saw the movie.
The movie was AMAZING....if you've read the books. I sat between Laura and Shannon, neither of whom had read the books, and they spent the entire second half of the movie appalled. There were moments when I covered my eyes (Again, don't judge) because I don't like violence. I don't like watching people get hurt. "Then, Jenny, why did you go to the movie?" Um, I dunno. But I liked it. A lot. In fact, I would be more than willing to go and watch it again.
Now I have read the entire series. And I am a big fan. A BIG FAN! Forget Stephenie Meyer, (although I forgot about her years ago) read Suzanne Collins. I read this friend's blog and completely agree when she said that being an English major, you become a trained reader. I started reading for the thrill, which was great, but take a step away from that and really look at what the characters are, how they evolve, how Collins covers all possible complications, it makes the book even that much better. I know that most readers are disappointed in the third book, but I liked it. I liked seeing how the story unfolds when Katniss and Peeta are on opposite sides. I also love how Collins didn't miss an opportunity to play with Peeta and what happens when he has no choice but to let the Capitol change him. I loved everything, absolutely everything about the series, EXCEPT for the last 10 pages. I was sad at the climax, but, reading with my English novel-expect the worst for the better of the plot mindset, it made sense. What I wanted was another conversation between Katniss and Peeta. Personally, I felt like there were a few strands left hanging out in the wind. Did Peeta come back or doe he spend every waking moment wondering if life is real? I know that Katniss mentions something but I want to read it from his point of view. Then, all the sudden, Gale is in District 2. I'm not a Gale fan but that seemed awfully sudden. Overall, I hate how she closes so many major details in a simple sentence. Bah!
Dear Suzanne,
You worked so hard over three books to make such wonderful characters. Why are you selling them short?
Love me.
And yes, I plan on owning the entire series and adding it to my library of a bedroom.
Last confession: I am slightly obsessed with Josh Hutcherson's jaw....
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OK, dear, I am not an English major and I haven't read the last book in about a year, but *** SPOILER ALERT *** I thought the end of the third book really just showed how it ripped apart their lives to the point where it just couldn't be fixed. I think she took it to a reality and sometimes things that are just so terrible happen and all you can do is pick up the two or three pieces that are left and move on. I thought that as an author she stuck to her point. She didn't let the fairy tale ending come in because that just would have been wrong. She showed what a revolution can do to people, but how much better life will be for their children. Why even though people come back from war with post traumatic stress that it's worth it to fight for your families, your liberty, and peace. Maybe I'll read these again and then we can have book group about it. Remember when we were going to do that? Oh yah. I would love to sit and discuss each and every character with you and learn from you all of your English major wisdom.
ReplyDeleteOh, I don't mean to talk with a big head, and I completely agree. I like how she kept to her point and showed that the characters pick up what pieces they can at the end. I don't need a fairytale ending. I didn't mean to make it sound like that. I just want more of a conclusion. One that if I were to write a paper about it (Okay, this is English brain), I could take one of their conversations in the first book and contrast it with the end. And I'm sad there isn't one. I know, Nerd Alert! That and the fact that I was so hungry for moments with Peeta in the last book after so much with Gale. But I really was satisfied with the ending that upsets everyone else.... We should do that whole book club thing again. I love this idea!
ReplyDeleteMy dear Jenny, I've been thinking about the comment you put on my HG post, which named some of the same complaints you've listed here, and I wanted to give you my thoughts about it. I think Katniss's response to Prim dying was pivotal in how her last days in the Capitol played out. She didn't speak until the encounter with Snow in the greenhouse, then she got revenge on Coin for Prim's death, which was her main objective after Prim died. After that she felt she had nothing to live for, since keeping Prim safe was what she'd been trying to do the whole time. After her trial and her return to 12, she says there was nothing stopping her from taking her own life, but she was waiting for something. I love this because she's obviously waiting for Peeta. It isn't until he comes back that she can pull herself out of the kitchen and actually try at this new, unfamiliar life she's got. It would have been nice to have a conversation with the two of them, but I think the most important parts are unspoken. This part comes on the last two pages. He brings over bread, and they create the book together, like they did before the second games in Catching Fire; they were doing their first "normal" thing together working on the plant book. The last page is what brought their relationship full circle to me. Best page of the series if you ask me. The two lines they say to each other at the end are telling enough. At least that's my opinion. Super long comment! I could discuss these all day, so if you do have a Hunger Games book group, please let me know. Seriously, such a fan!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Sarah! I'll admit, I didn't think of all that. Maybe I'm okay with how it ends. Now I think I need to read them all again to get even more of the literary treasures. Or read them again just for fun.
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