Still Hungry

OK, so I gave in and finally read The Hunger Games.  Where should I begin.  I had such high hopes for this book because of the movie and almost everyone I know loved so I gave in and read it.  I was actually pretty disappointed.  The concept of the book was so strong that I thought it would be right up my ally. 

In case you have not heard anything about this story it is a book about a girl named Katniss Everdeen who lives in what was once North America.  There has been a fallout of some kind and the country has been segmented into Districts.  There are 13 but only 12 that have people living in them, and the Capitol which is where the "Government" is located.  There was a rebellion sometime in history and now the Capitol holds the Hunger Games every year.  This is a fight to the death including Tributes from each District, one boy and one girl.  So our heroin Katniss ends up being the one from her District that is sent to the games, along with a boy that she doesn't really know that well.  They are taken to the Capitol with their mentor who once won the Hunger Games and therefore is a minor celebrity.   The book spends so much time on food that they eat and clothes that they wear, that it doesn't even touch on the fact that these CHILDREN have just been told they have to go murder other kids to survive, and not one of them seems to be shocked or scared or anything.  If that was me I would die of shock.  I understand that they have been raised with this going on but come on.  So they spend the first half of the book detailing the ceremony of the games and the pageantry that surrounds it.  Pointless. 

Once they actually start fighting its not much better.  Katniss spends all her time trying to avoid anyone and the suspense never really builds.  There are a few moments of action and a couple heartfelt scenes but not much.  Then we get to the "love story" that is so forced and transparent that I cant help but laugh, and it actually succeeds in making me think that Katniss is dumb.  The interior dialogue just seems to be there to point things out to readers who didn't make the connection for themselves.  You can really tell this is for young adults but even I think that most young adults are smarter that this books assumes they are.  I guess after Twilight they needed something to glom onto and they sure didn't pick a winner in my opinion.  But saying this, I will still read the other two to see if they pull the story together, but honestly, after the first on, my hopes are not that high.  And I will be getting them from the library, not purchassing them like I did this time. 

So final thoughts, it was a good idea put together badly.  So thumbs down from me anyway, but if you liked Hunger Games go read Battle Royale by  Koushun Takami.

I couldn't say it better myself Simon!