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annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
4.0
Ik ben normaal gesproken helemaal niet zo van essays en thema's uitwerken van boeken en al helemaal niet van het lezen daarvan, maar ik kon Panem gewoon niet loslaten en heb dit boek er dus toch maar bijgepakt. En daar was ik blij mee! Het was interessant en focuste op hele leuke, minder leuke, maar altijd superinteressante onderwerpen. Af en toe wetenschappelijk benaderd, af en toe literair, af en toe politiek. Het was in elk geval heel afwisselend en het lezen waard.
En nu is het tijd om de diepgang van Panem even los te laten en alleen nog maar bezig te zijn met hoe leuk, lief, schattig en hot Peeta wel niet is ;-) Want ook al gaat het niet om Team Peeta, Team Gale of zelfs Team Finnick. Af en toe is het fijn om het luchtig te houden!
En nu is het tijd om de diepgang van Panem even los te laten en alleen nog maar bezig te zijn met hoe leuk, lief, schattig en hot Peeta wel niet is ;-) Want ook al gaat het niet om Team Peeta, Team Gale of zelfs Team Finnick. Af en toe is het fijn om het luchtig te houden!
stephxsu's review against another edition
3.0
A light complement to the megasuccess that is the Hunger Games trilogy. Perfect for readers who want more about the characters, the world, the society, but who do not want to be mired in academic-speak or in-depth research. And, uh, I admit to wanting more academic-speak. A lot more academic-speak. This book is a decent addition to one's Hunger Games readings but doesn't really go in depth into what Collins' dystopic world has to offer us. Perhaps in the future we will see actually academic essays on this trilogy.
labunnywtf's review against another edition
5.0
Any fan of The Hunger Games needs to read this. Wow. It's like having a conversation with friends who also love the series. Very intelligent, witty, and snarky friends.
The different essays are brilliantly written. They cover everything from the ridiculousness of Team Peeta vs Team Gale (Thank you for that, Jennifer Lynn Barnes), the fashions in comparison to real world pop culture fashion, the politics as compared to the Iraq war, and, of course, how awful Jersey Shore is.
Not one of these essays disappointed me. If these authors only participated to shill their personal novels, they succeeded. I plan to look up each of them, and read at least one novel by each. They have earned that respect.
The different essays are brilliantly written. They cover everything from the ridiculousness of Team Peeta vs Team Gale (Thank you for that, Jennifer Lynn Barnes), the fashions in comparison to real world pop culture fashion, the politics as compared to the Iraq war, and, of course, how awful Jersey Shore is.
Not one of these essays disappointed me. If these authors only participated to shill their personal novels, they succeeded. I plan to look up each of them, and read at least one novel by each. They have earned that respect.
jgintrovertedreader's review against another edition
4.0
Editor Leah Wilson has collected a series of thirteen essays from various young adult authors, each addressing a different aspect of The Hunger Games trilogy.
How do I put this? I'm not really a huge analyzer of books. Sure, I write plenty of reviews, but in those I just write what I liked (or not) and why. That's really about as far as I go. Back in my English class days, I could produce solid essays but since graduating, I've gotten to be a lazy reader. I'll occasionally think about the more obvious themes in a book, but then I pick up the next one and move on. This collection impressed me because of the amount of thought that went into each and every essay. I had mused briefly about some of the topics, I think my sister and I even discussed a few of them, but these authors all went above and beyond in their analyses.
My favorite was "Team Katniss" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. This was one essay that overlapped with a conversation my sister and I had. Why "Team Peeta" or "Team Gale"? Why not "Team Katniss"? Katniss is pretty freaking awesome on her own. Barnes presents her argument better than Rachel or I ever did. I just loved it.
I also really enjoyed "Community in the Face of Tyranny" by Bree Despain. I don't recall thinking much about the (lack of) community in the world of Panem. Despain argues that part of Katniss's magic comes from her ability to foster a sense of community wherever she goes. It's true, and I liked it.
At first, I thought entries by Cara Lockwood and Terri Clark were a little more light-hearted but even these surprised me with their depth. Lockwood writes about the "Not So Weird Science" of Panem and how these far-fetched "muttations" could become realities sooner than we think. She also addressed the need for science to look at the consequences of genetic engineering and not just "Can we do it?" Clark writes about a "Crime of Fashion" and the role that Katniss's looks, and Cinna's hand in them, played in the series. How far would Katniss have gotten without Cinna? Sure, we the readers love her, but she would probably have been largely overlooked if she'd first appeared in a humdrum coal mining outfit.
I feel the need to mention "The Politics of Mockingjay" by Sarah Darer Littman. It draws blatant parallels between the politics of the War on Terror and the politics of Panem. I enjoyed reading it, but I know it will completely turn off some readers with different political beliefs. I was surprised to read this in a book aimed at young adults, but we all need to be aware of what's going on in the world around us.
There's a sequence of essays that leads from reality vs unreality to reality tv to the power of the media and those all kind of blended together for me. I can't say that any were badly written, but I had, surprisingly enough, considered most of this while I was reading the trilogy. They started to overlap and get repetitive.
Fans who just can't get enough of The Hunger Games trilogy should enjoy reading this. It's thought-provoking and informative, and will probably leave you ready to re-read the books.
How do I put this? I'm not really a huge analyzer of books. Sure, I write plenty of reviews, but in those I just write what I liked (or not) and why. That's really about as far as I go. Back in my English class days, I could produce solid essays but since graduating, I've gotten to be a lazy reader. I'll occasionally think about the more obvious themes in a book, but then I pick up the next one and move on. This collection impressed me because of the amount of thought that went into each and every essay. I had mused briefly about some of the topics, I think my sister and I even discussed a few of them, but these authors all went above and beyond in their analyses.
My favorite was "Team Katniss" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. This was one essay that overlapped with a conversation my sister and I had. Why "Team Peeta" or "Team Gale"? Why not "Team Katniss"? Katniss is pretty freaking awesome on her own. Barnes presents her argument better than Rachel or I ever did. I just loved it.
I also really enjoyed "Community in the Face of Tyranny" by Bree Despain. I don't recall thinking much about the (lack of) community in the world of Panem. Despain argues that part of Katniss's magic comes from her ability to foster a sense of community wherever she goes. It's true, and I liked it.
At first, I thought entries by Cara Lockwood and Terri Clark were a little more light-hearted but even these surprised me with their depth. Lockwood writes about the "Not So Weird Science" of Panem and how these far-fetched "muttations" could become realities sooner than we think. She also addressed the need for science to look at the consequences of genetic engineering and not just "Can we do it?" Clark writes about a "Crime of Fashion" and the role that Katniss's looks, and Cinna's hand in them, played in the series. How far would Katniss have gotten without Cinna? Sure, we the readers love her, but she would probably have been largely overlooked if she'd first appeared in a humdrum coal mining outfit.
I feel the need to mention "The Politics of Mockingjay" by Sarah Darer Littman. It draws blatant parallels between the politics of the War on Terror and the politics of Panem. I enjoyed reading it, but I know it will completely turn off some readers with different political beliefs. I was surprised to read this in a book aimed at young adults, but we all need to be aware of what's going on in the world around us.
There's a sequence of essays that leads from reality vs unreality to reality tv to the power of the media and those all kind of blended together for me. I can't say that any were badly written, but I had, surprisingly enough, considered most of this while I was reading the trilogy. They started to overlap and get repetitive.
Fans who just can't get enough of The Hunger Games trilogy should enjoy reading this. It's thought-provoking and informative, and will probably leave you ready to re-read the books.
alyshadeshae's review against another edition
5.0
My full review is here on my personal website. I'll post a few excerpts here, though:
4.5 out of 5.0 stars
The very worst thing about this book is a section in the essay “Crime of Fashion” by Terri Clark. Apparently, she can’t leave her personal politics out of anything and is an Obama supporter. I say apparently because this is an assumption based on the fact that she criticizes Palin for having to buy a new wardrobe and not Obama for spending all the money that she does on a regular basis. Then on top of that, she claims Obama is better dressed than Palin. O_o
The very best thing about this book is how interesting all these essays are. Every last one of them keeps you thinking and they help bring back the pleasure of reading the books. :-) I’ll be rereading mine soon and then I’ll probably reread these essays.
4.5 out of 5.0 stars
The very worst thing about this book is a section in the essay “Crime of Fashion” by Terri Clark. Apparently, she can’t leave her personal politics out of anything and is an Obama supporter. I say apparently because this is an assumption based on the fact that she criticizes Palin for having to buy a new wardrobe and not Obama for spending all the money that she does on a regular basis. Then on top of that, she claims Obama is better dressed than Palin. O_o
The very best thing about this book is how interesting all these essays are. Every last one of them keeps you thinking and they help bring back the pleasure of reading the books. :-) I’ll be rereading mine soon and then I’ll probably reread these essays.
thewallflower00's review against another edition
3.0
I bought this book for a few reasons. One, I enjoyed the "Mapping the World of Harry Potter" so much. Two, the eBook version had some bonus material based on the movie. Three, I'd just seen the Hunger Games movie and wanted to sound smart when talking about it.
I don't think these essays are as good as the Harry Potter ones, for a few reasons. One, the authors weren't as well-established. They seemed too New York Times snobby (they certainly aren't my "favorite authors"). Two, a lot of the essays kept covering the same material over and over -- Katniss is a strong woman, Peeta vs. Gale, social stratification. It could also be that there's less material to cover, given that there's only three books. And each of those books tend to repeat each the same material.
I don't see any real reason to read this one. Unlike Harry Potter, I think The Hunger Games is too contemporary to become a legend. It's a sign of our times, and those times, they are a-changing. And don't think this revelation makes me happy. But I don't see a real reason to recommend this.
I don't think these essays are as good as the Harry Potter ones, for a few reasons. One, the authors weren't as well-established. They seemed too New York Times snobby (they certainly aren't my "favorite authors"). Two, a lot of the essays kept covering the same material over and over -- Katniss is a strong woman, Peeta vs. Gale, social stratification. It could also be that there's less material to cover, given that there's only three books. And each of those books tend to repeat each the same material.
I don't see any real reason to read this one. Unlike Harry Potter, I think The Hunger Games is too contemporary to become a legend. It's a sign of our times, and those times, they are a-changing. And don't think this revelation makes me happy. But I don't see a real reason to recommend this.
kaitortot's review against another edition
5.0
The cover for this book is perfect. I love the smoking arrow. It fits The Hunger Games trilogy completely.
This book is obviously for fans of the series. If you haven’t read the books, this one would be a major spoiler for pretty much everything in the series. In all honesty, this review may be a little spoilery as well, considering the subject matter. Just a warning for all of you non-Hunger Games readers out there. Actually, upon further reflection, I think I kept the spoilers out of my review.
About halfway through this book, I went and requested a couple more Smart Pop books from the library. I requested the Twilight one, the one about the Sookie Stackhouse books, a Harry Potter one, and finally one about the Gilmore Girls. These are seriously addicting. Anything that analyzes books is a-okay with me.
There were a lot of references to early Romans that I hadn’t noticed while reading. The authors also brought up some really good points about our current culture and how the games aren’t that far of a stretch from where we are. I really want to purchase this book to have on hand whenever I read the series again. I think it will be really enlightening. I was in love from the start because one of the first essays was about how the series is much, much more than Team Gale vs. Team Peeta. I cannot express how annoyed I get when this series is broken down into only a love triangle. I am cringing at all of the Team Peeta/Team Gale merchandise that will come out closer to the release of the movie.
This book really just reaffirmed my love for The Hunger Games and I’m so glad I read it. It made me think about how I viewed the series and will no doubt have an impact on my future readings. This book is definitely for all of the book nerds out there like me (and probably you). If you have ever wanted to analyze The Hunger Games (and really, if you’ve read the series, I’m sure you want to), then I would suggest checking out The Girl Who Was on Fire!
This book is obviously for fans of the series. If you haven’t read the books, this one would be a major spoiler for pretty much everything in the series. In all honesty, this review may be a little spoilery as well, considering the subject matter. Just a warning for all of you non-Hunger Games readers out there. Actually, upon further reflection, I think I kept the spoilers out of my review.
About halfway through this book, I went and requested a couple more Smart Pop books from the library. I requested the Twilight one, the one about the Sookie Stackhouse books, a Harry Potter one, and finally one about the Gilmore Girls. These are seriously addicting. Anything that analyzes books is a-okay with me.
There were a lot of references to early Romans that I hadn’t noticed while reading. The authors also brought up some really good points about our current culture and how the games aren’t that far of a stretch from where we are. I really want to purchase this book to have on hand whenever I read the series again. I think it will be really enlightening. I was in love from the start because one of the first essays was about how the series is much, much more than Team Gale vs. Team Peeta. I cannot express how annoyed I get when this series is broken down into only a love triangle. I am cringing at all of the Team Peeta/Team Gale merchandise that will come out closer to the release of the movie.
This book really just reaffirmed my love for The Hunger Games and I’m so glad I read it. It made me think about how I viewed the series and will no doubt have an impact on my future readings. This book is definitely for all of the book nerds out there like me (and probably you). If you have ever wanted to analyze The Hunger Games (and really, if you’ve read the series, I’m sure you want to), then I would suggest checking out The Girl Who Was on Fire!
pantslint's review against another edition
While I love The Hunger Games series/universe and love critical analysis, I just couldn't finish the book. It's a great collection of essays from what I've read, but I think I'm not a huge fan of nonfiction unless I'm personally invested in the authors.
I'm also just... petty.
When Terri Clark refers to Katniss as "Kat" in "Crime of Fashion", it was over. I couldn't continue reading after that.
I'm also just... petty.
ajreader's review against another edition
4.0
See my full review on my blog.
"This anthology is packed with real, deep discussion about the series...There were some essays that I did not enjoy as much or did not find as insightful; but, overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the intellectual conversation started by these authors. Each of them offers a unique perspective and approach to the stories. Still, the root of it all goes back to the original series. None of this discussion would have been possible without it. Collins wrote a series both entertaining and engaging - my favorite kind."
"This anthology is packed with real, deep discussion about the series...There were some essays that I did not enjoy as much or did not find as insightful; but, overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the intellectual conversation started by these authors. Each of them offers a unique perspective and approach to the stories. Still, the root of it all goes back to the original series. None of this discussion would have been possible without it. Collins wrote a series both entertaining and engaging - my favorite kind."
luisasm's review against another edition
4.0
Very interesting, funny even, and it made me look at the Hunger Games series in a whole new way.