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chezler24 's review for:
The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
THE book that kicked off THE YA dystopian series. I'm currently trying to re-read these to get ready for Sunrise on the Reaping to drop in March, and this book is still so captivating on a re-read over a decade after the book was published! If you have not read this series, I highly recommend you do so. Read the books. Watch the movies. Listen to the songs. ALL. OF. IT.
This book has a soft spot in my heart because I latched onto it when I was so young. I felt like I could relate to some of Katniss's thoughts (e.g., her relationship with her mother and how she had to pick up the slack, the lack of trust in others, being hyperaware of how she was perceived in whatever setting she was in) which made her character feel very real to me. In turn, this also made it all the more heart-wrenching when I then had to read about this 16-year-old being thrown into a fight to the death.
For me, the finale wolf muttations were a little out of place. The tracker jackers and the jabberyjays/mockingjays both felt believable and like they could easily exist today; however, the tribute/wolf hybrid creatures seemed almost too outlandish. The shock factor was definitely there and it was another nod to how the Capitol "owns" these tributes; however, I just wish there had been something else at play or maybe Katniss seeing some tracks here and there leading up to the final showdown because their appearance felt a little jarring.
Quotes that stuck with me:
"Yes, frosting. The final defense of the dying." p. 252
"Pity, not vengeance, sends my arrow flying into his skull." p. 341
"Because if he dies, I'll never go home, not really. I'll spend the rest of my life in this arena trying to think my way out." p.343
This book has a soft spot in my heart because I latched onto it when I was so young. I felt like I could relate to some of Katniss's thoughts (e.g., her relationship with her mother and how she had to pick up the slack, the lack of trust in others, being hyperaware of how she was perceived in whatever setting she was in) which made her character feel very real to me. In turn, this also made it all the more heart-wrenching when I then had to read about this 16-year-old being thrown into a fight to the death.
Quotes that stuck with me:
"Yes, frosting. The final defense of the dying." p. 252
"Pity, not vengeance, sends my arrow flying into his skull." p. 341
"Because if he dies, I'll never go home, not really. I'll spend the rest of my life in this arena trying to think my way out." p.343
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Slavery, Vomit, Medical content, Cannibalism, War