lmao I’ve just devoured the Hunger Games trilogy in a little over a day………….. (yes, all 3 of them. I was all “are these books just rly short” then I realized I’d just been reading so much epic fanfic.)
I find the books’ concept and premise pretty interesting. I like the idea of the Games and the whole fanfare surrounding it. That’s what pulled me into reading them in the first place. I came into it expecting Battle-Royale-style showdowns, but quickly realized 1st person POV largely limited that, lol. Spent the first two books rolling around wanting to bitchslap Katniss for being astoundingly obtuse and having all the emotional sensitivity of a teaspoon. Writing style and characterisation largely improved in book 3, a pleasant surprise. Tbh, I found the narration and writing style in book 1 and 2 too simplistic and dry. Katniss’ emotional depth of a teaspoon didn’t help. Only the Games themselves kept me going (the interesting part of book 2 only started at the 2/3 mark tho….). I almost lost interest after book 2 after I realized there would be no more Games, but I trudged my way through to the end. Book 3, as I said, was largely improved in writing, but the plot towards the end had me going “lolwut” several times.
Idk. Interesting concept/premise, as in the Games themselves, but I didn’t really manage to get emotionally attached to any character. Probably with the exception of Finnick. And I felt sorry for Peeta, I suppose. Some of them were very interesting characters though. Mostly the tributes/victors. I actually loved the idea of the Quarter Quell.
There were exactly 2 moments in the trilogy that had me all emotional and tearing up though. The first one was when District 11 scraped together their credits to send a gift to Katniss during the Games - a loaf of bread - as a thank-you for helping their child/tribute. The second one was when Katniss realized Finnick was not the decadent playboy he portrayed, but in love with a mad girl back home. Ughhh Finnick/Annie wins best couple award in the whole three books ok.
So yeah. It was okay. Entertaining and interesting premise, good fantasy fodder, plenty to think about (aside from the obvious Battle Royale lessons) though nothing too deep. The ending was a total cop-out tho. It should have just ended with the 76th and final Hunger Games, coming full circle. That would have had a bigger impact, drilling in the moral of the story. Instead we get a Harry Potter-esque epilogue. ~o~ I mean, sure I kind of shipped Peeta/Katniss, but… idk. The whole thing really just wasn’t emotionally satisfying to me.
Should you read it? Yeah, sure, it’d at least be a good way to pass the time on the train. Just don’t go into it expecting brilliant literature.
