The Hunger Games

I just finished The Hunger Games and I must say that it lived up to the hype. It was very good. I thought Katniss Everdeen's character was so likable. And believable. As I have said before, I love strong female characters and she did not disappoint me once. Katniss is physically strong, emotionally strong yet vulnerable, and she's smart. Not cunning or witty smart, but a kind of smart where things dawn on her after she has had some time to let it simmer in her subconscious. I like that. The book was incredibly difficult to put down. I almost feel like I neglected my own daughter a couple of times because I was so absorbed in reading this story. The ending was somewhat expected, I figured she would win, but not so much so that it was corny or trite.

The only part of the story that I thought distasteful (for lack of a better word) was the premise of the games themselves. Children fighting to the death? Backed by the government? The whole country forced to watch? I understood the author's purpose in using the games as a way to remind the masses of past errors, but I felt that was almost a little over the top. I realize the story wouldn't have worked without it, and I guess it IS fiction after all. As I was reading it, I kept wondering how the author came up with the idea and it's not far-fetched to come up with a "reality show" theme given all that we see on television today. It is like a true Survivor. And of course there have been novels over the years that focus on the government as Big Brother and being all powerful. Maybe it is just my maternal instincts that cringe at the thought of losing a daughter in such a way that made it distasteful to me.

Overall I would give it an 8.5 out of 10. I will read the second one in the trilogy. And I will probably see the movie at some point. But first I need to finish off that last Thursday Next novel.