Finally, I’m on break. And that means there’s time for some catching up I’ve been meaning to do. Last night I scarfed down the second installment of The Hunger Games Trilogy and I have some mixed feelings on the book. Prior to reading this, I’ve heard several viewpoints saying that either the book was great or read like melodramatic crap. I’m of two minds on this whole issue. From here on out I’m going to give away some important plot points, so...
***SPOILER ALERT***
The way the book opens was a little bland, at least for my taste. Yeah, we’ve got the government moving to control the citizens and the riots. Yeah, we learn of the secret and mysterious District 13. And, yeah, we hear that our heroes are unfairly recruited back into the this year’s Hunger Games - The Quarter Quells. All of this is fine and well, but the love triangle always rubs me the wrong way. I’m sorry, but I don’t want to hear a 16-year-old girl bitch and moan about her relationship issues - or lack thereof - while the whole damn world is coming apart! I’m aware that this might be a storyline that is the most compelling to some. However, I can only describe it as tedious.
This whole thing rolls on for the majority of the book until we finally enter the Game. Now I’m getting excited. I have to say that regardless how “Twilight” the series can get at times, Collins always redeems herself with the violence and gore that unfolds as all the tributes savagely duke it out against one another. Acid fog, blood rain, killer monkeys all in an arena that operates as a clock - pretty inventive. I just wish there were more and that it wasn’t all crammed into the very end.
And there’s the ending. I have to say I - probably amongst others - saw this coming. (By seeing it coming I mean that some of the tributes were instructed to save Katniss, waiting for their rebel group to save them.) While I wasn’t particularly wowed by it, I didn’t dislike it either. Let’s just put it this way, I’m motivated to finish off the series. And although I’m of two minds on this story, if I’m compelled enough to read on then I think the author has done her job.
Your thoughts here echo mine exactly. "It's really cool the way all of this violence and despair is unfolding," but also, "shut the fuck up already, Katniss." I'll prepare you for the worst by saying that the final book was my least favorite of the three and easily the most melodrama-laden. But I hope you find enough redeeming qualities to enjoy it all the same. I didn't.
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