Books Jan 6, 2011 at 4:00 am

The Hunger Games Defeats Twilight’s Heartthrob Vampires in Hand-to-Hand Combat

Comments

1
FWIW, from my 13 yr. old daughter, a huge HG fan: "That's the best review about the Hunger Games I've ever read. He really gets Katniss."
2
I agree with Paul Constant.
3
I agree with Paul Constant, which is weird. Definitely a well written page turner.
4
Somebody gave me this book and I've been hesitant to read it becuase I thought it might turn me into a teenage girl or something... Good to hear it's actually a solid book.
5
Aw, Paul stumbled into the YA section and can't find his way out! Won't someone help him?
6
Don't ruin your enthusiasm for the first book by reading the following two.
I couldn't be done with the third book down fast enough.
7
I thought the third book helped put a finality to the series... not to mention it really dug into the mind of where Katnip was... especially at the end. It sort of gave a glimpse that winning isn't always the fairytale it's promised to be.
8
Thank you for finally doing a single book review. I don't mind if it takes you dropping a name every time, just keep doing them. Your business-of-books focus is fine, don't stop, but doing full size reviews of single books is something you do well, and I'd like to see more of it.
9
I agree that the first book is a breath of fresh air, in that it presents a competent, self-aware young woman as the hero, and a kick-ass one at that. However, the second two books are real disappointments... I think Collins gets into topics that she really can't handle as a writer. But by all means read the first one.
10
I've been curious about this book. I'll try to pick it up.
11
Well said. I loved these books even for their faults. Katniss is a character I wish I could have read as a young girl.

Glad you finally gave in to peer pressure. Does this mean you might read Harry Potter one day?
12
Might have to read these after all. Thanks, Paul!
13
The second book ruins the qualities of Katniss that you extol here. "Incredibly competent"? "Endearing and clearheaded"? She spends the entire second book sniveling about how unfair it is that her love life has two boys in it. Even when there's a battle to the death going on around her.
14
I agree that the first book was the best, the next two added nothing to my concept of the world other than to unnecessarily complicate the whole thing.

I am occasionally squicked out when I find myself buying a YA book. but often the writing is quite good and not 'dumbed down' for teens.
And since I refuse to read another "sci fi" book about vampires or werewolves or some other FANTASY myth (I like my science fiction science-y or alternatitive history-y) these days I look lots of places.
15
I'm a high school teacher. The smart girls love HG;the dumb ones like Twilight. And the gay ones like Twilight, obviously. I'm not implying that gay young men are dumb but there are stereotypically hotter young men to fantasize about in Twilight.

I loved Katniss, too. Bella's just "a snack" --satisfying in the short term, but really annoying when you realize you could have had a real dinner. You can see Katniss having an interesting, conflict-filled future, not so for Bella. Bella's story is over after the last book.
16
I refused to read this series for ages too, put off by the huge hype. But when I was stuck in an airport, it suddenly seemed more attractive, and I totally fell in love with Katniss as a character. @13: As far as her sniveling over dealing with two boys while in the midst of fighting for her life--well, I can only assume you're unfamiliar with the complex and multilayered mind of the teenage girl.
17
Enjoyed these, but the former two (9/10, 7/10) more than the third (4/10).

People who enjoyed these books, go and read Stephen King's Bachman Books, "The Long Walk" and "The Running Man", both strong entries in this general genre of dystopian battles royale (with cheese).
18
These were some of the best books I read in '10. Unlike most people I liked the third book the best because I thought it drove home the idea of the pointlessness of violence.
19
I pointed out to the person who recommended this book to me that the plot sounded a lot like the Schwarzenegger classic The Running Man. I don't think she knew what I meant.

"Here lies Sub Zero! Now, Plain Zero!"
20
Paul, if you really want to be a woman, would you bleed once a month, possibly endure a nine-month pregnancy or two, agonize through labor and delivery, raise one or more kid(s), acquire stretch marks, and go through menopause?

Just think: if men as well as women actually did all that, would there be abortion clinics on every street corner?
Would the evil right wingers FINALLY go away?
21
Oh my Diane@15, are you allowed to be that clear eyed about your young charges? That was the best comment I've read here in weeks.
22
The third book was the best. 1st book was the worst. There was so much more character development in the second two books than the first.

The last 40 pages of Mockingjay kicks ass. Hunger Games 1 was predictable, and I kept getting annoyed that Katniss didn't realize Peeta really was in love with her, and wasn't just faking it.
23
These books can be "borrowed" for free from Amazon to a kindle if you're a prime member... but just one a month...

Please wait...

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