RazCat

Life, art, and complaints of Cat Razim

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Book Review: The Hunger Games

I’ve felt awful this past year. Aside from all the unneeded stress I’ve been piling up in my life, I haven’t been reading. What? How can I not READ?! Well. I’ve been doing tons of writing (that is beyond awful, I assure you.) But I haven’t been really reading. I do have a few books here and there that I started but haven’t gotten around to finishing. Remember that episode of Are You Afriad of the Dark where this kid never finished a book and the characters came to life? Well, if it’s true then expect a news report of my death at the hands of a samurai and a computer hacker off stage of a auto-biographical school play of a very flamboyant teen. Throw in some zombies for good measure and a very hot detective for the NYPD.

However, the other day I was at Target. A quick “in and out” shopping day (pffft. yeah right). I needed my command strips to hang a few new wonderful posters. I know the layout , and I knew to weave around the stationary (I LOVE PENS!) and past the book section towards the kitchen stuff, then the toys to get to said strips. (Everyone has a “route” right? or am I the only one?) And of course, I kept my hands in my back pockets through the ink filled wonders (COLOURED SHARPIE PENS ARE NOW IN PACKS!! AGH!) but took them out too soon when I reached the books. Hunger Games for $7!! HELL YES!

I’ve heard great things of this series. Nothing specific. I knew the very VERY simple premise. I had grown weary of Young Adult fiction since This Crap Came Along. (it shouldn’t have made it past the publisher. What drunk intern thought this crap was pasible for the public, I’m not sure.) But yeah. I read the first chapter, and was immediately HOOKED.

For those who don’t know. The Hunger Games is about Katniss Everdeen, a girl from District 12. With a tough life in the Seam she supports her family, and has become the tomboy. During the “reaping” or the name calling for this year’s Hunger Games, her sister was picked as the female tribute. Unable to accept this, Katniss volunteers which is a highly rare act, knowing the possible outcome of the games is death. With the boy tribute at her side she is transported to The Capitol and is all-too-quickly immersed in a game of survival where only one can come out alive.

The detail is perfect and not overly drawn out (like Watership Down) or redundant (god-damned Twilight). I guess I find it attractive because for the first time in a long time I read a book with a female protagonist that wasn’t all love and high school drama. I did find myself yelling [silently, as I read this at night while others slept] at Katniss like you would at a character on tv. They can’t hear you, but oh how they get you riled up!

I don’t want to spoil it for you so I will stop here about the book. However, I would like to point out they are currently filming the movie adaptation. I’m excited but also weary. The Hunger Game’s contestants are children 12-18. Only one comes out alive. This isn’t Harry Potter where, while yes there is death it’s “magic death”. Whip of the wand, magic light bursts out and, hit, you fall dead. I’m not knocking HP. I love those books too and the deaths made me cry. My point is, in the Hunger Games, there is real BLOODY death.. of kids… Just wondering how they’ll adapt it. :: shrugs ::

Point is. This is different. It is moving. I was brought into the life of the book which hasn’t happened in while. I grew so frustrated when it ended I had to re read the last few chapters to make sure I didn’t miss anything, and to just keep reading. (I only got frustrated again… and sad, and impatient, and happy …)

And now, because the Boy Wonderful is AMAZING and surprised me with the next books in the series, I can finally see what happens after the games. I HIGHLY recommend this book. Read! Go now! GET IT!

…And may the odds ever be in your favor!

posted by Cathy Razim at 6:29 pm  

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