After the drama I faced surrounding this book, I quickly took a trip the library and borrowed
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. If you don't know what I am talking about, read
this blog post. Once I got the book home, I practically devoured it in less than 24 hours. Not surprisingly, I now have much to say about it, both good and bad. Because I was having a difficult time thinking up a simple description of this book, I borrowed this synopsis from Suzanne Collins' book
website:
Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used [to]be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When her sister is chosen by lottery, Katniss steps up to go in her place.
First of all, I love the name Katniss. I don't know why exactly, but I just like the sound of it. Moving on, I found this book to be interesting in subject. The idea, the twists, the climax: it was all interesting. I have to say, however, that the actual writing was not superb. I find it in most books today; the language just isn't as rich. I realize this is classified in the Young Adult genre, but that just isn't an excuse.
The pet peeve I had while reading
The Hunger Games was that the book is so fast-paced, so action-oriented, that the reader misses details. So little is made of Katniss, Peeta, Gale, and the other characters. Descriptions are brief, action prevails. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, except that I feel as though I missed things. I sometimes read books that make me feel as though I'm inside the story, like I can see everything and everyone. But, while I was emotionally involved in the story and the lives of
The Hunger Games, I just couldn't picture it very well. I often had to stop and remember, "Now what did that one kid look like?" Maybe that is just me being a picky reader. But to me, description can either make or break a story; this one was almost broken.
The biggest issue with description was surrounding the time-period in which this story takes place. Half the time my mental images seemed to play out in a more ancient time, the other half in a futuristic alternative. I was left puzzled by some situations. For instance, the lack of electricity. I had a hard time deciding for a while if this was due to electricity being "new" or just that it wasn't available. I was also confused because the weapons of choice were swords and arrows; if this is future, why not guns? Overall, I just wish Collins would have added some more description about how things have changed. The reader is left with such a brief overview; the rest is left up to imagination.
Content-wise, there is undeniably a high amount of violence in this book. Some scenes are more graphic than others. Also, there is an excessive amount of kissing. It isn't graphic at all, though; the reader is only told "they kissed," or some similar line. Two of the characters sleep in the same sleeping bag together in the name of warmth. Romance isn't the main focus of the story, but it does play a major role. Honestly, that is the least of my worries as I think back to the story of the Hunger Games.
The biggest thing, I feel, is that the author is trying to give some sort of slant about government and war and saviors. I can't say that I have put my finger on that exact slant, but there is a definite feeling when reading about this place called Panem, which used to be North America but has since been partially destroyed and partially covered in water. There is the sense of despair, of no hope. There is the idea that only the youth can rise up and save the country. The government has gone berserk and the citizens cannot decide between submitting or uprising. I suppose this is where my Christian viewpoint comes in, though it really has not left me for a moment.
The thread of hope runs thin through Panem. The Hunger Games are a terrible ritual, a punishment for the long ago days of rebellion. But when Katniss and Peeta begin to rise through the ranks, citizens become hopeful. Districts begin to wonder if someone will finally save them. That right there is the worst part of it.
I'm still interested to see how the story plays out in the next two books. I'm almost positive of what the outcome will be (though I could be wrong). The problem in
The Hunger Games is that everyone's hope and trust is put into humans. And as I know too well, and as even the book displays, humans are fallible, imperfect creatures. Thus, I was not left with a feeling of empowerment or of desire to conquer the evils in the world and be a savior to the people. If that was the intention of the author then I believe she failed. I only laughed at the silliness of it all because I know in my heart and in my head and in my soul that no
human, no mere mortal, can save the world. Only God can. And He will.
That fact makes
The Hunger Games, to me, little more than an enjoyable weekend read.
