WHY SO HUNGRY FOR THE HUNGER GAMES?
The first time I heard about the buzz over The Hunger Games from my best friend, it was as if I was being introduced to her new boyfriend: she was gushing over it, boasting about it—she may or may not have even kissed the cover. Online, there was even more buzz! What is it about this dystopian story that draws in readers of all ages and genres? I finally buckled under the weight of such enthusiasm from the reviews of Suzanne Collins’ trilogy to see for myself and commenced my reading journey for the next week full of sleepless nights, emotional pleasure and disturbance, all to say that this hype was no lie. I am now an intense Hunger Games fan. Oh, and I also raised my standards in men once again (only kidding…)
LET THE 74TH HUNGER GAMES BEGIN
Once you pick up this book, it’s difficult to stop reading. You’ll lose track of time, and frankly, won’t care because you’re transferred into this post-apocalyptic dystopian world of Panem. Life in this futuristic world is rough for the 12 districts under the rule of the totalitarian Capitol and everyone must fend for themselves. Each district must supply their quota of resources for the Capitol so that their people can live in comfort. Why don’t the districts rebel against the Capitol for being treated so unfairly? Well, 75 years ago there used to be 13 districts. A failed rebellion resulted in a severe punishment for the remaining districts for turning against the Capitol and thus emerged the Hunger Games: the ultimate form of Capitol entertainment and district punishment
THE GIRL ON FIRE
A male and female teenage tribute from each district are picked at random each year to be sent to a battle to the death on live television, for the viewing pleasures of the Capitol (and horror of the districts). You can hide all you want, but with 23 other tributes on your back, chances of survival are next to none. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen is a resident of the poorest district in the country, District 12, and loves her family so much so that she risks her life daily to put food on their table. Her voluntary act to replace Prim in the Games at the Reaping is the ultimate sacrifice and act of love.
TEAM PEETA VS TEAM GALE?
Hate to break it to you but this story is not based on a love triangle, nor has anything similar to that of the Twilight series. Katniss isn’t too concerned with her feelings towards Peeta (the compassionate boy with the bread) or Gale (the handsome boy with a snare), and is not looking for a boyfriend. Sure, romance can be considered a subplot, but this trilogy is about oppression, survival and the search for freedom and human resilience. Who has time to think about being in love when survival is constantly on your mind? Gale and Katniss were thrown together by a mutual need to survive. Peeta and Katniss, both tributes in the games, know the other’s survival means the other’s death. A girl’s entire life imploding by the second and her biggest dilemma is deciding which boy to be with? I doubt it.
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
If you haven’t read the books yet and are enticed by what you just read, get on that! Unless you were looking for another Twilight kind of series, you are in for a colossal disappointment. If you have read the complete series, I highly recommend the book The Girl Who Was On Fire. Sixteen young adult authors examine in great depth and detail about certain concepts of the trilogy (such as the Peeta vs. Gale debacle, the engineering of the games, surveillance, and mutts) for those who are burning for more of the Hunger Games.
P.S. the movie adaptation comes out March 23. SEE YOU IN THE THEATRE!
Picture Sources:
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/54462
http://www.allmoviephoto.com/photo/2012_the_hunger_games_char_post_002.html
http://www.allmoviephoto.com/photo/2012_the_hunger_games_char_post_003.html
http://www.dragoart.com/tuts/10222/1/1/how-to-draw-hunger-games,-the-hunger-games-logo.htm