"I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. I don't want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster that I'm not. I keep wishing I could think of a way to...to show the Capitol that they don't own me. That I'm more than just a piece in their Games."
The Hunger Games (THG) was a fantastic book! I think it led the revolution of YA dystopian fiction. There hadn't been anything like it before. Many tried to claim the secret sauce to this series success, but did not reach THG heights.
This book centres around a girl named Katniss, she lives in the poorest district; 12. This journey is borne out of her self-sacrificial nature to protect her little sister from entering the bloodbath known as The Hunger Games. Each district is forced to provide the Capital with two tributes; one girl and one boy, to compete to the death in these games for their amusement. Only one comes out alive. Katniss had to weigh up if the cost of survival is worth her humanity.
(Warning: Spoilers)
Suzanne does a terrific job of showcasing small moments across the book that make you realise just how bleak her life has been. For example, Katniss was in awe of dipping bread into her hot chocolate. Something so simple that we take for granted was something that she savoured. I think that it is little moments like that, which build a character. You continue to witness her love for her sister shine through when she takes little Rue under her wing and her devastation when Marvel kills her, especially when Katniss sings to her as she dies in her arms.
The absurdity of this event is more apparent in each district the further down you go. As we see the world through Katniss' eyes, she can articulate the senselessness we feel towards this brutality and acts on behalf of the readers thought process. The apparent desensitisation the Capital and the first few districts had towards the games was disgusting. But I could see the parallels between that and the reality TV we have today like I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here or gruesome killing games like Call of Duty.
I think one of the most surprising things about this YA book series is that the romance (especially in the first book) struggle is second best to the main plot of this story. But don't get me wrong, there was some serious hype about the two teams. However, the story has elements of romance within it, rather than a romance book with elements of a story behind it. But let's be honest out of Team Peeta and Team Gale; I am 100% Team Peeta.
His softness towards Katniss is beautiful, even though she is somewhat cold towards him; she shoved him into an urn after he declared to everyone that he was in love with her, poor guy. After Katniss found Peeta injured he tried to stop Katniss from going to get his medicine at the feast that the gamemakers set up. He would have rather died than put her in danger, but she goes anyway. This moment is rather early on in their relationship, but we already begin to see her starting to care for him.
Every moment they spent in the cave together was so personal, especially when Peeta tells Katniss the story about her signing in class for the first time.
("So that day, in music assembly, the teacher asked who knew the valley song. Your hand shot right up in the air. She stood you up on a stool and had you sing it for us. And I swear, every bird outside the windows fell silent," Peeta says.
"Oh, please," I say, laughing.
"No, it happened. And right when your song ended, I knew—just like your mother—I was a goner," Peeta says.")
The Hunger Games is a beautifully brutal book that set a generation on fire (pun intended). I loved the book series and thought the films did justice to the world Suzanne created.
Comentarios