Friday, 23 August 2013

The Hunger Games Trilogy Review | A Little Bit of Literature



I found it quite hard to write this review, simply because I didn't quite have the words for this trilogy. It's the first of it's kind (YA Dystopian)  that I've read, and I'm unsure if I want to venture into this genre more. That is most definitely not to say  that I didn't adore this series, because I did. I think I'm going to find it hard to find a similar book that lives up to this, and that makes me want to read quite like this series did.

The Hunger Games
The first book, The Hunger Games, is really my favorite of all three. It took me about three days to read and I can't wait to pick it up again. It gives us a world and characters that you can connect to and it's very well written. It's written in the first person, and in the present tense which made it all the more easy for me to read. I find it hard to connect with books that are written in a differing format than this book.

This novel can stand alone if you really wanted to, which is good and bad. If you are not a fan of series then it's great news for you. The Hunger Games is for you, but if you don't mind series then the finality of this book can put you off reading the next two. It did for me. It took me about 6 months to pick up Catching Fire. 

Catching Fire 
Catching Fire is probably my least favourite of the series. In my opinion it's what I would call a filler book. It doesn't really introduce anything majorly new like the Hunger Games and Mockingjay, but I still read it and enjoyed it. It took me a little longer to read this but I still got though it in about two weeks. 

Mockingjay
Mockingjay is my second favourite of the series, but I really hated the ending. I really didn't feel like I got closure on the series if that makes sense. I raced through the book, and that surprises me now that I look back on it. It's the most violent and most adult of the three novels and that kind of things doesn't really appeal to me.

Katniss
I won't mention much about characters because I don't want anything to be spoiled but Collins did an amazing job of developing that characters through the yes of Katniss, the female protagonist. Katniss Everdeen may not seem the kind of person you would think of as a role model but the character that is developed in the book - I don't like her in the movie - is one that I quite admire. Many of her characteristics and actions are ones that I can seen (in a small way) in my self. She is devoted to her family, does what it takes to survive and tried her best. She might make mistakes, but who doesn't? 

The Ending
The ending, as I mentioned above, was a disappointment for me, It felt somewhat rushed and I was just left wanting more. I could understand this if there was another book, but it didn't wrap up the whole trilogy well enough for me. I like finality, and I just didn't get a feeling that it was really final. If that makes any sense at all. I felt like there was so much more of the story to tell, and I want more. 

Final Thoughts
The series as a whole is fast paced and an 'easy' read. It does deal with some heavy subject, so it's not a light read but I didn't struggle to get through it and I found myself itching to turn the pages. 

If you don't like violence, especially violence against children, then this might not be for you but I'm firmly against those ideas and I found that this novel really makes you think. The world that we are presented with is something so familiar (even thought we obviously don;t live in this world) that it makes it easy to connect with emotionally. That makes it an all the more interesting read because you can get even more emotionally invested in the story and characters.
 
Sorry
I'm sorry this whole review is a bit all over the shot, I just wanted to get all my thought out there. There are so many more that I could share but this is already too long. I just leave you with the strong recommendation that you at least read the first novel. The second and third novels are worth a read, and really well written but The Hunger Games will remain my favorite.

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