The Hunger Games:
I really didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. I usually hate this sci-fi-but-not-really thing, like that it's set in "the future" but not unrealistically. No aliens or total nuclear apocalypse, just the world-- but you see how creeepy and scary and awful it will all become? Meh, don't ask me why, I dislike that a lot.
BUT.
I did like this. It's paced very well, just when I was starting to get fed up with the "Peeta being sick advances the romance" thing, people start getting killed! HAHA. Other than that, I agree with Vita. I think Haymitch (awesome as he is, like a drunk Merlin or Dumbledore type) was solely invented for the purpose of forcing their romance. Maybe that's the point, Katniss being pushed into it for the sake of strategy but then eventually falling in love for realz, but that is either unintentionally awkward or a terrible cliche. There are tons of cliches in this, but it works to an extent. The government being corrupt and nuts, population control and the real-ish end of the world thing, as well as the romance and paranoia in a life-or-death situation, alliances and betrayal and blahdiddy, everything that arises when the central plot is a killing spree... which I love. The Games themselves are so intense and *the* best part of the book IHMO.
Questions!
How does Katniss feel about the country of Panem? Why does she need to make her face "an indifferent mask" and be careful what she says in public?
The government is insane. She knows they'll censor (or kill) her anyway if she shows how she really feels, and it isn't going to help her within the Games either. She has opinions and emotions, she just knows she can't express them and/or is a shy person naturally. Strategy and survival instincts.
When Peeta declares his love for Katniss in the interview, does he really mean it or did Haymitch create the "star-crossed lovers" story?
Peeta and Haymitch are interesting to me. Did Haymitch think this up and spring it on both of them, or did Peeta know beforehand? Did Peeta tell Haymitch thinking it would be confidential, only to have his secret spun into a tale for publicity? There's so many ways this could have come about, but because I love Peeta I'll say he was being sincere. He's just that adorable. :)
Before the Games start, Peeta tells Katniss, " . . . 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." What does this tell you about Peeta? What does he fear more than death? Is he able to stay true to himself during the Games?
Again, sincerity and adorableness! Yeah, he could have been turned into a heartless killing machine, which IS a lot scarier than death in a way. After that transformation, he'd have to deal with the guilt of killing tons of other innocent people as he would in his real personality. Guilt and festering in misery for the rest of his life, knowing he won only because 11 other people had died... all of that would be much worse. :(
When does Katniss first realize that Peeta does care for her and is trying to keep her alive? When does she realize her own feelings for him? Did Haymitch think all along that he could keep them both alive by stressing the love story? Are they actually in love?
Ahhh, conundrum! Katniss can't even recognize her own feelings about Peeta and you expect ME to sort them out?! Once again, I'm going to stick with my uncomplicated cliche idea that yes, they were in love the entire time, Katniss's dramatic understanding of this is an adorable yet overused roamntic cliche, Haymitch is an awesome drunk/interfering mofo/love guru dude... :D
I no like be thinky.
Gale or Peeta?
Of course Peeta! Gale is cool in his mysterious way, more as a mentor than anything else.
As for their deaths: I expected it at times, I'm morbid like that, but practically the book would then have no sequel, much less an ending.
Cato: Douchenozzle. I was happy to see him die bloodily, because what fun would any death be without gore, ESPECIALLY the douchenozzles! >:P
**Spellcheck FAIL: "Douchenozzle" and "roamntic" aren't red, but the "fi" in sci-fi is.**
(Wait, when I put those words in quotes it corrects them... confoozled I is.)
2 comments:
Okay, yes, Cato was a douchenozzle, but his death was drawn out and just horrible.
That Clove girl was seriously evil though. Like whoa, she was evil and twisted. Scary.
And I think we all agree that the actual Games were the best part, yes? So intense and well done. Just when all is calm... DEATH!
Spellcheck on teh internetz makes me paranoid. Am I spelling that word right or is Spellcheck just out to mock me? A fear we must battle every day.
Yeah, I wasn't too upset when Cato died. Sure, it's cruel and disgusting, BUT the description could have been much worse. Good of Katniss to shoot him, though (he was the last one to die, right?).
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