Hunger Games // Suzanne Collins {Audiobook}

Why I'm reading
I feel like a bad librarian for not having read Hunger Games yet. That's me, always late to the party!

Where I got the book
Overdrive from Greenwich Library.

Expectations
I've seen the first movie, so more or less (more, it turns out) know the plot.

So how was it?

The movie stuck fairly close to the plot -- and feel -- of the book, so it was what I expected: a dystopian future, where North America is split into twelve districts, each of which sends two 'tribute' citizens to compete in the Hunger Games.

The book is always better (of course) but in this case, the movie had no chance; as a film medium, it just can't get the same message across. In the book, we understand that Katniss is playing things up for the camera, that everything she feels/does is filtered through the lens of being watched and fighting for her life, and that she's disgusted by the audience watching her -- all things that are nearly impossible to convey to... well, an audience watching her. Jennifer Lawrence actually does a fantastic job conveying the right blank-face disgust and terror.

I've held back on watching the other movies, because I don't want to spend the rest of the series comparing the two (hey, it worked for LotR!)

Recommendation
If you liked the movie, you'll like the book. It's got a little of everything: fighting, survival, romance, a little bit of a psychological thrill (like a spy novel), family drama, and pageantry -- but definitely heavy on the fighting and survival.

Feels
Fast-paced without being ridiculous or confusing. The romance elements are a bit annoying, but honest and don't have any real resolution.

Favorites
It's nothing groundbreaking, but I really appreciated the detail and honesty given to Katniss' relationships -- they're allowed to be conflicted and confusing. She doesn't understand the motives behind her own actions, especially when it comes to Peeta.

Least favorites
Suddenly werewolves? Or something? I can see why they downplayed that in the movie.

Writing style
Easily accessible, descriptive, just the tiniest bit cheesy. Lots of flashbacks.

So what did I really think?

Click "read more"... massive spoilers ahead!

Everything in this first book is a perfect storm for inciting rebellion. 

• Katniss volunteers to save Prim, showing solidarity and sacrificing her life to save a loved one.
• The crowd is silent after Katniss volunteers, passively resisting the Capitol
• Cinna has them hold hands, again showing solidarity.
• Rue, the bread from district 8, and Thatcher; again, solidarity between the districts.
• Suicide by berries, showing solidarity, willingness to die, and defiance of the Capitol.

The whole thing with Peeta is pretty awesome, really. I was expecting your typical "oh no, in love with two different guys who represent two different masculine archetypes!" drama, but her relationship with Peeta is actually fairly complicated and interesting. She's not just conflicted over liking him, or liking both him and Gail -- she's completely confused about which of her own emotions (and actions) are real, and which are shammed for the camera.

How could she not be confused!? She (more or less) meets him during the Hunger Games, clearly feels some sort of spark with him, but before she has a chance to recover from the whole drafted-into-death-games thing, they're shamming star-crossed lovers to keep themselves alive. Oh, and she might have to kill him to save herself, if he doesn't die first. She's even aware that her feelings are mixed up; she just doesn't have time to sit and think it out. Almost everything she says and does screams "I'm totally falling for him, but I have no idea because I'm pretending to fall for him." Come on -- the kissing and the declarations might have been planned, but almost everything else she does is honest (and conveniently fits the narrative).

Maybe I've been watching too much Sherlock, but I kept picturing Martin Freeman for Peeta. Obviously he's too old, and too short, but he has this look of honest, steadfast, exasperated devotion that just fits. 

I was on team Gail for the movie, but he seems like more of a brother in the book. She's clearly aware of how comfortable and close they are, but doesn't seem drawn to him -- at least, not until she's whisked away to the Hunger Games, where she misses home, is confronted with the idea of Gail as a boyfriend, and could really use her trusted hunting partner's help. Compare with Peeta, who she immediately gets all jumbled up over.

Haymich is one of my favorite characters (Woody Harrelson!) and I continue to like the drunk bastard in the books. The book draws this really great parallel between his and Katniss's personalities -- without shoving it down your throat, which is fantastic. They don't get along well, but they understand each other, because they're too similar -- that's it; no drama, no over-analyzing, no father-figure angst.

That hand-holding thing? Cinna is totally involved in the rebellion.