Friday, December 21, 2012

The Hunger Games books and movie reviews

Warning: this is not a proper book review, mostly my own thoughts. I also am not organized here, because I hate when people ruin books/movies/tv shows for me before I get a chance to read or watch them. So in my effort to minimize giving away too much information, I became pretty choppy. But it's a decent review, in my opinion, given that the last book review I did was in elementary school.

I took it a bit slowly reading The Hunger Games, mainly because I was not used to sitting around reading all day. Every now and then I'd get up, thinking I had something to do, but realize that I don't. But then I would remember that I have a husband who I haven't seen in a while and probably should hang out with. Just kidding! He is my number one superstar. So husband  > books any day. We had fun. We ate Mexican food, and talked, studied, walked and got fat together. Beautiful, really.

Oh, the book! Right, well I cried in the beginning when Katniss volunteered in place of her sister. I am not going to be giving away much, don't worry. But I get emotional during these family moments. I think that's all I felt bad about. I'm not really emotional otherwise.

Okay, so this book takes place somewhere in the future, in my mind it's in the United States, but it could very well be the whole world. There are 12 districts. Each year one male and one female from each district is selected at random to participate in the Hunger Games. The game is a fight to death, with only one victor left standing. It sounds gory and full of action, but it isn't too bad, promise. The Hunger Games is a way the government reminds the districts who is in charge. That they can and will take your children to fight to the death each year, and celebrate it.

Katniss, the main character, goes with her male counterpart, Peeta. Peeta confesses his love for Katniss in front of the country during the interview before the games. And now they have to fight to the death, basically. She encounters a little girl from district 11, Rue, with whom she becomes allies with. The story goes into how she survives in terms of hunting and gathering food, escaping death a few times, and killing a few people.

That's all I am going to say. But it was a good read. The problem with me is that I don't like endings very much. I always predict the end and end up right. Or the ending is dumb. Well I thought it was fabulous up until the end. I felt it was too unfinished.

Which is why there is a sequel, duh.
Then I felt the same way about the second book, Catching Fire. Which is why there's another book, duh again.

All I have to say about Catching Fire, without giving away too much of the first is that IT IS SO GOOD. *POSSIBLE SPOILER BUT NOT REALLY* There's a sequel so obviously Katniss survives in the first book. But the president is not happy with her and there's a lot of drama and she has to play in the Hunger Games AGAIN. *END OF POSSIBLE SPOILER* And the ending was amazing and it just ends...leaving me begging to know what happens next. unfortunately my sister has the third book with her and I'll have to wait like a patient princess. Except I am not patient and not a princess.

I cannot wait to read the third. I don't even know what it's called...Mocking Jay?

As far as the movie goes, I will say this. I am weird. I always read the book first then watch the movie. Then get disappointed in the movie. It's a vicious cycle. I did this with Harry Potter and the first movie and didn't watch another until the 7th book.I did this with My Sister's Keeper. But the movie was dumb all on it's own, even if I didn't read the book. Everything looks so perfect and awesome in my head. The movie ruins it. So from now on I'll do the opposite. A lot of people who read the book also loved the movie. To be honest with you, I don't watch TV and movies much, so to sit there for 2 hours and do nothing but watch it made me a little apprehensive. It did pretty much follow the book, with minor changes here and there. And the time frame seemed much longer in the book than it did the movie. Over all, it was pretty accurate.

1 comment:

Ghadeer said...

I thought it was a good read too but I wouldn't count it amongst my favourites. I am usually utterly disappointed with movie adaptations but I thought this one did a good job. And your post makes me want to read the sequels. Hopefully soon!