Why do people love this book series so much? All my friends, (you know, the ones who actually read books,) rave about these books saying it's a great love story and that Katniss is such a cool character. I personally hated the first book deeply and while the second one did redeem the series a little bit the third book was just awful. It was the most boring out of the three and the big action filled ending at the end, ended with Katniss getting knocked out and then getting told what happened while she was out. How could anybody like this book series so much? Is there just something I'm not getting? Please, enlighten me.
The Hunger Games; I just don't get it...
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Becuase, it's basically anti-twilight. Strong female lead that isn't just there so two "perfect guys" can fight over her, etc. Also, I rather liked the back story. But it is by no means perfect.
If it's not your cup of tea, might I recommend some J.A Johnstone?
If it's not your cup of tea, might I recommend some J.A Johnstone?
What's to get? You didn't like the book but others did. There's not going to be anything anyone can say that makes you go "OOOOOOH. With that new knowledge, I now love the books!"
But just in case I have a "EUREKA!" in me, here is my reason (this does not apply to book 3...good God book 3 was just not good):
-Interesting idea. Forcing the district kids to fight each other is just a cool idea.
-Interesting characters. All of the characters had at least a bit of a back story with their own reasons for fighting (survival, honor, protect someone else, etc.)
-The game-master controlled arena. I liked that the book treated it like a Pay-Per-View event for the capital members, which included forcing people at each other and the big twist that the game master puts in.
-Interesting world. The world that the author creates is fascinating. The transition from the slums to the capital was especially neat. Reading the world tear itself apart as the slums begin to riot is equally fascinating.
Ultimately, there is nothing I can say that will make you realize that you were wrong in your opinion. It's your opinion...it really can't be wrong or right. I highly enjoyed books 1&2 (and book 3 almost wiped that enjoyment but watcha gonna do?) and you didn't. Neither of us are wrong.
But just in case I have a "EUREKA!" in me, here is my reason (this does not apply to book 3...good God book 3 was just not good):
-Interesting idea. Forcing the district kids to fight each other is just a cool idea.
-Interesting characters. All of the characters had at least a bit of a back story with their own reasons for fighting (survival, honor, protect someone else, etc.)
-The game-master controlled arena. I liked that the book treated it like a Pay-Per-View event for the capital members, which included forcing people at each other and the big twist that the game master puts in.
Allowing the district partners the ability to team up was a nice spin on the game
-Interesting world. The world that the author creates is fascinating. The transition from the slums to the capital was especially neat. Reading the world tear itself apart as the slums begin to riot is equally fascinating.
Watching Katniss and Petra try to hold back the revolution was highly enjoyable.
Ultimately, there is nothing I can say that will make you realize that you were wrong in your opinion. It's your opinion...it really can't be wrong or right. I highly enjoyed books 1&2 (and book 3 almost wiped that enjoyment but watcha gonna do?) and you didn't. Neither of us are wrong.
In terms of audience, I would say its more akin to Twilight, and you could ask the same thing of the Twilight series. Why do people like it so much?Tony said:
The difference is The Hunger Games is mediocre, but bearable (and to its credit it does have some interesting aspects), whereas Twilight is just plain bad.
You're late to the party, habibi. Everyone stopped giving a shit a month after the first movie came out, and I doubt the sequel can bring back much life into the series. I read the series, didn't like a lot about it. I actually liked Mockingjay the most out of the trilogy. The general opinion on the Escapist is "it's a book series".
I enjoyed reading the first one, the new world and ideas was fascinating, however, after the first book I didn't completely understand why the direction with Katniss went the way it did.
But overall, it was ok, not the best series ever but not the worst. The movie was decent too, except for the ending, which felt like they ran out of money and had to slap it together.
How can she go from killing people relentlessly to crying into a corner and going crazy in the 2nd/3rd books? I just don't get it
But overall, it was ok, not the best series ever but not the worst. The movie was decent too, except for the ending, which felt like they ran out of money and had to slap it together.
I was bemused by the popularity of the series. I have read the trilogy and watched the movie in the theaters. But the most insight I got into its popularity came from when the subject came up when I was talking to a 16 year old girl.
Girls love The Hunger Games. Girls identify with Katniss in The Hunger Games. Girls want to be strong and independent like Katniss but desired like she is as well. And girls love/hate the third book, The Mockingjay, because the author just keeps pounding Katniss into the ground and she never, never, never lets up on her.
One of the rules of fiction writing is to abuse your characters in order to make things interesting. In the 80's comic book writer Frank Miller made Daredevil more popular he'd ever been since the character was created by stomping him into the dirt and generally making the character's life a living hell.
If good times and happy days were all that it took to keep people riveted we would never get past Sesame Street or Barney for entertainment.
In the nonfictional history book by Stephen Ambrose; "Band of Brothers", and the movie series that was made based on it, the WW II survivors of Easy Company, veterans of D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, speak of managing to handle the horror and deaths of their buddies well while the shooting was going on but that they had serious issues with the memories years later. Survivors guilt was a lot of it, and apparently it can seriously mess with people's heads.
Don't forget that Katniss is merely 17 or 18 years old when all of the killing is finally over. That's pretty darn young. Especially when by the end her family and life were shredded wisps compared to what they had been before she shrieked: "I volunteer for tribute!!! I volunteer for tribute!!!" in order to save her little twelve year old sister, Prim, from certain death after Prim was chosen by lottery for The Hunger Games.
These are girls' Young Adult fantasy stories. The way men and boys growl and snarl at a story line that leaves tens of millions of girls in their early teens swooning is nothing short of hilarious.
There have been times I've shaken my head at the furor over the Twilight series and I just wanted to tell people to get a grip, open their eyes, and catch a clue. Maybe teenaged boys and young men don't like Twilight but there's no question that it gives a powerful insight into teen girls' fantasy fetishes.
The large scale popularity and criticism of both series of books, and now movies, among young girls and the general public is symptomatic of "Niche Appeal". If you don't belong to this particular niche it doesn't mean you shouldn't like it but don't be surprised if you don't "get it" like its target audience does.
Girls love The Hunger Games. Girls identify with Katniss in The Hunger Games. Girls want to be strong and independent like Katniss but desired like she is as well. And girls love/hate the third book, The Mockingjay, because the author just keeps pounding Katniss into the ground and she never, never, never lets up on her.
One of the rules of fiction writing is to abuse your characters in order to make things interesting. In the 80's comic book writer Frank Miller made Daredevil more popular he'd ever been since the character was created by stomping him into the dirt and generally making the character's life a living hell.
If good times and happy days were all that it took to keep people riveted we would never get past Sesame Street or Barney for entertainment.
The way the author dragged Katniss down is one of the most praised parts of her trilogy because it solidly represents how people/soldiers can do what they have to in war and fall apart when the immediate conflict is over. This is true of the series especially because the stereotypical war story protagonist just shrugs off what happened and rides off into the sunset.Bravo Company said:
In the nonfictional history book by Stephen Ambrose; "Band of Brothers", and the movie series that was made based on it, the WW II survivors of Easy Company, veterans of D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, speak of managing to handle the horror and deaths of their buddies well while the shooting was going on but that they had serious issues with the memories years later. Survivors guilt was a lot of it, and apparently it can seriously mess with people's heads.
Don't forget that Katniss is merely 17 or 18 years old when all of the killing is finally over. That's pretty darn young. Especially when by the end her family and life were shredded wisps compared to what they had been before she shrieked: "I volunteer for tribute!!! I volunteer for tribute!!!" in order to save her little twelve year old sister, Prim, from certain death after Prim was chosen by lottery for The Hunger Games.
I've never read or watched any of the Twilight series' books or movies. Having admitted that, I find the amount and the intensity of the criticism directed towards it, especially by young men, amusing.Berithil said:
These are girls' Young Adult fantasy stories. The way men and boys growl and snarl at a story line that leaves tens of millions of girls in their early teens swooning is nothing short of hilarious.
There have been times I've shaken my head at the furor over the Twilight series and I just wanted to tell people to get a grip, open their eyes, and catch a clue. Maybe teenaged boys and young men don't like Twilight but there's no question that it gives a powerful insight into teen girls' fantasy fetishes.
The large scale popularity and criticism of both series of books, and now movies, among young girls and the general public is symptomatic of "Niche Appeal". If you don't belong to this particular niche it doesn't mean you shouldn't like it but don't be surprised if you don't "get it" like its target audience does.
I never saw the film because an advert called it "The next Twilight."
And then that kind of put me off the books too.
I might end up giving the film a go when it ends up on Sky movies or something, but I'm not rushing out go see it.
And then that kind of put me off the books too.
I might end up giving the film a go when it ends up on Sky movies or something, but I'm not rushing out go see it.
Hate to be this guy... but I liked the Japanese Version better.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Royale
I tried, but all I could think about was how this feels like a stupid SciFi version of Battle Royale, and couldn't get into it. That is all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Royale
I tried, but all I could think about was how this feels like a stupid SciFi version of Battle Royale, and couldn't get into it. That is all.
Even the author of Battle Royale doesn't want you to be that guy! Don't be that guy!tangoprime said:
As to the OP, I see you've added yet another thread to the long list of "Can someone explain to me..." diatribes that are just thinly veiled hate rants. You don't like a thing. That's going to happen in life. You'll cope, somehow.
not read the books and I though that the film had some cool ideas, with the whole marxism if the Proletariat rose up and lost thing and the costum design for all the rich people was cool but I was bored because the competition doesn't start for an hour. I watched Battle Royale afterwards to see teenagers fighting to death done right.
My opinion though. I had a very uninteresting feel for Katniss
My opinion though. I had a very uninteresting feel for Katniss
I do agree with you. I do think Twilight gets too much hate, mainly because it's one of the things to hate one currently.Copper Zen said:
That said, I have read the Twilight books. I've seen two of the movies. I can guarantee you, it really is as bad as lot of people let it on to be. Not the worst book ever, but still really bad.
The reason I compared them is because both of them are aimed at the same target audience. The movie even capitalized on this (the next twilight). But like I said, where Twilight was just plain bad, The Hunger Games was alright. I didn't really like it, though that might be largely due to the writing style (first person AND a present tense writing style?)
I don't hate the Hunger Games. I don't necessarily hate Twilight. Being popular in my eyes isn't a good enough reason to hate something.
Best. Comment. Ever.DarkRyter said:
Yeah, I've not read the Hunger Games, but I saw the movie, it was a pretty intriguing world and threw up some interesting thoughts about how easily an horrific promotion of murder and hatred could be rationalised and celebrated in a society.
I can't really say anything about the books, but the old "Oh you somehow missed the exciting action packed finale, let me recount to you (and the reader) what happened from this perfectly safe place" seems like a cop-out, but it's used because action scenes are really hard to write without making it sound like some weird fighting pornography. It's been used by Anne Bronte, J.R.R. Tolkien, Philip Pullman, and virtually every 18th Century horror story (Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll + Mr. Hyde etc.) So there's obviously some benefit to using it above just describing the scene as it happens, don't ask me why they do it, but it's a pretty accepted literary technique.
Well...I like the series, and I agree that the second book is the best, and that the third gets very...dumb. What I like about the series is the side characters like the other game contestants and capitol citizens. It's a very easy book. The themes are broad and the message slaps you in the face on almost every page, so I think that makes it likeable. That, and as other people have mentioned that the strong female lead promotes a sort of "anti-twilight" feel.
First, remember that Twilight, which is pretty much universally looked at as trash writing when it comes to artistic merit, is a very popular series of books. Then acknowledge the fact that quality and popularity have nothing to with each other. That is the zen of media.