This is going to be a long one. I'll start off with the Hunger Games trilogy of books and end with the movie...
*SPOILER ALERT. I HAVE MADE EVERY
EFFORT TO NOT SPOIL THE MOVIE/BOOKS WHICH I AM REVIEWING AND I PROMISE NOT TO RUIN THE
END BUT IF YOU DON'T LIKE KNOWING BEFORE YOU WATCH/READ I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU LEAVE
THIS PAGE NOW.*
Books
A Short Synopsis: The Hunger Games trilogy is set in the future where North America has been replaced by the country of Panem. Every year in Panem each of the 12 districts is forced to send a girl and a boy between the ages of 12 and 18 to fight in the hunger games. The hunger games is a televised event where these 24 tributes fight to the death to become the sole victor. Enter the main character, Katniss Everdeen. She is a great hunter and a fierce family member so when her 12 year old sister gets drawn to compete Katniss steps in and takes her place. She travels to the capitol to made over into a tribute and enters the games. To find out more you'll just have to read the book...
My Thoughts: I. LOVE. THESE. BOOKS!!!! And I wish my keyboard had more buttons that could convey yelling more than just caps lock because they are just that awesome! The character of Katniss is so epic. I think she is a lot like me in the fact that she doesn't always know exactly what is going on and ends up thrust right into the action but somehow it all works out by shear luck.
The love between her and Peeta even though she doesn't fully acknowledge or understand it until the very end of the last book Mockingjay. I never really bought the Gale/Katniss storyline. If we had had more pre-story between them it may have been different.
I also really love the Prim/Rue comparison when they are in the arena. And when Rue dies it is the saddest moment only to be surpassed when Prim dies at the end of Mockingjay by the bomb Gale had created. I think this event also cements Peeta and Katniss's relationship.
There are so many ways I could go with reviewing these books but I don't want to spoil them so just read them OK?
My Final Thoughts: I could go on and on and on about how good these books are but the fact is you need to read them for yourself. I promise you won't be disappointed.
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The Movie
A Short Synopsis: See the book synopsis.
My Thoughts: This is THE closest movie rendering of a book I have EVER seen. Obviously everyone sees a book in their head a certain way but in terms of content, plot line, character attributes, it is one of the best. I read all three books before going to see the first movie because I didn't want my view of the books tainted by the setting of the movie. I wanted to keep them as two separate entities but part of a bigger whole if that makes sense?
It was greatly cast. Jennifer Lawrence was brilliant as Katniss. The training she must have undergone to be able to perform all of the stunts must have been intense. Josh Hutcherson as Peeta is such a natural fit. He just IS Peeta. Period. Liam Hemsworth was great as Gale but it felt like he wasn't as involved as much as the other two (naturally) because he's not in the games but I look forward to seeing more of him in the following movies.
My Final Thought: If you don't want your view of the books tainted by the movie read the books first and cement it in your head. But definitely see the movie for a whole new Hunger Games experience!
