Tags
book, book review, catching fire, hunger game series, hunger games, mockingjay, NaBloPoMo, review
So did you come here thinking I will be doing Thursday challenge unfortunately I don’t have that luxury as I do it on the project 365 blog, so TC is here for those interested
And all those who are (includes me) excited on so many people doing the marathon together I have a good news for you. Some more people have joined the fun please see the updated list here, also I have added the link to the updated list in my sidebar for those who wanna check at anytime who all are participating So now to the main post, Lets talk about Hunger Games
Some days back when I asked around in twitter for a book reco to buy my first book in Kindle lot of people suggested Hunger Games till that time I had heard of the name sometimes too but I wasn’t fully aware of what the book is about. Couple of tweets exchanged with some people and within 15 minutes I was convinced that it is a book that must be read. And I connected by Kindle to the wifi, went to the amazon store and there bought the book, within seconds I had the book in my hands (that’s one of the things I am loving about Kindle, instant gratification, we are a generation which doesn’t like to wait for anything, always in hurry the instant generation as my mom calls us)
Hunger games is a 3 book series based in Post apocalyptic world based in Panem (the former United States). Panem is divided into 12 districts and ruled by The Capitol to whom all the twelve districts supply essentials like clothes, electronics, coal, agriculture etc in return for the food Capitol gives them the rationed food. The main protagonist of the story Katniss, a 16 year old girl who lives in the coal mining district 12 were everything is less, whether its food, clothes or fun. Everyday survival is a huge issue and to top it all there are hunger games – the games started by The Capitol to remind all districts of the revolt they did against the capitol about 75 years back. 2 kids from each district are chosen every year to fight against each other to kill each other until one remains and the district from where the child is doesn’t remain hungry for that year. They get abundant food and clothing as a prize for killing the other 23 children. The whole event is televised for the people in The Capitol to enjoy for whom this the highlight sport of the year and for the districts to watch their children die in front of them and refresh the reminder that what one revolt did to them, to make them realise that who is the true ruler.
The book plays with the human sentiments of love, hate and passion. Makes us realise that
in the end we are all animals living for the sake of entertainment along with the basic needs. It shocks you by the way people can create on the things people can take joy from. While reading we all know its a make believe fictional world but its not at all difficult to get lost into it and feel for it.
Now to the protagonist Katniss the very fact that she is female is enough to make me love her the regular readers of the blog will now but apart from that there is something about her that makes one admire her if not anything. She started hunting in the forbidden woods after her father died and made her best friend Gale, how she takes upto supporting her family at the age of 12, how she stands upto to prevent her sister from the hunger games. The best thing is that through the novel Collins has not tried to create pity on her as was the case with the shaking Bella of Twilight. She has a mind of her own, a conviction and intuition that is hard to beat and yet a weakness somewhere that is easy to catch. All in all her character seems very real.
The first book in the series Hunger games deal with what happens when Katniss and Peeta (the other child from District 12) enter the Hunger Game arena, will one of them come out alive?
The book is pacy, gory and makes you hate the world at time but is unputdownable. When I started reading the book for an two hours or so I couldn’t put the book down for anything, not even for a bio break. Initially I thought its the new kindle effect but it was soon clear its the effect of the book as I finished the whole series in 4 days flat. Everynight reminding myself dude its 1am in the night sleep and 1 would change to 2 and 2 to 3 when I would finally force myself to keep it down knowing very well that I have to get up at 7am.
And its not just the first book, all three books maintain the pace and keep up gripped to them. Read them that will Katniss be able to raise her voice against The Capitol? Will people realise its high time they did something to save their own children and most important Will the Hunger Games ever get over or just take another ugly turn?
Final Word : A fast pacy series, but a series which is more than mere fiction. According to me its the story of a brutal society, a society which we can become if we don’t keep things in check. Its the ode to democracy and a book which makes one realise yet again how important freedom and meeting basic needs is.
Book : Hunger Game Series (Hunger Game, Catching Fire, MockingJay)
Author : Suzanne Collins
Rating : 4/5
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