DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
Dumbledore's Army Refugees
HTML https://darefugees.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: The Hunger Games
*****************************************************
#Post#: 1814--------------------------------------------------
My thoughts on the series
DIR By: magic_is_might
Date: August 30, 2011, 1:43 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I'm copying and pasting my thoughts on THG from another site I
frequent, with some minor tweaks. Oh, and sorry for the length.
There are SPOILERS ahead too:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
This summer, I was finally able to read the series. In general,
I really enjoyed the series.
I loved the first book. The second I enjoyed. The third was
overwhelmingly disappointing
To start off positive - Collins had a great idea. She had a
unique setting, interesting characters and character dynamics,
and most of all - an intriguing idea. I was hooked within a few
pages. I wanted to know more about the Districts. What was this
Reaping? And are the Hunger Games what it sounds like? All in
all, Collins had something that could've been great.
However, I had several problems with the series. I don't want to
come off as if I'm bashing the series - I'm not and that's not
my intention. I really did enjoy the series as a whole, but if I
am to be truly honest, then I should also post my thoughts about
a few other things.
One big thing is Collins' writing style. The writing feels lazy
most of the time. Not just her prose, but writing method. A lot
of things in the books felt rushed, as if Collins' was too lazy
to expound on her ideas. Not to mention that it feels like
Collins' tells more than she shows. She doesn't really let the
reader "experience" many events. Some examples are the Victory
Tour and Harvest Festival. Both events felt like they had been
built up - I felt anticipation as Collins builds up these events
(and this goes for other events too), then disapointment when
Collins' summarizes these events in just a few paragraphs.
[spoiler]Just like the sub-plot of the mysterious District 13.
Collins' builds it up, then it feels like she says "oh yeah,
guess what, it's actually real. Let's go visit it." Then that's
it.
And what about the backdrop of the other 12 Districts? The
possibilities were endless with the setting alone. Another thing
that I felt Collins' could of expanded on.[/spoiler]
The plot is great at first, but fails to follow through, I felt.
[spoiler]Another thing was the character development of a few
characters - namely Prim and Rue. I felt underwhelmed when
Prim's name is drawn. I also felt like I was supposed to be
surprised, but I hardly knew a lot about Prim, so the moment
wasn't as dramatic as I felt it was supposed to be.
The same goes for Rue. I only knew her for a few chapters, then
she was given an extremely emotional death. I honestly didn't
feel much for her character when she died. I was sad because I
liked her character. But then she's killed off before I can
really get to know her, and then it feels like we're supposed to
react to her death too. But Collins didn't give Rue enough page
time for me to have the reaction that Collins' expected. Sounds
like I'm being heartless, but I thought her death could've been
more impactful if she got more pagetime.
And yes, I know that killing her off like that before we got to
know her was supposed to jolt the readers with her quick and
senseless death. But it felt like afterward, Collins was trying
to force an even bigger reaction from the readers even though it
was difficult for me to. [/spoiler]
Many aspects of the books had the potential to be so much more,
but I felt like Collins' was too lazy to expand them or too lazy
to take her book elements to the next level.
[spoiler]As for the climax and ending...? Finnick's death is
casual. It was almost like it was mentioned in passing.
What about Prim's senseless death, then Gale being blamed for
it?
Then the epilogue felt like it was tacked on: "And Peeta and
Katniss got married and had 2 kids. Oh, and Katniss is still
having some emotional problems. The end."[/spoiler]
In short, I felt like the last book doesn't live up to the
expectation that Collins sets after book 1. She set up a great
idea, but just didn't follow through, IMHO. These are just a few
of the major problems I had with the series.
A disappointing ending to a series that had A LOT more
potential.
Overall, I felt that the 1st book was the best since it felt
more self-contained and better written.
I will say that I am looking forward to the first movie, since
that was my favorite book.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If you have any disagreements/agreements, I'd love to hear them
;)
EDIT: added spoiler tags
#Post#: 1816--------------------------------------------------
Re: The first book was the best, IMO
DIR By: Hermes_The_Exile
Date: August 30, 2011, 1:46 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Agreed! The first two were great and the third was a
disappointment.
#Post#: 1825--------------------------------------------------
Re: My thoughts on the series
DIR By: linedancer
Date: August 30, 2011, 2:05 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I loved the first book! As soon as it was over I rushed out and
got the second....and still haven't managed to get through it
all. Which is a bit surprising since the majority seem to list
the second book as their favorite.
I hate to say it, but some of it seems a bit
[spoiler]Twilight-ish[/spoiler] to me in parts. Not the main
story, since I really think that kicks ass. But the
[spoiler]love triangle sub plot. It was like Collins was all
"oh yeah, I need to stick that in there somewhere" and the story
would do a complete 360 and it would be all about the boys in
her life. One part in particular comes to mind. It was after
Katniss starts treating Gale after he was beaten for hunting. It
goes from her tending his wounds to her saying " Gale was mine
and I was his!". I wanted to be like "dude! Were you not just
worried about talking Peeta into running away with
you?!"[/spoiler]
Anyway, I'm very much looking forward to the movie and I'm sure
I'll get around to finishing the series at some point.
#Post#: 1880--------------------------------------------------
Re: My thoughts on the series
DIR By: StealYellowMen
Date: August 30, 2011, 4:39 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I have to agree that the series is lacking. But I was never
expecting it to be the next great thing. I wasn't expecting
anything particularly awesome about it. So I just enjoyed it for
what it was.
My biggest issue was that the writing style really bothered me.
Collins is by no means a great author. She's just a decent
story-teller. I felt the end of the second and third books were
rushed. While I prefer Catching Fire to the other two, she
really does rush the ending. And Mockingjay isn't any better. I
really disliked that you knew every chapter was going to end
with some sort of cliffhanger. And I felt some aspects of the
book were a bit too ridiculous (like people dying their skin)
while other things were really
cheesy/generic/unimaginative/weak.
One thing I wish that the series expanded on was the history of
Panem. Just a few quick details, you know? How/why the US broke
apart. Where the districts actually were, maybe even rumors on
what the rest of the world is doing, etc. Was it war?
Depression? Revolution? Terrorism? Global warming? Tell me!
Because that adds so much context. It would have added a nice
layer to the world Collins created.
Something I really liked about the series is Katniss's
character. I love that in the first book we have this awesome
badass female lead who takes no shit, provides for her family,
and takes action. I also love the progression of her character
from the first book to the third.
[spoiler]I know a lot of people complain about Mockingjay, but I
appreciated PTSD, depressed, and love-lorn Katniss. It was human
for her to be that way after all she had been through. And
another thing I liked about Mockingjay was what Collins did to
Peeta. Even though I missed the old Peeta, I really liked that
she took liberties with an easily likable character and made him
a violent psycho. I like it when authors aren't afraid to
deconstruct what they've built. Finnick made a similar
progression that I very much enjoyed.[/spoiler]
I agree that Collins didn't develop characters well (many were
one-dimensional), but I still felt connected to some and I cared
about what happened to them (but in a superficial way I guess).
Like, I know Rue wasn't fully developed, but I got emotional
when she died. I think the point was more that the Capital was
taking the innocence and lives of children. So who Rue actually
was wasn't as important as how she affected the main character
and moved the plot.
For some reason, the very end of Mockingjay [spoiler]cut me to
pieces. Just something about the quick deaths of Finnick and
Prim. And then later how Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch chose to
remember them. And how the two find each other again, but remain
broken for the rest of their lives, made me emotional. Maybe
because it's realistic. And it's not very happy. And it's true.
People are capable of doing horrible things to each other. And
they experience horrible things themselves. There's only so much
human beings can process and take. And that threat is always
there. So I liked it because I felt it was honest, yet peaceful.
[/spoiler]
As for the love triangle, they barely focused on it. It was kind
of in the background. And it was kind of weak because, to me, I
never questioned who Katniss had feelings for. It was fairly
obvious. So if anything, it was kind of annoying.
I agree that as a whole, this series isn't very good. Its
cheesy, lacking, and frustrating. It had potential that it
didn't live up to. But that being said, I enjoyed it for what it
was. I found things I liked. And I'm looking forward to the
movie (even though it can easily be awful).
#Post#: 1930--------------------------------------------------
Re: My thoughts on the series
DIR By: Loony_Gaby
Date: August 30, 2011, 5:28 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I liked the series, got into them last December. They were very
addicting and different from the typical Young Adults' books. I
couldn't put The Hunger Games and Catching Fire down but
Mockingjay was a different story. The first chapters of
Mockingjay were a bit difficult to go through. I know Katniss
wouldn't be strong forever but her attitude made me feel
exasperated. The ending left me feeling depressed. Didn't like
how Collins ended Gale's and Katniss' friendship.
I started to re-read the first book a few months ago but I
haven't finished it. Oh and a random fact involving the series
is that I celebrated the New Year with Catching Fire because my
family had gone to bed early O.o
--- Quote from: linedancer link ---
>
> I loved the first book! As soon as it was over I rushed out
and got the second....and still haven't managed to get through
it all. Which is a bit surprising since the majority seem to
list the second book as their favorite.
>
> I hate to say it, but some of it seems a bit
[spoiler]Twilight-ish[/spoiler] to me in parts. Not the main
story, since I really think that kicks ass. But the
[spoiler]love triangle sub plot. It was like Collins was all
"oh yeah, I need to stick that in there somewhere" and the story
would do a complete 360 and it would be all about the boys in
her life. One part in particular comes to mind. It was after
Katniss starts treating Gale after he was beaten for hunting. It
goes from her tending his wounds to her saying " Gale was mine
and I was his!". I wanted to be like "dude! Were you not just
worried about talking Peeta into running away with
you?!"[/spoiler]
>
> Anyway, I'm very much looking forward to the movie and I'm
sure I'll get around to finishing the series at some point.
>
--- End Quote ---
I agree about the love-triangle thing. It was an unnecessary
addition.
#Post#: 2201--------------------------------------------------
Re: My thoughts on the series
DIR By: JustCallMeTaylor
Date: August 30, 2011, 9:54 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I thought that the first two were extremely good, the 3rd not so
much.
The basic premise is what intrigued me and then I thought it was
so awesome how Katniss wasn't just "oh hot boys, I wonder who
I'll pick!"
I loved how she didn't just fall for Peeta right off the bat.
The whole pretending-to-be-in-love-so-I-don't-die thing was
great.
I have a lot more sophisticated thoughts on the series but I've
been gone all day at school and then helping family move so I
don't feel like sounding smart.
#Post#: 6440--------------------------------------------------
Re: My thoughts on the series
DIR By: Salbob
Date: September 10, 2011, 10:39 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I finished Mockingjay last night, read the whole series in 4
days, so in that respect I stand by them being gripping and
pretty impossible to put down. I loved the idea of the books
along with having such a strong female lead, they're deinitely a
great young adult series.
I do agree with a lot of the flaws listed, and in Catching Fire
when I first found out Katniss and Peeta would be going back
into the Games I thought it was a little lazy, recycling the
same plot, then in Mockingjay with the pods it again seemed a
bit lazy.
I found it was sometimes hard to follow characters, who they
were etc, because the futuristic names coupled with the lack of
development was pretty confusing.
That being said, I really like what she did with Finnick and
Peeta, by the end of the series they were so different from
their initial introductions.
I really wish there had been more info about the history of
Panem, when Katniss says 'she never really paid attention to
that' or it didn't interest her, it felt like an easy way of
getting out of going into detail about the series.
[spoiler]I still wish she'd ended up with Gale. I loved the
progression of her realising she loved Peeta, but I dislike how
it basically says Katniss's main reason for not loving Gale was
because he designed the bomb that killed Prim, when he'd
obviously had no idea what Coin intended to do with it[/spoiler]
They're a good series. Not perfect, and there are a few things
that irritated me in the series, but a pretty good young-adult
trilogy. I hope the films are good!
#Post#: 6449--------------------------------------------------
Re: My thoughts on the series
DIR By: StealYellowMen
Date: September 10, 2011, 11:29 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Salbob link ---
>
> I finished Mockingjay last night, read the whole series in 4
days, so in that respect I stand by them being gripping and
pretty impossible to put down. I loved the idea of the books
along with having such a strong female lead, they're deinitely a
great young adult series.
>
> I do agree with a lot of the flaws listed, and in Catching
Fire when I first found out Katniss and Peeta would be going
back into the Games I thought it was a little lazy, recycling
the same plot, then in Mockingjay with the pods it again seemed
a bit lazy.
>
> I found it was sometimes hard to follow characters, who they
were etc, because the futuristic names coupled with the lack of
development was pretty confusing.
>
> That being said, I really like what she did with Finnick and
Peeta, by the end of the series they were so different from
their initial introductions.
>
> I really wish there had been more info about the history of
Panem, when Katniss says 'she never really paid attention to
that' or it didn't interest her, it felt like an easy way of
getting out of going into detail about the series.
>
> [spoiler]I still wish she'd ended up with Gale. I loved the
progression of her realising she loved Peeta, but I dislike how
it basically says Katniss's main reason for not loving Gale was
because he designed the bomb that killed Prim, when he'd
obviously had no idea what Coin intended to do with it[/spoiler]
>
> They're a good series. Not perfect, and there are a few things
that irritated me in the series, but a pretty good young-adult
trilogy. I hope the films are good!
>
--- End Quote ---
I have to agree. A LOT of it is very lazy. Especially what you
mentioned about Gale.
[spoiler]That being said though, I never thought Katniss would
end up with him. I honestly believed from the first book that
she would end up with Peeta because it was clear to me that she
was falling for him. I think she also loved Gale though. Because
of what she and Gale shared, she must have felt that she should
love him over Peeta. So there was also some touches of loyalty
mixed with guilt there.
But how the author took Gale out of the equation was ridiculous.
It was so stupid. She should have just had the balls to have
Katniss choose one over the other. [/spoiler]
#Post#: 6455--------------------------------------------------
Re: My thoughts on the series
DIR By: Salbob
Date: September 10, 2011, 12:20 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: StealYellowMen link ---
>
> [quote author=Salbob link=topic=198.msg6440#msg6440
date=1315669185]
> I finished Mockingjay last night, read the whole series in 4
days, so in that respect I stand by them being gripping and
pretty impossible to put down. I loved the idea of the books
along with having such a strong female lead, they're deinitely a
great young adult series.
>
> I do agree with a lot of the flaws listed, and in Catching
Fire when I first found out Katniss and Peeta would be going
back into the Games I thought it was a little lazy, recycling
the same plot, then in Mockingjay with the pods it again seemed
a bit lazy.
>
> I found it was sometimes hard to follow characters, who they
were etc, because the futuristic names coupled with the lack of
development was pretty confusing.
>
> That being said, I really like what she did with Finnick and
Peeta, by the end of the series they were so different from
their initial introductions.
>
> I really wish there had been more info about the history of
Panem, when Katniss says 'she never really paid attention to
that' or it didn't interest her, it felt like an easy way of
getting out of going into detail about the series.
>
> [spoiler]I still wish she'd ended up with Gale. I loved the
progression of her realising she loved Peeta, but I dislike how
it basically says Katniss's main reason for not loving Gale was
because he designed the bomb that killed Prim, when he'd
obviously had no idea what Coin intended to do with it[/spoiler]
>
> They're a good series. Not perfect, and there are a few things
that irritated me in the series, but a pretty good young-adult
trilogy. I hope the films are good!
>
--- End Quote ---
I have to agree. A LOT of it is very lazy. Especially what you
mentioned about Gale.
[spoiler]That being said though, I never thought Katniss would
end up with him. I honestly believed from the first book that
she would end up with Peeta because it was clear to me that she
was falling for him. I think she also loved Gale though. Because
of what she and Gale shared, she must have felt that she should
love him over Peeta. So there was also some touches of loyalty
mixed with guilt there.
But how the author took Gale out of the equation was ridiculous.
It was so stupid. She should have just had the balls to have
Katniss choose one over the other. [/spoiler]
[/quote]
Yeah I mean I never thought Katniss actually would [spoiler] end
up with Gale [/spoiler] but I still kind of routed for it.
#Post#: 6538--------------------------------------------------
Re: My thoughts on the series
DIR By: Loony_Gaby
Date: September 10, 2011, 7:32 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Salbob link ---
>
> [quote author=StealYellowMen link=topic=198.msg6449#msg6449
date=1315672176]
> [quote author=Salbob link=topic=198.msg6440#msg6440
date=1315669185]
> I finished Mockingjay last night, read the whole series in 4
days, so in that respect I stand by them being gripping and
pretty impossible to put down. I loved the idea of the books
along with having such a strong female lead, they're deinitely a
great young adult series.
>
> I do agree with a lot of the flaws listed, and in Catching
Fire when I first found out Katniss and Peeta would be going
back into the Games I thought it was a little lazy, recycling
the same plot, then in Mockingjay with the pods it again seemed
a bit lazy.
>
> I found it was sometimes hard to follow characters, who they
were etc, because the futuristic names coupled with the lack of
development was pretty confusing.
>
> That being said, I really like what she did with Finnick and
Peeta, by the end of the series they were so different from
their initial introductions.
>
> I really wish there had been more info about the history of
Panem, when Katniss says 'she never really paid attention to
that' or it didn't interest her, it felt like an easy way of
getting out of going into detail about the series.
>
> [spoiler]I still wish she'd ended up with Gale. I loved the
progression of her realising she loved Peeta, but I dislike how
it basically says Katniss's main reason for not loving Gale was
because he designed the bomb that killed Prim, when he'd
obviously had no idea what Coin intended to do with it[/spoiler]
>
> They're a good series. Not perfect, and there are a few things
that irritated me in the series, but a pretty good young-adult
trilogy. I hope the films are good!
>
--- End Quote ---
I have to agree. A LOT of it is very lazy. Especially what you
mentioned about Gale.
[spoiler]That being said though, I never thought Katniss would
end up with him. I honestly believed from the first book that
she would end up with Peeta because it was clear to me that she
was falling for him. I think she also loved Gale though. Because
of what she and Gale shared, she must have felt that she should
love him over Peeta. So there was also some touches of loyalty
mixed with guilt there.
But how the author took Gale out of the equation was ridiculous.
It was so stupid. She should have just had the balls to have
Katniss choose one over the other. [/spoiler]
[/quote]
Yeah I mean I never thought Katniss actually would [spoiler] end
up with Gale [/spoiler] but I still kind of routed for it.
[/quote]
[spoiler]I felt the same way. I hated the way Collins ended Gale
and Katniss' friendship and although I knew they weren't going
to be together, I liked him over Peeta. [/spoiler]
*****************************************************
Page 1 of 2
DIR Next Page