For The Love of Books: Review of The Hunger Games Trilogy

Apologies for my long absence - life certainly gets in the way of things! A friend of mine recently encouraged me to read THG trilogy and I thought I'd give it a read despite being very, very late to the party.

 

The first book was, on the whole, rather fascinating as the reader thrusts themselves into the world of Panem and the Capitol. Like many first novels of a series, is more informative than anything else and sets the premise and the tone for the remaining two. I found the character of Katniss to be rather unappealing and found myself lacking any empathy with her. Of course, she has a sad life with her father having died and she then having to support her mother and sister single-handedly due to her mother's apparent mental breakdown. However, there are some things which lack sense. A prime example of this is her reaction to Peeta being chosen at the reaping. Her dreading of "Please not him" implies to the reader something dreadful happened between them but Collins drops our expectations of a cliff with the actual reason: Peeta gave Katniss bread. To say Katniss' behaviour in the novels is ridiculous is a complete understatement. In the first novel she seems to despise her mother, noting that she never lets her mother hug her or have any physical contact whatsoever, because of her inability to cope following her husband's untimely death. This selfish behaviour does not stop here and leaves the reader not caring about Katniss' long winded evaluations of her relationship with Peeta and Gale.

Upon finishing the first novel I dived straight into Catching Fire and read half of the book within a day (which is surprising for me: the world's slowest reader). It was interesting to see how life changed for everyone since the Games and the development of the strained relationship between Peeta and Katniss as well as Gale and Katniss. The second book presents such excitement such as will Katniss and Gale run away together and what will happen to everyone amongst the rising rebellion in Panem? The second Games and the addition of such characters as Finnick and Johanna present a new and exciting dynamic that somewhat lacked during the Games in the first book. Also the added undertones of secrecy with Finnick, Johanna, Mags and Beetee risking their lives to keep Peeta and Katniss alive. The book ends on a brilliant cliffhanger and the startling revelation that Plutarch and Haymitch are in on the rebellion against the Capitol.

As Catching Fire ended on such an exciting high, I started Mockingjay immediately. My high hopes and thirst for the impending storyline are shot to hell upon the first chapter. This feeling of disappointment continues well into three quarters of the book. After about 300 pages of being told repeatedly about the boring and blad regime of District 13, I was seriously tempted to abandon ship. Not to mention the continuous build up of expectation that Katniss will somehow breaking into President Snow's mansion and killing him - since she has expressed this desire for the whole trilogy - but typical Katniss passes out and misses out on all the action. This is unsurprising really as in most of Mockingjay she spends her time being put to sleep and waking up and not really knowing what is going on. But Collins does not leave the reader entirely disappointed due to the inclusion of Finnick's death and Katniss killing President Coin when she stumbles upon the realisation that it is she who is responsible for Prim's death. I personally am glad that President Coin died as she lacked any humanity and is easily comparable with President Snow (which really is saying something). 

I found Finnick's death all too easy for my liking. Finnick is presented to us as a skilled warrior who is able to survive the Hunger Games not once, but twice and you are seriously telling me that when armed with two guns he is able to be decapitated by a lizard-human hybrid? Sorry Collins, I just don't buy it. I found his death completely undeserving. Yes, in the world of Panem there is not always a happy ending (as Mockingjay clearly demonstrates) but having grown attached to Finnick from the charming and cocky man who fought in the Games to the mentally damaged and love-sick survivor, I feel his death did not reflect the depth the reader became attached to him. Even Peeta's two second death in the Quarter Quell Games had such a depth of emotion that was completely absent in Finnick's death. 

The ending between Peeta and Katniss is somewhat sweet and charming and alluding to both their continuous recoveries from the scars endured at the hands of the Capitol. Like other popular teen fiction the two love rivals - like Twilight's Edward and Jacob - Peeta and Gale are constantly trying to protect Katniss. The fact that Gale just swans off out of Katniss' life to this amazing job in District 2 (or wherever it is) does not comply with his behaviour exhibited through the trilogy. Gale was willing to die to defend Katniss and he does not fight for her affection? Massive disappointment. Although Peeta is lovely, I personally thought Gale and Katniss would've been a better pairing due to the fact they have known each other their entire lives (pretty much). 

Despite the many disappointments I have listed above, the story is still very unique and interesting. You are easily able to become completely absorbed by the characters and the complexity of the story. 

The Hunger Games: 4/5

Catching Fire: 4/5

Mockingjay: 3/5