The Hunger Games
This just makes me laugh:
I finished The Hunger Games tonight. I LOVED it. You can bet I'll be picking up the next two tomorrow (though I so don't need to be spending any money on books. *shame face*)
My thoughts. NO SPOILERS
This book was really good. What a lame opening statement for a review but it was. I'm not sure what makes it qualify for "young adult". Perhaps because the writing style is simplistic in nature or because the protagonist is 16 years old. But the subject matter is not young adult. It's a very mature story. Not in a sexual way. I'm not sure I'd recommend this to anyone under 14. I'm sure there are younger kids who are smart enough to handle the material but most kids less than 14 wouldn't really be able to comprehend the perspective I think. And it is fairly violent.
I think what made me love the book was the way in which Suzanne Collins wrote it. I described to someone tonight that she didn't waste any words. There were no overly-long descriptions or flowery details. Everything that was said was very much needed and moved the story forward. In that way, the writing made the connection to the main character, Katniss, so very much stronger. She herself wastes nothing. Katniss doesn't carry any tools or food or weapons she doesn't absolutely need to. She is a very to-the-point character who doesn't have room or time in her life for wastefulness. The fact that Collins' writing style so wonderfully reflects her protagonist's personality made for such a strong story. Good thing since it's written in first person. The story just moves along at a quick pace.
I was surprised by the amount of heart and emotion there was in the story too. Relationships developed where I had expected none and sub-themes really came into play. Honestly, it sort of sneaks up on you because the main theme is such an engrossing one. The layers are subtle, but they are there.
This book is sure to have you thinking about for quite awhile after you finish it. And I would be surprised if anyone reads it and doesn't pick up the next two installments immediately.
I finished The Hunger Games tonight. I LOVED it. You can bet I'll be picking up the next two tomorrow (though I so don't need to be spending any money on books. *shame face*)
My thoughts. NO SPOILERS
This book was really good. What a lame opening statement for a review but it was. I'm not sure what makes it qualify for "young adult". Perhaps because the writing style is simplistic in nature or because the protagonist is 16 years old. But the subject matter is not young adult. It's a very mature story. Not in a sexual way. I'm not sure I'd recommend this to anyone under 14. I'm sure there are younger kids who are smart enough to handle the material but most kids less than 14 wouldn't really be able to comprehend the perspective I think. And it is fairly violent.
I think what made me love the book was the way in which Suzanne Collins wrote it. I described to someone tonight that she didn't waste any words. There were no overly-long descriptions or flowery details. Everything that was said was very much needed and moved the story forward. In that way, the writing made the connection to the main character, Katniss, so very much stronger. She herself wastes nothing. Katniss doesn't carry any tools or food or weapons she doesn't absolutely need to. She is a very to-the-point character who doesn't have room or time in her life for wastefulness. The fact that Collins' writing style so wonderfully reflects her protagonist's personality made for such a strong story. Good thing since it's written in first person. The story just moves along at a quick pace.
I was surprised by the amount of heart and emotion there was in the story too. Relationships developed where I had expected none and sub-themes really came into play. Honestly, it sort of sneaks up on you because the main theme is such an engrossing one. The layers are subtle, but they are there.
This book is sure to have you thinking about for quite awhile after you finish it. And I would be surprised if anyone reads it and doesn't pick up the next two installments immediately.