I've come to that stage in my life, where I'd rather spend time with books rather than with people
This past month I read all three of the Hunger Games books. I've watched the Hunger Games films before I read the books, (okay I know, I know) now that I've read the books I can say that the films are pretty accruete to the books. Suzanne Collins wrapped up the series the best way possible. It might not be happy. It might not be a crowd-pleaser. A bittersweet ending she left us with was perfect for the world in the book.
I LOVE THESE BOOKS!!!
I could not put them down.
During the book(s):
At the end:
I enjoyed the books very much, I love how it was written. Like reading someones posts from livejournal, a story someone is telling me. I was upset at a particular character's death, but I understand. Like I accept Fred Weasleys's death in Harry Potter. It had to happen. People die in wars. I understand the (sort of) insta-love element. Peeta loved Katniss unconditionally from the start. It makes his fate all the more jarring, and sadder.
That being said, I wish we knew more about Peeta. Peeta's character is very entangled with Katniss's. I want to know more about him as an individual. His family. How he fell in love with her in the first place. Why does he feel unneeded?
I'm tired of people saying Katniss settled for Peeta. No she didn't. It's clearly there, her love for him. Even Gale knows how she feels and says as much when they're in District 12 to film propo. Gale tells her he knows she kissed him because he (Gale) was in pain. Then Gale and Peeta talk about who Katniss is going to pick. They agree she's going to pick the one she can't survive without. We can debate day and night over who that person is, but based on Katniss's words and actions thourhout this series it is clear to me Peetais the one she can't survive without. Sure, she would have continued to live if Peeta had never returned to her in District 12, but she'd have been a shadow of herself. With Peeta, because he understood her struggles and was able to be there for her and support her, she was able to recover a part of who she was before and then some. They needed each other. Same reason Haymitch needed Katniss and Peeta in his life. Same reason all the victors seemed to gravitate toward one another. They understood what others could not.
Also, Gale did think up the trap that ended up killing Prim....so there's that.
Katniss is the ultimate survivor. And support, peace, understanding and trust are the founding blocks of any partnership. It's not all about the spark that kindles the fire, you know. It's about what makes it possible for you to keep going. Peeta knows what it's like to be used and broken, while Gale never did.
“What I need to survive is not Gales fire, kindled with rage and hatred. I have plenty of fire myself. What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again.”
Another sad - and realistic - thing that I love in this book is that there are no happy endings.....because nothing ends. Katniss survives, but it comes at a price. She remains haunted by the past, even twenty years later. She never completely recovers, and neather does Peeta. She also worries for the future of her children.
"I'll tell them how I survive it. I'll tell them that on bad mornings, it feels impossible to take pleasure in things because I'm afraid it could be taken away. That's when I make a list in my head of every act of goodness I've seen someone do. It's like a game. Repetitive. Even a little tedious after more than twenty years. But there are much worse games to play.
Yes, if you can tell I am team Everlark. I also enjoyed the parallel Collins wove with Katniss's mother suffering from depression before The Hunger Games and Katniss here. It adds a nice touch.
