The Hunger Games, Book One - My Thoughts and Feelings
So here’s my second Hunger Games post, this one focusing on what actually happens in the story. They’ll of course be spoilers, but if you haven’t read the books yet, PLEASE DO, NOW! They are amazing and I’ve written a long review of the books here, which is spoiler free.
Ok, then, so after finishing Mockingjay Sunday night, I have a lot of thoughts and feelings and ideas and I thought I’d try and get them all down in a proper post. I’ll try not to gush too much about why I love them here, that’s in the other post, but man, I can’t honestly remember another book series that has moved me and gripped and, quite frankly, taken over my life as much as this has. And I’ve read a LOT of Young Adult fantasy books over the years!
I was hooked from chapter 2 of book one, completely and utterly addicted. Now, I’m a slow reader, and deliberately like to take my time and make myself wait with books like this, but reading approximately 15,000 pages worth of story in just 2 weeks is quite unusual for me. I read the first book in a week (granted I had a few evenings I was unable to read and a busy weekend away from home) the second book in 4 days (darn having to go to work in the day!) and Mockingjay in two days (thank goodness for the weekend!). And now, well, I’m left with lots of thoughts and feelings which I just need to get out and express! So forgive any incoherent thoughts - these books are just too amazingly epic to make it possible to discuss without fangirling!!
I did start out planning to do one big post with all my thoughts on the three books, but it turns out I have a LOT of thoughts, and I mean A LOT! So, rather than just write one realllllllllllly long post, I thought I’d split them into books and then an overall post of the main themes. I honestly couldn’t tell you which book I preferred. I loved them all and thought they were actually quite different and had their own identity to them. I did get more and more addicted the more I read, but I think that’s because I just got more and more involved with the story and the characters (and the romance!) the more the books went on. I guess if I had to choose, I’d say the first book, because it’s not as heartbreaking as the others and is more self contained as a story. I also just really loved seeing the beginnings of the epic ship, Katniss and Peeta! Whilst I wouldn’t say the latter two books got bogged or anything, they are obviously dealing with more major, far reaching issues and so do make for a more serious and heavier read.
Anyway, then, here’s my thoughts and ideas on book one of the Hunger Games!
Book One - The Hunger Games
One of the things that I loved most about book one, was how much it gripped you right from the start. It’s not very often I’m hooked so quick, and I wouldn’t really like to say what did it here, but I was hooked, completely! Maybe it was because we suddenly stepped into the life of Katniss Everdeen on such an important day of her life. Maybe it was because I already knew her fate - to join the Hunger Games - and I was already rooting for her. I also think the first person, present tense narrative worked so very, very well, but I won’t go too much into that (that’s all in my other post). Straight away we see she’s strong, resourceful, a survivor, but also loving, kind hearted and what she did for her sister is amazing! So much love there to take her sisters place - basically meaning a fight to the death!
We see in just a few pages that she’s trapped by not only her district, but by the burden of looking after her family. We get a glimpse into her friendship with Gale, who he is and what he means to her, what sort of place she lives in and just how unfair it all is - the Capitol, the Districts and the Hunger Games. (Like to add in here what a powerful idea the tessare was to show the rich/poor divide) It’s concise, the introduction, but oh so very effective and straight away you get such a wonderful sense of this new, futuristic world and the characters within it!
I think the bit that really got me hooked though, was the bread story. I was not expecting anything like that and it was just so moving and straight away I became a fervent Katniss/Peeta shipper - but more about that later! But on a non shippy point, it shows so well the despair Katniss faced, how lost she was when her father died, how weak and helpless she was. It also shows just what a big heart she has, how determined she was to look after her family and how resourceful she was in being able to change her life around. This little peek into the despair/hopelessness Katniss can feel at times does come back much more strongly in future books, so I love the little glimpse of it here - and how it shows there’s so much more to her than this cool as a cucumber, pragmatic young lady.
I thought her saying goodbye to her family and Gale was really moving and her argument with her mother was very telling. I also really loved the little touch of Peeta’s father coming to see her and giving her the cookies. He seemed like such a lovely character, so like an older version of Peeta, and it was just such a wonderful moment - showing so much more about Katniss and her family and how others see them in such a simple way. It also pulls the connection between Katniss and Peeta that little bit tighter.
Then I love how, just like Katniss, we don’t even get a chance to breathe! Before we know it, we’re whisked away on that train to the Capitol, where Katniss will fight to her death! And I really enjoyed all the preparation for the Games - how we were given all these wonderful new characters, each so real and three dimensional - especially Haymitch, so much more to him than that drunk on the stage! I really liked it when Peeta lost his temper with Haymitch and broke that glass - so much more to him! And how, seeing both Katniss and Peeta and what they were capable of, made him actually decide to try! Then, we see a whole different Haymitch. (On a side note, love how similar Haymitch and Katniss are in a way, how they understand what the other is plotting! Yet at the same time seem to be in total contempt of each other - theirs is a fun sort of friendship!)
I loved her surprise and her subsequent close relationship with Cinna. I loved how they showed the greyness of the Capitol people - not depicting them all as heartless, but showing there’re two sides to everything. The training was interesting, the pre game “games” fascinating, with all the tactics, trying to hide your skills from the other trainers, get sponsors, get attention and outshine the other tributes. And I LOVED it when Katniss shot her arrow into that apple!! It’s amazing really, just how interesting all the preparation for the games were. You’d think it would be boring, but it was the opposite. I ADORED all the little Katniss/Peeta bits sneaking through, their getting to know each other under the circumstances was adorable! Loved how close they grew so quickly, how much Katniss had to try hard not to like him too much - and her having such good reasons to justify it! But again, I’ll talk more about them later!!
Then of course, came the next thing that had me hooked. (It’s like a slippery slope - each new thing and you’re one step closer to a full blown obsession!) Peeta’s confession at the interviews! Granted I loved Katniss’ interview, but gosh, Peeta’s! He really did blow everything out of the water. And, when you look back, that was the moment that kick started everything - if it wasn’t for that, there would be no star crossed lovers from District 12, no fervent Capitol Katniss/Peeta shippers convincing the Gamemakers to change the rules and no Katniss and Peeta teaming up and hence no berries! (On a side note here, I do think it’s interesting, that really it’s Peeta who started it all, with his confession of love for Katniss here, him protecting her in the games and defying the rules and winning people over).
I mean, it was quite obvious that Peeta fancied Katniss, even though we were looking through Katniss’ clueless eyes (yet one more amazing skill of the writer - that you see the other characters so well, even when Katniss herself doesn’t). And to be honest, I was hoping/suspecting he’d say something. But to admit it to everyone like that took guts, but what’s more, is the reason why he did it! Not just so Katniss would know how he felt (and I’m sure he’d’ve realised she may not trust it), but because he knew the protection it would give her, give him to help her. That it would get the sponsors jumping over themselves and all of Panem rooting for them - the star crossed lovers of district 12! I have to say, I had to stop and just SQUEEEEEE at that bit! So brilliant!
I loved Katniss’ reaction too - so defensive! I really do think the Lady doth protest too much. And yet, in Katniss’ good old reliable, pragmatic and justify everything way, she finds a reason for it, other than the obvious, and forgets her little hot headed reaction. Interesting though, that she thought it would make her look weak… (Yep, more on that later too!). Her later reaction, after the very interesting and thought provoking (and shipper tastic!) conversation on the roof with Peeta, is again to go defenceless. In a non shipper viewpoint, I really liked how much it showed off who Katniss and Peeta really were. That it was actually more Peeta, the cute adorable (floppy haired!) guy who was determined to leave his mark, to stay true to who he was. Peeta has this absolutely wonderful habit of surprising you so often, just when you think you have him figured out. He has so many wonderful layers, as this conversation really shows. And Katniss, the one you would think would be the rebel, is actually the compliant one, more focused on her own survival (and subsequently her family’s) than creating any sort of commotion or trouble for the Games. This idea is really telling as we move through the books, as she starts to change her mind on how rebellious she should/could be and how much it ended up costing her, when it was never really her aim.
Then of course, we’re there, the Hunger Games has begun! Have to say felt such a shiver down my spine at that announcement. (Seriously, considering how little description there is, and how everything is just from Katniss’ point of view, it sure feels so vivid and the emotions so palpable.) The shipper in me did love the last look between Katniss and Peeta (and I’m so glad that even then he was protecting her, not wanting her to get caught in the blood bath.) And really, the writer doesn’t make it easy on you, straight away you’re thrown into the true horror of the games, with that District 9 boy getting killed right in front of Katniss. And gosh, the games themselves!
As brutal as they were (and I do love how the writer wasn’t afraid to just make it so violent and realistic) they were my favourite part of the book. I guess as a fan of Young Adult fantasy, this is really my cup of tea - epic battles, strategy games, fighting to survive. I guess in a way, almost like that Capitol audience, we are glued to these kids fighting each other to the death! It’s interesting, because it’s still very clear that it is wrong, we know it’s a horrific thing, (and obviously NOT real, just a story!), but there’s this morbid curiosity isn’t there? Something the writer definitely knows how to play on, especially when she ends every chapter in such a cliffhanger! (I like my cliffhangers, I really do, but they’re not very good when you really should be going to bed as you have work tomorrow (ok, fine, later that day!) and the boss will notice if you start falling asleep…).
But yeah, I loved the Games part, seeing Katniss struggle through all those obstacles. I had wondered how they could keep it going for so long, make the Games stay exciting, but the writer sure did manage that! Not only did we get to see Katniss being so resourceful and clever, but each obstacle was so different, it made it really interesting. Just like Katniss, you didn’t have a clue what was going to happen next! I loved her plan to drop the tracker jacker nest, her very clever idea of destroying the food supplies. I loved how she was just so strong, so capable and how she just kept on going, never giving up (well, only just on a few, rare occasions!). I also loved trying to second guess what was going to happen, what Peeta was up to with the Careers (that surprised me almost as much as it did Katniss!). And I found Katniss’ yo-yoing of emotions when it came to Peeta then was very, very interesting! Even then, he still had such a strong effect on her… But more on that in future posts!
And I loved how all this was interspersed with her relationship with Rue - that was just so heartbreaking! I was like so happy when they teamed up and Katniss wasn’t alone any more. And Rue was always so sweet - her presence right from the start always pulled at my heartstrings, because you just knew she would have to die, and just how appalling and cruel that is! But then manner of her death! My gosh! That was just horrific and really shows just how brutal these Hunger Games are!
But when Katniss sang the song and gathered the flowers… GAH! Just amazing! It’s one of my favourite moments where we see just what a big heart Katniss has, how dedicated she is to helping others and doing what’s right. And when District 11 sent that bread as a thank you - GAH GAH! GAH GAH!!!! I had so many feelings at that point! It was just so poignant, that among all that pain and suffering, the District acknowledged Katniss’ actions and wanted to thank her. That the two “enemy” districts had a wonderful moment of solidarity and shared grief. And just an extra thing here, on hindsight, it really just shows what effect Katniss CAN have! She never really meant to start a rebellion, but by following her heart, her principles and her intelligence, and by simply doing what was right, a rebellion did start.
And then just when we’re still reeling from that, the even more addicting moment comes. Granted not as moving in a poignant/humanity banding together way, but from a shipper perspective, SQUEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep, I literally started clapping at this bit!
I just loved it, it was so unexpected, when it was announced TWO people, from the same district, could win! I had been wondering for ages how they’d pull it off, have both Katniss and Peeta survive, and had played out a good few scenarios in my head! I never expected this though and it was brilliant! Especially Katniss’ response to it - unconsciously screaming his name out loud like that! GAH!!!!!!!!!!!! Soooooo many feelings!!!!
Then, from that moment on, I’d say the Games changed completely. Katniss being able to work together with Peeta, having a companion, was brilliant and made the latter part so interesting. I loved how she justified helping Peeta (yeah right, Katniss!!) and how she nursed him back to health and how they were finally able to just be friends - neither thinking at the back of their minds about killing each other! It was so wonderful just to see them interacting and I really shipped them SOOOOOO hard here! Peeta remembering the details about the first day he’d met Katniss - and falling for her then - was just so adorably wonderful cute, and he was so wonderfully unashamed about the whole thing too! I really liked how well he seemed to get Katniss, even then, and how well they worked together. The “romance” side of them here is wonderful too! I won’t go too much into detail about Peeta/Katniss here, but I did think it was very clever. It was a wonderful parallel - the Capitol audience loving a good romance so them playing up to it is just, pretty much, what us readers love too! I loved how it sort of forced them together - made Katniss start to consider relationships and everything, something she’s never done before. It was a great starting point and VERY entertaining to read!
One of my favourite bits in the cave scene, is when Katniss is talking about the goat and she immediately justifies giving it to Prim. I love how Peeta calls her out on this, this need/immediate reaction of hers to justify everything. That it can’t possibly be just because she wanted to see her sister happy. It’s shown so well in the District 11 bread bit too, in her need to think of everything in debts and payments. She saw the bread from District 11 as a payback, so they wouldn’t be in her debt, when I really think it was meant as a thank you, a recognition. And in her reaction at the beginning, to the cookies from Peeta’s father. It’s like Katniss is obsessed with debts, especially her continually growing debt to Peeta for all he has done for. It’s like she cannot just accept (like she does in the hob too) that people just sometimes help each other out, care for each other, that there isn’t always an ulterior motive but kindness and compassion. It’s really interesting that she thinks like this, seemingly so heartless, when she is always so giving and so warm hearted herself - as her treatment of Rue completely proves. And this flaw of being unable to accept kindness/emotions/feelings, is both one of her greatest strengths and greatest weaknesses. I really do wonder how she’d’ve turned out had her father lived, because so much seems to stem from her shutting herself away and only letting herself focus on keeping her family alive or the practicalities of the situation she’s in. This is one the things I always found most fascinating about Katniss, and one of the big reasons I think the books can get across as much as they do.
Anyway, their time in the cave is one of my favourite parts of the book, but I also loved it when Katniss drugged Peeta so she could get his medicine. Peeta’s determination that she shouldn’t risk her life, and Katniss’ determination that she couldn’t let Peeta die, shows so wonderfully how much they care for each other. As much as Katniss justifies it, there is definitely a lot more going on there! But more on Katniss/Peeta later!!
The ending of the Games was quite a surprise, I have to admit. Those mutts, with the eyes of the tributes, was chilling and shows just horrific and brutal these games really are - and that the Capitol has no line it refuses to go over. I loved the little exchange on the Cornicopia between Katniss, Peeta and Cato. It not only showed well how protective Katniss is of Peeta, but that he’s pretty clever and resourceful himself! Loved how he found his way out of that one! But then, the long, slow, painful death of Cato was horrific! Absolutely brutal, but yet again showing just how far the Capitol is prepared to go!
When they then announced there could be only one winner, I can’t say I was too surprised - we did need some sort of standoff between Katniss and Peeta after all! Just like Katniss had always feared, we needed this moment to happen! It shows so well how much they mean to each other now - how they are so unwilling to let the other die, even though one of them has too. Katniss’ little trick with the berries is very, very clever and I definitely didn’t see that one coming!
And I know this is the moment which officially kick started the rebellion, but I actually did always think that Katniss did it because of Peeta. Yes, she wanted to outsmart the Gamemakers, but only because that was the only chance they had to both survive. And it was a pretty big risk too - they could have actually died together then, rather than being saved. The fact that the berries actually touched their mouths shows they were completely committed to this trick. I really don’t think Katniss would have risked her life then, just for challenging the Gamemakers (not considering how un-rebellious Katniss is at this stage, especially compared to Peeta). So whilst it becomes a big question in the book, I definitely think the berry trick was simply to try and save them both. Which means, yet again, Katniss is risking her own life for Peeta’s!
After the games, well, let’s just say I absolutely adored Katniss’ crazy moment when Peeta was taken away. More than anything this not only shows how stressed Katniss has been the whole games, with the relief of them finally being over getting to her, but just how important Peeta is to her. I mean, she was going crazy at the thought that something bad was happening to him and the way her emotions and feelings just totally override her usual pragmatic self shows how deep her feelings for Peeta are - how much he means to her. I won’t go too much into that yet though!
It also shows that beneath Katniss very practical, down to earth personality, she is a very emotional and deep feeling person, very capable of extremes of emotion and that there’s a lot more to her than just this pragmatic person we’ve seen through the book. It’s almost like her pragmatism is more of a mask than anything else, a survival strategy she’s learnt to develop over the years. And that maybe, after all those years of just completely not acknowledging any of her feelings/emotions and all that stress she’s been under looking after her family from such a young age, is starting to reach breaking point. All this, I think, is very important in the later books, when she gets more and more unstable.
The ending of the book is a mixture of shippy happiness and sadness for me. I loved how they had to keep on playing the romance in the end, how it kept them both together and close. Especially how it means it’s harder for Katniss to just ignore considering her feelings for Peeta and her thoughts on romance and relationships in general. I also loved the idea that all of Panem was rooting for the star crossed lovers of District 12 - so much so they even changed the rules! And Katniss’ reaction on first seeing Peeta after was wonderful, almost knocking him over in her enthusiasm. And her reaction to hearing about his leg is also very telling. I really liked the video they played at the end, how much it focused on the love story and how it was clear from the very start Peeta was acting in whatever way he could to save Katniss. And it also showed up some very telling reactions from Katniss too, about her feelings for him.
Of course, the “pretend” nature of their romance is ringed with problems too, problems that make a ship like this so much more deliciously angsty and interesting! The problem of knowing how much is real and fake, how much is true feelings or the stress of the games, how much is real emotion or playing to the crowd. Given we’re dealing with Katniss here, it’s no wonder she uses the excuse of the “pretence” to justify it all. I think that’s a big reason why I love her more spontaneous reactions, like calling out his name at the rule change and going ballistic when he was taken away from her after the games. The real/not real slant is also an interesting theme that seems to consume much of their relationship in later books, and a lot of the other themes of the books as well.
I knew they couldn’t have them get together yet, so I wasn’t surprised it ended on a sad note for them. I knew that the question of how much was pretend and how much real would be a big factor and of course a great way to keep us readers gripped and the love story flowing. I do love how they handled it though - Katniss actually admitting that some of it was pretend, some real, that she missed him already, after just one night, and Peeta being more bothered about how much was left rather than how much was actually real. It also makes a lot of sense that the closer they got to home, the more complicated it all became and the further apart they grew. The relationship and closeness they shared, whilst still very much there, was almost a part of the Games themselves, and they were leaving that behind in the Capitol to return to their old lives.
It’s interesting that, because of course after something like the Hunger Games you can never fully return, you are irrevocably changed and there is no going back. It’s almost like Katniss doesn’t quite know who she is any more, but she seems to want to still cling to the past anyway, the way she changes so soon into her type of clothes and prepares for home. It’s a great way to leave the book, with all these sort of questions just bubbling at the surface, as to who she is now, how she will adjust, what will happen... And of course, the obvious rumblings of a rebellion…
And of course, the shipper in me loves how sad she is that the boy with the bread is slipping away…
Ok, that’s it! Can’t believe I wrote so much! I think it’s a good idea I did decide to do a book at a time! One last point though, I think it’s very interesting how this book was laid out in into its three parts. Because the shipper in me couldn’t help put notice that each part ends on a major Peeta/Katniss relationship cliffhanger!!
Anyway, would love to hear your thoughts, though I’m trying to keep this post book one specific, and not too Katniss/Peeta orientated, because I have a lot to say about them, which I’ll do in later posts!
Now time to start my gushing thought provoking analysis of book 2, Catching Fire!
Ok, then, so after finishing Mockingjay Sunday night, I have a lot of thoughts and feelings and ideas and I thought I’d try and get them all down in a proper post. I’ll try not to gush too much about why I love them here, that’s in the other post, but man, I can’t honestly remember another book series that has moved me and gripped and, quite frankly, taken over my life as much as this has. And I’ve read a LOT of Young Adult fantasy books over the years!
I was hooked from chapter 2 of book one, completely and utterly addicted. Now, I’m a slow reader, and deliberately like to take my time and make myself wait with books like this, but reading approximately 15,000 pages worth of story in just 2 weeks is quite unusual for me. I read the first book in a week (granted I had a few evenings I was unable to read and a busy weekend away from home) the second book in 4 days (darn having to go to work in the day!) and Mockingjay in two days (thank goodness for the weekend!). And now, well, I’m left with lots of thoughts and feelings which I just need to get out and express! So forgive any incoherent thoughts - these books are just too amazingly epic to make it possible to discuss without fangirling!!
I did start out planning to do one big post with all my thoughts on the three books, but it turns out I have a LOT of thoughts, and I mean A LOT! So, rather than just write one realllllllllllly long post, I thought I’d split them into books and then an overall post of the main themes. I honestly couldn’t tell you which book I preferred. I loved them all and thought they were actually quite different and had their own identity to them. I did get more and more addicted the more I read, but I think that’s because I just got more and more involved with the story and the characters (and the romance!) the more the books went on. I guess if I had to choose, I’d say the first book, because it’s not as heartbreaking as the others and is more self contained as a story. I also just really loved seeing the beginnings of the epic ship, Katniss and Peeta! Whilst I wouldn’t say the latter two books got bogged or anything, they are obviously dealing with more major, far reaching issues and so do make for a more serious and heavier read.
Anyway, then, here’s my thoughts and ideas on book one of the Hunger Games!
Book One - The Hunger Games
One of the things that I loved most about book one, was how much it gripped you right from the start. It’s not very often I’m hooked so quick, and I wouldn’t really like to say what did it here, but I was hooked, completely! Maybe it was because we suddenly stepped into the life of Katniss Everdeen on such an important day of her life. Maybe it was because I already knew her fate - to join the Hunger Games - and I was already rooting for her. I also think the first person, present tense narrative worked so very, very well, but I won’t go too much into that (that’s all in my other post). Straight away we see she’s strong, resourceful, a survivor, but also loving, kind hearted and what she did for her sister is amazing! So much love there to take her sisters place - basically meaning a fight to the death!
We see in just a few pages that she’s trapped by not only her district, but by the burden of looking after her family. We get a glimpse into her friendship with Gale, who he is and what he means to her, what sort of place she lives in and just how unfair it all is - the Capitol, the Districts and the Hunger Games. (Like to add in here what a powerful idea the tessare was to show the rich/poor divide) It’s concise, the introduction, but oh so very effective and straight away you get such a wonderful sense of this new, futuristic world and the characters within it!
I think the bit that really got me hooked though, was the bread story. I was not expecting anything like that and it was just so moving and straight away I became a fervent Katniss/Peeta shipper - but more about that later! But on a non shippy point, it shows so well the despair Katniss faced, how lost she was when her father died, how weak and helpless she was. It also shows just what a big heart she has, how determined she was to look after her family and how resourceful she was in being able to change her life around. This little peek into the despair/hopelessness Katniss can feel at times does come back much more strongly in future books, so I love the little glimpse of it here - and how it shows there’s so much more to her than this cool as a cucumber, pragmatic young lady.
I thought her saying goodbye to her family and Gale was really moving and her argument with her mother was very telling. I also really loved the little touch of Peeta’s father coming to see her and giving her the cookies. He seemed like such a lovely character, so like an older version of Peeta, and it was just such a wonderful moment - showing so much more about Katniss and her family and how others see them in such a simple way. It also pulls the connection between Katniss and Peeta that little bit tighter.
Then I love how, just like Katniss, we don’t even get a chance to breathe! Before we know it, we’re whisked away on that train to the Capitol, where Katniss will fight to her death! And I really enjoyed all the preparation for the Games - how we were given all these wonderful new characters, each so real and three dimensional - especially Haymitch, so much more to him than that drunk on the stage! I really liked it when Peeta lost his temper with Haymitch and broke that glass - so much more to him! And how, seeing both Katniss and Peeta and what they were capable of, made him actually decide to try! Then, we see a whole different Haymitch. (On a side note, love how similar Haymitch and Katniss are in a way, how they understand what the other is plotting! Yet at the same time seem to be in total contempt of each other - theirs is a fun sort of friendship!)
I loved her surprise and her subsequent close relationship with Cinna. I loved how they showed the greyness of the Capitol people - not depicting them all as heartless, but showing there’re two sides to everything. The training was interesting, the pre game “games” fascinating, with all the tactics, trying to hide your skills from the other trainers, get sponsors, get attention and outshine the other tributes. And I LOVED it when Katniss shot her arrow into that apple!! It’s amazing really, just how interesting all the preparation for the games were. You’d think it would be boring, but it was the opposite. I ADORED all the little Katniss/Peeta bits sneaking through, their getting to know each other under the circumstances was adorable! Loved how close they grew so quickly, how much Katniss had to try hard not to like him too much - and her having such good reasons to justify it! But again, I’ll talk more about them later!!
Then of course, came the next thing that had me hooked. (It’s like a slippery slope - each new thing and you’re one step closer to a full blown obsession!) Peeta’s confession at the interviews! Granted I loved Katniss’ interview, but gosh, Peeta’s! He really did blow everything out of the water. And, when you look back, that was the moment that kick started everything - if it wasn’t for that, there would be no star crossed lovers from District 12, no fervent Capitol Katniss/Peeta shippers convincing the Gamemakers to change the rules and no Katniss and Peeta teaming up and hence no berries! (On a side note here, I do think it’s interesting, that really it’s Peeta who started it all, with his confession of love for Katniss here, him protecting her in the games and defying the rules and winning people over).
I mean, it was quite obvious that Peeta fancied Katniss, even though we were looking through Katniss’ clueless eyes (yet one more amazing skill of the writer - that you see the other characters so well, even when Katniss herself doesn’t). And to be honest, I was hoping/suspecting he’d say something. But to admit it to everyone like that took guts, but what’s more, is the reason why he did it! Not just so Katniss would know how he felt (and I’m sure he’d’ve realised she may not trust it), but because he knew the protection it would give her, give him to help her. That it would get the sponsors jumping over themselves and all of Panem rooting for them - the star crossed lovers of district 12! I have to say, I had to stop and just SQUEEEEEE at that bit! So brilliant!
I loved Katniss’ reaction too - so defensive! I really do think the Lady doth protest too much. And yet, in Katniss’ good old reliable, pragmatic and justify everything way, she finds a reason for it, other than the obvious, and forgets her little hot headed reaction. Interesting though, that she thought it would make her look weak… (Yep, more on that later too!). Her later reaction, after the very interesting and thought provoking (and shipper tastic!) conversation on the roof with Peeta, is again to go defenceless. In a non shipper viewpoint, I really liked how much it showed off who Katniss and Peeta really were. That it was actually more Peeta, the cute adorable (floppy haired!) guy who was determined to leave his mark, to stay true to who he was. Peeta has this absolutely wonderful habit of surprising you so often, just when you think you have him figured out. He has so many wonderful layers, as this conversation really shows. And Katniss, the one you would think would be the rebel, is actually the compliant one, more focused on her own survival (and subsequently her family’s) than creating any sort of commotion or trouble for the Games. This idea is really telling as we move through the books, as she starts to change her mind on how rebellious she should/could be and how much it ended up costing her, when it was never really her aim.
Then of course, we’re there, the Hunger Games has begun! Have to say felt such a shiver down my spine at that announcement. (Seriously, considering how little description there is, and how everything is just from Katniss’ point of view, it sure feels so vivid and the emotions so palpable.) The shipper in me did love the last look between Katniss and Peeta (and I’m so glad that even then he was protecting her, not wanting her to get caught in the blood bath.) And really, the writer doesn’t make it easy on you, straight away you’re thrown into the true horror of the games, with that District 9 boy getting killed right in front of Katniss. And gosh, the games themselves!
As brutal as they were (and I do love how the writer wasn’t afraid to just make it so violent and realistic) they were my favourite part of the book. I guess as a fan of Young Adult fantasy, this is really my cup of tea - epic battles, strategy games, fighting to survive. I guess in a way, almost like that Capitol audience, we are glued to these kids fighting each other to the death! It’s interesting, because it’s still very clear that it is wrong, we know it’s a horrific thing, (and obviously NOT real, just a story!), but there’s this morbid curiosity isn’t there? Something the writer definitely knows how to play on, especially when she ends every chapter in such a cliffhanger! (I like my cliffhangers, I really do, but they’re not very good when you really should be going to bed as you have work tomorrow (ok, fine, later that day!) and the boss will notice if you start falling asleep…).
But yeah, I loved the Games part, seeing Katniss struggle through all those obstacles. I had wondered how they could keep it going for so long, make the Games stay exciting, but the writer sure did manage that! Not only did we get to see Katniss being so resourceful and clever, but each obstacle was so different, it made it really interesting. Just like Katniss, you didn’t have a clue what was going to happen next! I loved her plan to drop the tracker jacker nest, her very clever idea of destroying the food supplies. I loved how she was just so strong, so capable and how she just kept on going, never giving up (well, only just on a few, rare occasions!). I also loved trying to second guess what was going to happen, what Peeta was up to with the Careers (that surprised me almost as much as it did Katniss!). And I found Katniss’ yo-yoing of emotions when it came to Peeta then was very, very interesting! Even then, he still had such a strong effect on her… But more on that in future posts!
And I loved how all this was interspersed with her relationship with Rue - that was just so heartbreaking! I was like so happy when they teamed up and Katniss wasn’t alone any more. And Rue was always so sweet - her presence right from the start always pulled at my heartstrings, because you just knew she would have to die, and just how appalling and cruel that is! But then manner of her death! My gosh! That was just horrific and really shows just how brutal these Hunger Games are!
But when Katniss sang the song and gathered the flowers… GAH! Just amazing! It’s one of my favourite moments where we see just what a big heart Katniss has, how dedicated she is to helping others and doing what’s right. And when District 11 sent that bread as a thank you - GAH GAH! GAH GAH!!!! I had so many feelings at that point! It was just so poignant, that among all that pain and suffering, the District acknowledged Katniss’ actions and wanted to thank her. That the two “enemy” districts had a wonderful moment of solidarity and shared grief. And just an extra thing here, on hindsight, it really just shows what effect Katniss CAN have! She never really meant to start a rebellion, but by following her heart, her principles and her intelligence, and by simply doing what was right, a rebellion did start.
And then just when we’re still reeling from that, the even more addicting moment comes. Granted not as moving in a poignant/humanity banding together way, but from a shipper perspective, SQUEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep, I literally started clapping at this bit!
I just loved it, it was so unexpected, when it was announced TWO people, from the same district, could win! I had been wondering for ages how they’d pull it off, have both Katniss and Peeta survive, and had played out a good few scenarios in my head! I never expected this though and it was brilliant! Especially Katniss’ response to it - unconsciously screaming his name out loud like that! GAH!!!!!!!!!!!! Soooooo many feelings!!!!
Then, from that moment on, I’d say the Games changed completely. Katniss being able to work together with Peeta, having a companion, was brilliant and made the latter part so interesting. I loved how she justified helping Peeta (yeah right, Katniss!!) and how she nursed him back to health and how they were finally able to just be friends - neither thinking at the back of their minds about killing each other! It was so wonderful just to see them interacting and I really shipped them SOOOOOO hard here! Peeta remembering the details about the first day he’d met Katniss - and falling for her then - was just so adorably wonderful cute, and he was so wonderfully unashamed about the whole thing too! I really liked how well he seemed to get Katniss, even then, and how well they worked together. The “romance” side of them here is wonderful too! I won’t go too much into detail about Peeta/Katniss here, but I did think it was very clever. It was a wonderful parallel - the Capitol audience loving a good romance so them playing up to it is just, pretty much, what us readers love too! I loved how it sort of forced them together - made Katniss start to consider relationships and everything, something she’s never done before. It was a great starting point and VERY entertaining to read!
One of my favourite bits in the cave scene, is when Katniss is talking about the goat and she immediately justifies giving it to Prim. I love how Peeta calls her out on this, this need/immediate reaction of hers to justify everything. That it can’t possibly be just because she wanted to see her sister happy. It’s shown so well in the District 11 bread bit too, in her need to think of everything in debts and payments. She saw the bread from District 11 as a payback, so they wouldn’t be in her debt, when I really think it was meant as a thank you, a recognition. And in her reaction at the beginning, to the cookies from Peeta’s father. It’s like Katniss is obsessed with debts, especially her continually growing debt to Peeta for all he has done for. It’s like she cannot just accept (like she does in the hob too) that people just sometimes help each other out, care for each other, that there isn’t always an ulterior motive but kindness and compassion. It’s really interesting that she thinks like this, seemingly so heartless, when she is always so giving and so warm hearted herself - as her treatment of Rue completely proves. And this flaw of being unable to accept kindness/emotions/feelings, is both one of her greatest strengths and greatest weaknesses. I really do wonder how she’d’ve turned out had her father lived, because so much seems to stem from her shutting herself away and only letting herself focus on keeping her family alive or the practicalities of the situation she’s in. This is one the things I always found most fascinating about Katniss, and one of the big reasons I think the books can get across as much as they do.
Anyway, their time in the cave is one of my favourite parts of the book, but I also loved it when Katniss drugged Peeta so she could get his medicine. Peeta’s determination that she shouldn’t risk her life, and Katniss’ determination that she couldn’t let Peeta die, shows so wonderfully how much they care for each other. As much as Katniss justifies it, there is definitely a lot more going on there! But more on Katniss/Peeta later!!
The ending of the Games was quite a surprise, I have to admit. Those mutts, with the eyes of the tributes, was chilling and shows just horrific and brutal these games really are - and that the Capitol has no line it refuses to go over. I loved the little exchange on the Cornicopia between Katniss, Peeta and Cato. It not only showed well how protective Katniss is of Peeta, but that he’s pretty clever and resourceful himself! Loved how he found his way out of that one! But then, the long, slow, painful death of Cato was horrific! Absolutely brutal, but yet again showing just how far the Capitol is prepared to go!
When they then announced there could be only one winner, I can’t say I was too surprised - we did need some sort of standoff between Katniss and Peeta after all! Just like Katniss had always feared, we needed this moment to happen! It shows so well how much they mean to each other now - how they are so unwilling to let the other die, even though one of them has too. Katniss’ little trick with the berries is very, very clever and I definitely didn’t see that one coming!
And I know this is the moment which officially kick started the rebellion, but I actually did always think that Katniss did it because of Peeta. Yes, she wanted to outsmart the Gamemakers, but only because that was the only chance they had to both survive. And it was a pretty big risk too - they could have actually died together then, rather than being saved. The fact that the berries actually touched their mouths shows they were completely committed to this trick. I really don’t think Katniss would have risked her life then, just for challenging the Gamemakers (not considering how un-rebellious Katniss is at this stage, especially compared to Peeta). So whilst it becomes a big question in the book, I definitely think the berry trick was simply to try and save them both. Which means, yet again, Katniss is risking her own life for Peeta’s!
After the games, well, let’s just say I absolutely adored Katniss’ crazy moment when Peeta was taken away. More than anything this not only shows how stressed Katniss has been the whole games, with the relief of them finally being over getting to her, but just how important Peeta is to her. I mean, she was going crazy at the thought that something bad was happening to him and the way her emotions and feelings just totally override her usual pragmatic self shows how deep her feelings for Peeta are - how much he means to her. I won’t go too much into that yet though!
It also shows that beneath Katniss very practical, down to earth personality, she is a very emotional and deep feeling person, very capable of extremes of emotion and that there’s a lot more to her than just this pragmatic person we’ve seen through the book. It’s almost like her pragmatism is more of a mask than anything else, a survival strategy she’s learnt to develop over the years. And that maybe, after all those years of just completely not acknowledging any of her feelings/emotions and all that stress she’s been under looking after her family from such a young age, is starting to reach breaking point. All this, I think, is very important in the later books, when she gets more and more unstable.
The ending of the book is a mixture of shippy happiness and sadness for me. I loved how they had to keep on playing the romance in the end, how it kept them both together and close. Especially how it means it’s harder for Katniss to just ignore considering her feelings for Peeta and her thoughts on romance and relationships in general. I also loved the idea that all of Panem was rooting for the star crossed lovers of District 12 - so much so they even changed the rules! And Katniss’ reaction on first seeing Peeta after was wonderful, almost knocking him over in her enthusiasm. And her reaction to hearing about his leg is also very telling. I really liked the video they played at the end, how much it focused on the love story and how it was clear from the very start Peeta was acting in whatever way he could to save Katniss. And it also showed up some very telling reactions from Katniss too, about her feelings for him.
Of course, the “pretend” nature of their romance is ringed with problems too, problems that make a ship like this so much more deliciously angsty and interesting! The problem of knowing how much is real and fake, how much is true feelings or the stress of the games, how much is real emotion or playing to the crowd. Given we’re dealing with Katniss here, it’s no wonder she uses the excuse of the “pretence” to justify it all. I think that’s a big reason why I love her more spontaneous reactions, like calling out his name at the rule change and going ballistic when he was taken away from her after the games. The real/not real slant is also an interesting theme that seems to consume much of their relationship in later books, and a lot of the other themes of the books as well.
I knew they couldn’t have them get together yet, so I wasn’t surprised it ended on a sad note for them. I knew that the question of how much was pretend and how much real would be a big factor and of course a great way to keep us readers gripped and the love story flowing. I do love how they handled it though - Katniss actually admitting that some of it was pretend, some real, that she missed him already, after just one night, and Peeta being more bothered about how much was left rather than how much was actually real. It also makes a lot of sense that the closer they got to home, the more complicated it all became and the further apart they grew. The relationship and closeness they shared, whilst still very much there, was almost a part of the Games themselves, and they were leaving that behind in the Capitol to return to their old lives.
It’s interesting that, because of course after something like the Hunger Games you can never fully return, you are irrevocably changed and there is no going back. It’s almost like Katniss doesn’t quite know who she is any more, but she seems to want to still cling to the past anyway, the way she changes so soon into her type of clothes and prepares for home. It’s a great way to leave the book, with all these sort of questions just bubbling at the surface, as to who she is now, how she will adjust, what will happen... And of course, the obvious rumblings of a rebellion…
And of course, the shipper in me loves how sad she is that the boy with the bread is slipping away…
Ok, that’s it! Can’t believe I wrote so much! I think it’s a good idea I did decide to do a book at a time! One last point though, I think it’s very interesting how this book was laid out in into its three parts. Because the shipper in me couldn’t help put notice that each part ends on a major Peeta/Katniss relationship cliffhanger!!
Anyway, would love to hear your thoughts, though I’m trying to keep this post book one specific, and not too Katniss/Peeta orientated, because I have a lot to say about them, which I’ll do in later posts!
Now time to start my gushing thought provoking analysis of book 2, Catching Fire!