Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This is the first book in Suzanne Collins "Hunger Games" series, but not,
however, the first of her books I have read. Besides the crime of reading the
series out of order, I also saw the movie first, due to the popularity of the books and the long wait list at the library. So reading the book clarified a few questions for me, namely, how to spell Katniss and Peeta! It also explained the comments made by others when the movie came out a few weeks ago that the actress who played Katniss was too fat. I thought the comments were just typical of Hollywood body weight expectations, but now I see from Collins descriptions that Katniss should have been a1most skeletal due to the deprivation in her home district in Panem.

I thoroughly enjoy Collins narrative style, which reads like Young Adult fiction. I
enjoyed reading about Katniss' typical teen struggle of shifting loyalties and new found understanding. She struggles between which young man to love, Gale or Peeta. She is also working through a difficult relationship with her mother after the tragic death of her father, but in time comes to understand that while her mother is fallible, she also has great gifts. The most difficult struggle for her is actually her loyalty to her country, which is shown by her disobedience of the- hunting laws, her willingness to deal on the black market, and finally, her actions during the Hunger Games.

I find the story even more engaging than I found the movie, as the book goes into more depth regarding all her new experiences in the Capitol, including the food, which sounds delicious, ·as well as her privations at home and her life and death struggle during the Hunger Games. I enjoy meeting the other participants from the other Districts, as well as getting a better look into Katniss' thought processes while she goes through her various struggles. The writing adds a richness and
complexity which is ignored or lost in the movie.

I enjoy reading about how the female protagonist endures and triumphs over each challenge. I enjoyed meeting her mother and sister in more depth, but wondered why the origin story of the Mockingjay pin was altered for the movie version. I miss the character of Katniss' friend Madge in the movie, and also liked how Peeta's father was kind to her in the book, due to his love and respect for
her parents, but now miss him in the movie.

In summary, I am very pleased with both of the Collins books I have read, and look forward to having my questions answered in the 3^rd book, "Mockingjay" which I hope to pick up from the library this week. 

 Submitted by Gerti