The Hunger Games

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  • Coyla
    Coyla Posts: 444 Member
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    this book is written in first person.. its annoying to read first person.. no idea why people think this is a great work of literature...

    Don't get hung up on things like this. It's the story that's important.

    I'm a bit of a literary snob, since I mostly read classics. I tend to shy away from most contemporary authors, because they're too simplistic, childish, and immoral. But it's strange that most Young Adult fiction tends to hold more depth than Adult Fiction.

    I was nervous about reading The Hunger Games, afraid I would hate the book, but I loved it. I'm reading the second book right now. They are not the best books I've ever read (Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead win that trophy), but they are good enough to get me excited to pull out my Kindle every spare minute I have.

    Team Peeta! :glasses:
  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,761 Member
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    this book is written in first person.. its annoying to read first person.. no idea why people think this is a great work of literature...

    Don't get hung up on things like this. It's the story that's important.

    I'm a bit of a literary snob, since I mostly read classics. I tend to shy away from most contemporary authors, because they're too simplistic, childish, and immoral. But it's strange that most Young Adult fiction tends to hold more depth than Adult Fiction.

    I was nervous about reading The Hunger Games, afraid I would hate the book, but I loved it. I'm reading the second book right now. They are not the best books I've ever read (Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead win that trophy), but they are good enough to get me excited to pull out my Kindle every spare minute I have.

    Team Peeta! :glasses:

    The only problem is the story isn't even all that good...and yes I know it's not about kids killing kids.

    I DO agree that Young Adult books tend to have a better read lately. I think the reason is that in adult fiction, there are ALOT of un-necessary detail that rather than leave to the imagination they write out. While Young Adult is more straight to the point. I'm not shy about saying I enjoy Young Adult fiction from time to time.

    I will say Enders Game was JUST de-throned as my favorite book by Ready Player One by Earnie Cline. 80s Nostalgia at it's FINEST. I'm an 80's nostalgia geek so finding all the references was fun.

    Speaker for the Dead, yet another awesome book....so we agree on a couple books LOL.
  • craziedazie
    craziedazie Posts: 185 Member
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    My first reaction was the same as yours. I am currently studying to be a teacher and some of my classmates (who are already teachers) talked about having their 8th/9th graders read it. I was completely thrown off by the thought of children reading about children killing children, but they had a lot of reasons why they wanted the kids to read this series. I haven't read the books and I still don't know if I want to. Definitely won't be seeing the movie.

    Goind kind of off subject here - I guess to me it comes down to teaching kids about what could be and what was. Its like not teaching kids about the holocaust (not saying this happens) or the wars or history...so it doesn't repeat itself. These books put issues that could arise and in some ways have already into a context for kids to understand and relate to. And for adults too.

    Those were the exact reasons my classmates gave for having their students read the books. I totally understand. (I wasn't bashing the series by the way, just probably won't read them myself unless my son has to read them in a few years - then I will read them with him)
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I'm a bit of a literary snob, since I mostly read classics. I tend to shy away from most contemporary authors, because they're too simplistic, childish, and immoral.

    But the classics are so moral? I guess if you stick to Jane Austen ...
  • LexieSweetheart
    LexieSweetheart Posts: 793 Member
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    I really want to see this movie
  • ActiveGuy81
    ActiveGuy81 Posts: 705 Member
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    1328770747609_8526924.png

    HAHA awesome! I think I would have done ok in the hunger games, I have nunchuk skills & bo staff skills.
  • Johnnyswife
    Johnnyswife Posts: 1,447 Member
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    You youngsters may never have heard of this short story, but from the way you are enjoying The Hunger Games, I thought you might like to read this:

    http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/lotry.html
    My husband was just talking about this last night!! I bookmarked it for him to read later. Wow. Weird story. lol
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    You youngsters may never have heard of this short story, but from the way you are enjoying The Hunger Games, I thought you might like to read this:

    http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/lotry.html
    My husband was just talking about this last night!! I bookmarked it for him to read later. Wow. Weird story. lol

    It's actually pretty well-known. There was even a Lifetime movie based on it and NPR reruns a show every once in a while where they read the whole thing and talk about the controversy.

    Whatever the Hunger Games author says (if she's said anything at all about it), there's no doubt in my mind she's familiar with this story.
  • Johnnyswife
    Johnnyswife Posts: 1,447 Member
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    You youngsters may never have heard of this short story, but from the way you are enjoying The Hunger Games, I thought you might like to read this:

    http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/lotry.html
    My husband was just talking about this last night!! I bookmarked it for him to read later. Wow. Weird story. lol

    It's actually pretty well-known. There was even a Lifetime movie based on it and NPR reruns a show every once in a while where they read the whole thing and talk about the controversy.

    Whatever the Hunger Games author says (if she's said anything at all about it), there's no doubt in my mind she's familiar with this story.
    Until he talked about it last night,i'd never heard of this story. I'm sure the author had some sort of inspiration for her stories. I like that hers have all the details it does.
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
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    I've raised four to become well adjusted and happy teens and young adults. They each keep telling me it's an awesome book & series (except for end of last book). So I'll go with that and either read or see the movie or both. I'm curious.
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    I won tickets to see it tonight and I am excited! I read the first book.
  • woodsk67
    woodsk67 Posts: 88
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    Just started in and hooked! Great book
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    You youngsters may never have heard of this short story, but from the way you are enjoying The Hunger Games, I thought you might like to read this:

    http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/lotry.html
    My husband was just talking about this last night!! I bookmarked it for him to read later. Wow. Weird story. lol

    It's actually pretty well-known. There was even a Lifetime movie based on it and NPR reruns a show every once in a while where they read the whole thing and talk about the controversy.

    Whatever the Hunger Games author says (if she's said anything at all about it), there's no doubt in my mind she's familiar with this story.
    Until he talked about it last night,i'd never heard of this story. I'm sure the author had some sort of inspiration for her stories. I like that hers have all the details it does.

    I finally started reading this and got through chapter 6 last night, and honestly, I'm bored to tears and horrified all at once. I don't think I'm going to finish it.

    It doesn't help that she writes in present-tense. I never cared for that style.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    If this is too much for some of you, I worry how desensitised to violence I must be. Ian Irvine's 'Well of Echoes' series has to be the grimmest series I've ever read - The Hunger Games by comparison is a fairy tale. Won't be going to see the film though as I'd have to go alone at the moment and that's no fun :)
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    If this is too much for some of you, I worry how desensitised to violence I must be. Ian Irvine's 'Well of Echoes' series has to be the grimmest series I've ever read - The Hunger Games by comparison is a fairy tale. Won't be going to see the film though as I'd have to go alone at the moment and that's no fun :)

    It's not the violence itself that bothers me as much as the victimization and hopelessness of it all. The violence in Harry Potter didn't bother me at all because of the whole good vs. evil thing. I even managed to grit my teeth through Inglourious Basterds. But The Book Thief gave me terrible nightmares for an entire week.
  • shine_
    shine_ Posts: 150 Member
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    Never read the books, but looking forward to the movie. Looks interesting.

    But one of my favorite movies is Battle Royale. /shrug

    I was just going to say that it sounds like Battle Royale (but maybe more kids friendly?). I haven't read the books but I might go see the film.
  • deeharley
    deeharley Posts: 1,208 Member
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    I was discussing Hunger Games with my 15 year old yesterday, and I said, "I'm just not sure about the whole kids killing kids concept." He responded, "Oh, but Mary Poppins taking two kids on an acid trip is okay?" Since we rarely go to movies in the theater, we'll probably read the books while we wait for the DVDs.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    Perhaps I am a prude... But I can't not imagine how this movie (book) is so popular when it's based on kids killing kids. It makes me sick every time I see the preview. My best friend insists it's AMAZING and I need to see it with her when it comes out... but no way. Unless all the kid's revolt against the Capitol or something and they all live happily ever after, I'm OK without seeing it :ohwell:

    Am I the only one that finds it all so odd? Then again, I threw up after Lord of the Rings *LOL* So... there's your perspective :)

    yeah cause there's no way the parents in the book could possibly agree with you and the kids would not want to kill each other... jeebus crispies people - you are all so friggin ready to hate stuff you havent experienced.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Perhaps I am a prude... But I can't not imagine how this movie (book) is so popular when it's based on kids killing kids. It makes me sick every time I see the preview. My best friend insists it's AMAZING and I need to see it with her when it comes out... but no way. Unless all the kid's revolt against the Capitol or something and they all live happily ever after, I'm OK without seeing it :ohwell:

    Am I the only one that finds it all so odd? Then again, I threw up after Lord of the Rings *LOL* So... there's your perspective :)

    yeah cause there's no way the parents in the book could possibly agree with you and the kids would not want to kill each other... jeebus crispies people - you are all so friggin ready to hate stuff you havent experienced.

    Where did she say she hates it? She said the idea of the plot is stomach-turning. I feel the same way. And I still feel the same way now that I've started reading it. I'm not saying it's morally wrong (the book, not the kids killing kids thing) or that no one should read it. But not every book/movie/song/whatever is for everyone.

    Hard as it is to believe, there are people who are turned off by the plot and others who have read (or tried to read) the books and didn't like them.
  • jessdb19
    jessdb19 Posts: 31
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    If it were adults vs adults (running man) would you feel the same way?

    It's hard to really be upset over a fictional story about non-existant characters doing something that isn't real.

    Its no more heart wrenching or disturbing than Watership Down about rabbits that murder each other in a land battle over equal rights, or The Last Unicorn-about a man who is enslaving an entire race because they keep him feeling young...

    Because it has children in it (again, none of this actually happens) it makes it hard to stomach?

    It's not the first (Lord of The Flies) or last book that's going to be about children that turn on each other for the benefit of survival...

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