So, Hunger Games

[owlmoose]

I read "The Hunger Games" a few months ago. My feelings about the book were mixed, but I was curious enough to keep reading; however, the fact that the other books in the trilogy were only available in hardback gave me pause. Then I gave in, ordered them from Powell's, and inhaled them over a couple of days, while we were visiting T's mom.

My feelings continue to be mixed, and I want a little more time to digest and read what other people have to say about them, but I also want to get my initial thoughts down first -- if I don't, I tend to forget, and get my own impressions mixed up with what other people have said. It should go without saying that this post will be filled with spoilers for all three books.

First off, I can certainly see why these books were so wildly popular. Every single one was an action-packed page turner. I wanted to know what happened next, I was engaged with the world, the story, the characters. I particularly loved Cinna, and Finnick, and Johanna in her prickly way. My feelings about the central trio -- Katniss, Gale, and Peeta -- are more complicated, but ultimately I did like how authentic Katniss and her mass of conflicted emotions felt. When she had her breakdown in Mockingjay about Peeta's incarceration, and she only wanted comfort from Haymitch because he was the only one there who cared about Peeta as much as she did, and he understood, well, that almost wrecked me. Haymitch... I can't say I like him, exactly, but he's certainly a fascinating character, and I have to wonder how much of what happened was his plan from the beginning.

I also thought there were some interesting things in here about image versus reality, about using the media to exert control, about what happens when the revolution is, in fact, televised. Collins is primarily a television writer, and it shows, both in her tackling of these themes and the fact that her writing is very visual, cinematic. I do think that this series has the potential to make some really excellent movies; in fact, depending on how the adaptation goes, I might like them better than the books. I'm looking forward to the first movie, anyway.

As for the Bad, well. That's going to be a much longer list. Not because I think the books are bad; like I said, I had mixed feelings. But it's a lot easier to pull out the things that bothered me.

• The use of present tense. I don't mind present tense in short stories, or used briefly for effect -- I've done both of those things myself. But for a novel-length story, it always bothers me. I feel like it gets in the way of the writing; I notice it, in a way I ought not to notice writing mechanics while reading.


• The love triangle. Good god the love triangle. One of the most annoying "but how will I choooooooose?" stories I have ever read, both because of its pervasiveness through the story, especially the second two books, and also because I was unconvinced that either Peeta or Gale was the best choice for Katniss. Especially since she is seventeen. Why are we so hung up on this idea that first love has to be true love forever? Plus there's the whole "there can be only one!" problem. And then, in the end, Collins sets it up that there is no real choice for Katniss to make (there's no way she can be with Gale when a part of her blames him, rightly or wrongly, for Prim's death), which leads into my next point.


• Katniss has no agency. None. Whatsoever. She is a pawn of others from beginning to end, used by the Capitol, used by Haymitch, used by Snow, used by Coin, used by Plutarch, used by Peeta and Gale. The only true, free choice she makes is her decision to take Prim's place as tribute. Even when it appears that she is making a bold decision -- the poison berries, the assassination of Coin -- she's been manipulated into that place by forces beyond her control. I think this is a purposeful choice made by Collins; it's even mentioned on the jacket copy for Mockingjay. So it actually bothers me less than it would if it seemed to be accidental on the authors part. But still, troublesome that a girl that I suspect is going to be held up as an example of a "strong female character" for generations to come is... kind of really not. And she really should have had more of an inkling about what was going on -- I figured out the implications of the mockingjay on Plutarch's watch immediately, for example, and it didn't seem realistic that she would be so dense about things.


• While we're on the topic of Katniss being manipulated, can we talk about how fundamentally creepy it is that Haymitch, an older man and supposed mentor figure, manipulated Katniss, an innocent teenager, into showing affection for Peeta on national television with rewards of food and medicine? Because really, that's pretty creepy if you think about it.

I don't know this, because I haven't sought out reviews and commentary yet (although I will), but I suspect that the anger and agony over the ending had to do with Prim's death. Considering that this book is full of dead children (and that didn't bother me quite as much; Panem is a brutal society and I appreciate that Collins didn't shy away from the ramifications of that), I wasn't too bothered by that, although of course it made me sad. I do wish Prim had been developed better before the last book -- it felt a little bit like we were getting to know her just in time for her to be killed. If the wailing was about Katniss ending up with Peeta instead of Gale, I have much less sympathy for it.

Overall, I'm glad I read them, if only because now I know what all the fuss is about. They were entertaining, despite their problems, and I'm looking forward to the first movie for sure.

Comments

[lassarina]

*dives right into this*

FINNICK. GOD. WHY. FINNICK. *sobs*

Okay, with that out of the way: I agree with you that Haymitch's manipulation of Katniss is definitely very creepy, but I think it's creepy in a way that fits into the brutality of Panem society. Which isn't say that it's excusable--it isn't--but it totally makes sense that Haymitch would take that side route.

puella_nerdii (I think) was the one who mentioned that the love triangle is less of a love triangle per se and more of a metaphor for the types of revolution; Gale and Peeta almost aren't people so much as they are Katniss's options for effecting change. She is the Mockingjay, the symbol they hold up for people to rally around, yes. That's totally true. But in the end, I thought that her decision to execute Coin, and not Snow, was ultimately a stand-in for the choice between Gale and Peeta.

I need to re-read these books; it's been a year. My memory is terrible.

One more thing though: holy shit do I love the PTSD fuck-you in the epilogue, where Katniss's children don't even have names.

[owlmoose]

In chatting with other folks, they raised the same point re Haymitch, that the manipulations are supposed to be creepy. On reflection, I agree with that, but I don't think the writing was quite strong enough to rise to that meta level. If it had been handled with more subtlety, it would have worked for me better. Same thing with the love triangle as metaphor -- I can see how it could be read that way, but I don't see the story itself really rising beyond the literal.

I agree there were some interesting things with the PTSD, totally makes sense with all she went through. But on the other hand in some places I felt like Collins was using it as a short-cut: skipping Katniss's trial, some of the battles that would have been interesting to show. I wish there'd been a better balance there.

[mako_lies]

I just finished the trilogy myself and haven't really sorted through a lot of my feelings yet, but I agree with a lot of what you said here. (And, oh, Finnick and Cinna and Johanna were by far my favorites *g*)

I really agree with you that Katniss seemed... well, real. Confused, conflicted, a whole mess of emotions. The fact she had no agency worked really well for me, was part of her story for me (a little disappointing, I'll admit, but certainly a sharp reality for Panem).

GOD THE HAYMITCH THING WAS CREEPY. SO CREEPY. I couldn't start liking him until the third book after that had pretty well stopped. At the same time, though, given the situation, it kind of makes sense? Even if it freaks me out a little and could have been addressed better.

The effect of media in this story, I think, was one of my favorite parts, really addressed the power it has over us all in an almost terrifying sort of way.

Honestly, the only thing I don't really have strong opinions about with this series (whether good or bad) was probably the love triangle. I never found myself rooting for anyone or particularly hating the concepts when they popped up. I think what really bothered me about it most was that nearly everyone was pushing her to choose, in one way or another. Gale's comment of "she'll choose the one she can't survive without" was especially spiteful, I think. I think her confusion and anger was very real about the whole thing, but other than that... *shrugs*

Although, the idea of the love triangle as meta is interesting, xD I'll have to give that some thought.

[tarysande]

Instead of reblogging on tumblr, I'll reply here. I USE ALL THE PLATFORMS. I actually agree with you across the board here. I have a lot of feelings about the books, but they aren't all OMGILOVETHEM!!!11!! I had a HUGE problem that our POV character was taken out of most of the main action toward the end.

I believe Collins started out in screenwriting, so I do think the books are going to make great movies, and I think in a lot of ways her background comes through with the writing. They're very visual.

And what I like about them is that they really do seem to open a door for really interesting conversation. If you take, say, the Twilight books? The conversation tends to be a lot less interesting. No one's making cases for Edward and Jacob being metaphors ;) But I think your remarks on Katniss' lack of agency are, unfortunately, right on the money. In a depressing way.

[owlmoose]

Hooray for multiple platforms! :)

Yeah, I have heard that about Collins as well, and it makes a lot of sense. The books are so cinematic, and I bet it influenced her choice to use present tense. I gather she's also writing the movies. Usually I prefer to see a fresh writer's take on an adaptation, but I think it's the right choice here (since it's almost not an adaptation).

If you take, say, the Twilight books? The conversation tends to be a lot less interesting. No one's making cases for Edward and Jacob being metaphors

Heh, yes, totally. These aren't the deepest books ever, but there is enough meat to provoke some thought. Which also bodes well for the movies, I think.

[tarysande]

You know, now that you mention it, I'm almost certain the present tense is a carry-over from screenwriting. It's kind of interesting, because scripts use it to convey constant action, and yet there are times in The Hunger Games when the omg constant action feel doesn't actually work all that well, because we're so deep in Katniss' head. Of course when we're watching the films, we won't be getting that inside-the-head POV. I am SO curious to see how the films turn out.