The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

I'm going to do all three books at once.

Summary:

In book one Primrose Everdeen, Katniss' little sister is chosen as a tribute for the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a competition where two children from each of the twelve districts of Panem go into an arena and fight to the death on live TV for the entertainment of the people in the Capitol. Yeah, it's twisted.

So Katniss volunteers, to protect her little sister. And she goes into the arena with her fellow tribute, Peeta, who has had a lifelong crush on her.

And that's just the beginning, next Katniss must fight again in yet another Hunger Games, and then all out war breaks out, with Katniss as the Hero of a revolution. It's a very exciting read.

What I liked

The suspense and the action. This is one of the most suspenseful and gripping series I have ever read.

Also, the premise is a fantastic commentary on consumerism, war, oppression, and whole lot of other timely topics.


What I didn't like

I'm really sorry, but I have to get this out. While I loved reading these books and I kept reading them because of the suspense, there's a lot I really didn't like. So here I'll summarize what I didn't like:

1. The Love Triangle: Okay, I know Love Triangles sell. But they're stupid and annoying and I hate them. It's just way too much pointless drama. How do Peeta and Gale put up with Katniss anyway? Why don't they get frustrated of her double dealing and ditch her?

2. Katniss Everdeen: Easily the least likable protagonist of all time.

So, what makes Katniss so unlikable? Well, for starters, she's self-centered and self-absorbed. I know angst sells, but it's just not cool. Also, through all three books, she never rises above her dysfunction, but rather wallows in it. You'll notice that none of her major or important decisions are based on well thought out or rational reasons but are just the product of how she feels at the moment--except at the very, very, very, very, VERY end, but I'll get to that. For the most part, Katniss doesn't think, she just feels. And, I know, this is normal for kids these days, but again, it's not cool. She always gets her way, and when it seems like she's not going to get her way, she becomes manipulative and underhanded.

She doesn't change or grow as a character across the three books, except at the end of book three. In every circumstance, she relies on who she is and what she already knows and can do to solve her problems. She rarely--if ever--has to stretch. And when circumstances come up where she can stretch, like when she has to perform on stage, she tries for a little bit until she realizes that she can't do it without learning a new skill and then she opts out.

So she ends up bumbling about and, essentially, she bumbles into becoming the hero of the story.

The only redeeming thing about the way Katniss' character is written comes at the end of book three where, when she becomes completely powerless to change her circumstances, she succumbs to PTSD and there's a touching little part at the very, very end about how she grows through it and sort of heals a little bit. I think that would have made a way more interesting story than all of Katniss' dysfunction in books two and three.

3. I found some things about the plot frustrating. For example, sometimes plot points just don't follow one another. That makes the story unpredictable and full of surprises, but not in a good way. I know that's the way things happen in real life, but it's annoying when it happens in fiction.

4. I also have a few reservations about the ending. All along, the story goes, Katniss is on a mission. She's determined and nothing is going to stop her and then WHAM! everything changes. The pace changes, the direction of the plot changes, everything changes. It's super jarring. It ends up being okay and working really well, but at first it's really annoying.

Conclusion:

I can't wait until the movie comes out!!! 3/5 stupid angsty teenagers.