Hey Dearies!
I figured I would switch it up a bit and review something that was actually really popular when I was in high school. Granted, I never read the book until now, but I did see the movies first, and with another movie coming out, I wanted to read the book before I see it.
Plus, they were selling special editions of the Hunger Games Saga books, and the covers were absolutely beautiful! I figured I would buy them and actually see if they followed the books more or if they left some things out.
Now, I’ve only read the book once, but I have seen The Hunger Games multiple times. So, I’m going to do my best to compare both of them, but this is more going to be a review of the book side, not the movie side.
The book is completely in Katniss’ POV, which I love because her energy is pretty much the same as shown in the movies. She lives in District 12, which is the poorest District to be in. Each District represents an industry that provides for all the others, as well as the Capitol, which is where the rich and famous people live, as well as President Snow.
Here is a List of each District to give you a clearer picture:
- District 1 – Luxury Items made for the Capitol
- District 2 – Stone Mining (Makes weapons and trains Peacekeepers)
- District 3 – Technology, Computers, and Electronics
- District 4 – Fishing and Seafood
- District 5 – Generates Power and Electricity
- District 6 – Transportation and Trains
- District 7 – Lumber and Paper Goods
- District 8 – Textiles and Clothing
- District 9 – Processes Grain
- District 10 – Raises Livestock for Meat
- District 11 – Agriculture, Fruits, and Vegetables
- District 12 – Coal Mining
To keep the peace within the Districts, they select 2 children, one female and one male, from each District to fight to the death in their annual Hunger Games. Every child aged 12-18 will have their name drawn once, but if you are in the poorer Districts, your name might be drawn multiple times if you end up needing food.
Oh, and the whole thing is broadcast for everyone to see. Actually, you are forced to watch it, from what I gathered in the book, no matter who you are. I couldn’t imagine being a mother in that society and having to watch any of my children compete in that arena.
In the book, Katniss talks about the games and that today is the day of the reaping and that this is her little sister Prim’s first time being a part of the reaping, as she is 12. Of course, Katniss tells her that she shouldn’t worry about being picked because her name is only in there once.
However, her name gets picked, and Katniss volunteers as a tribute, protecting her sister from having to endure the Hunger Games. Since she’s in District 12, volunteering only usually happens from the first two Districts. Mind you, the tributes being picked and everything is being broadcast to the Capitol; this is like their Wrestlemania or Super Bowl.
Once Katniss and Peeta, who were chosen, get selected, they have a few minutes to say goodbye, and this is when the movie doesn’t show. Katniss gets visitors from Gale, Prim, and her mother, but she also gets Mage, who gave her the Mockingjay pin, as well as Peeta’s father.
Which I sort of understand why they didn’t include those; I don’t even think you see Peeta’s parents or hear about them at all through most of the other movies, except in the scene where Peeta’s mother yells at him for burning the bread.
Then they are off to the Capitol, where they have Haymitch and Effie. They will do what they can to help get both Katniss and Peeta prepared for what they are about to endure. Also, side note, Haymitch is my favorite character, both in the book and in the movies. He’s also the only living District 12 tribute and now mentor to both Katniss and Peeta.
Anyway, they are at the Training Center for about 2 weeks, and then they are released into a giant dome where the games will happen. So, they get a little taste of what it’s like to be in the Capitol before they are ultimately killed.
Since this is a “TV show” to the people of the Capitol, they have all the tributes interviewed so that they can get to know them. As Haymitch says, “You want to get people to like you.”, which is needed to get sponsors that could help you in the middle of the games.
During the interviews, Peeta also confesses that he’s been in love with Katniss; she doesn’t take it well because she thinks it makes her look weak, but instead Haymitch tells her it makes her more desirable. This is when the beginning of the “Star-Crossed Lovers from District 12” starts to begin.
Throughout the time after the interview and during the games, you can see Katniss warming up to Peeta, but she’s still confused about her feelings throughout the entire book. Which I get and don’t get because of the society they are in; if she were to do something that pissed off the Capitol, everyone around her would be in trouble.
Plus, she also has mixed feelings about Gale; although they are close, she sees him more like a brother than a lover. I’m also not a huge fan of the Gale and Katniss couple. Yes, they are similar, but Peeta understands her a little bit more, in my eyes, just because they both endured a lot of PTSD from the games.
The one thing that got me when Katniss was in the games is that she had Rue (from District 11) as an ally, whom she wanted to protect like her little sister. Unfortunately, she was too late to save her, but stayed with her until she passed so she wasn’t alone.
Overall, the movie followed the book, missed a few things, but was pretty close to other books that didn’t do the book justice; this one did. I really also enjoyed the author’s writing style as well; usually that determines if I’ll read the book or not. I honestly wish I had read it when I was in high school because then it would have made seeing the movie even more exciting.
I will be reading the sequels as well; the only ones I haven’t gotten yet are the two newer books, but I plan on getting them with the special edition covers. I’m also super excited to read and watch the newer movie about Haymitch because he’s just my favorite!
I also must be living under a rock because I wasn’t sure if I could post GIFs!
What did you think about The Hunger Games? Did you end up seeing the movies first before reading the books? Who is your favorite character? Let me know down below!
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