The Hunger Game series

For awhile I was pretty sure that I was the only person left on the planet that had not read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and the two sequels Catching Fire and Mockingjay.  People would assume that I had read them when it came up in conversation and look at me like I had just said that I don't really like to breath when answering that I had not read them.  I have had them for awhile and when I was looking for my next read I decided that the time at come.

I do have to say that I enjoyed the series.  I liked the first one and read through it really quickly.  I liked the third one the best and I think my friend said it best when talking about the second one, "You have to have the second one so you can get to the third one."  I actually read them all pretty quickly...I just started on Sunday night and it is now Wednesday night and I have finished all three of them.

I will admit that I was a little irritated as I read the second one and the beginning of the third.  I liked the characters and the complexity of some the relationships however I had a nagging feeling towards the end of the second that I was reading a different version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire which was followed up by my feeling at the start of the third one that I was actually reading Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix. I still liked them, clearly I was driven to find out what happened given how quickly I read through them but I don't think I would end up a crazed fan like some.

I don't want to go into too much of what actually happened because after all, you have probably already read them and I am talking about all three books.  That would just be kind of boring for you.  I am a little sad that there isn't anymore to read.

They are published as "young adult" books and if that is the true audience I could see a lot of potential for rich discussions around this novel.  It would be fascinating to hear a group of students talk about this book.  Some of the actual events are so far fetched that you can speak in hypothetical but on the other hand you could find yourself talking about the book and find out that you have a more difficult time drawing a hard and fast line in the sad.

Overall, I am glad I have read them.  I doubt we will go see the movie in the theater but I will definitely want to see how a director brings this story to life when I don't have to pay for a babysitter.  


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