Sunday, August 1, 2010

Recently Finished (and Recommended)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins


I remember when this book came out. In hardcover. Two years ago. It's still in hardcover, even though the paperback is finally here. Normally in the book world, that just doesn't happen. Typically it's 6 months to a year, then it comes out in paperback. But when a book is good--as in, selling well--the publishers wait longer. Harry Potter. 13 Reasons Why. I decided I really needed to read this book when 1.) I realized it was still in hardcover, 2.) such a fuss was being made over the final book coming out, and 3.) even my managers were discussing it with excitement. So? Let's just say when I started on this book, at 1:30 am I had to force myself to stop and was 2/3 through it. If the book weren't broken up into 3 parts and I hadn't hit that third break, I might not have.


People killing each other Gladiator style is not new. Even teens being forced to kill each other is not new (Battle Royale by Koushun Takami). But Collins takes it to a different level. The whole reason behind the Hunger Games is scary and intriguing. The world she paints is a post-apocalyptic one done up in creepy Big Brother style with fake freedom and amazing advances. What's more, Collins is a good writer. You can see everything without a ton of description being shoved in your face. This is the story of Katniss, a girl who is pitted against 23 other kids, and only one can be left standing. It's about survival, politics, unrequited love, strategy, and more survival. Looks like I'll be reading the second one, Catching Fire, very soon. I hope the Capitol falls in the future...



Notes from the playlist: "Lyin' Eyes" by the Eagles

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