# Who Enjoyed The Hunger Games



## padowd (Jan 14, 2010)

I had read so many great reviews of this series I just had to try it. I have read about 92% of the first book and I am disappointed. To me not alot has happened that I did not expect to happen. I pretty much figured it all out as I was reading it. Maybe it is because it is for younger readers. I have the second book but I am not sure about starting it. Has anyone else felt this way or is it just me.


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## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

I enjoyed The Hunger Games, but couldn't really get into the sequels.


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## Patrick Skelton (Jan 7, 2011)

Agree with Daniel on this one.  Good book, but not the sequels.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I didn't get past the sample of the first book. It just didn't float my boat at the time. I might look at it again some day and see if it was just the mood I was in, but really the general concept did not interest me all that much. Also, some people whose tastes tend to be similar to mine were lukewarm about it at best, so I don't have any driving ambition to give it another go right now.


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## Vivi_Anna (Feb 12, 2011)

I LOVED the Hunger Games and the sequels.

Best series I've read in a long long time.  

But I read a lot of YA because I haven't been able to find any satisfaction in the adult genres of urban fantasy and paranormal, which is most of what I read.

I found these books free of any conventions and I really loved everything about them.


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## Pinworms (Oct 20, 2010)

I read all 3 of them, and didn't enjoy them.  The first one is my "favorite" as in I didn't love it, but it a quick enough read that I read the next one.  I thought they got worse and worse.  The last one is so bad, that I recommend for laughs.  

If you like the concept of the first book, I'd recommend Battle Royale by Koushan Takami.  They both have virtually identical plots, minus the lame love triangle.


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## theraven (Dec 30, 2009)

Now I don't feel as bad as I tried to read Hunger Games and really, really wanted to like it but just couldn't get it into. I've been feeling like something had to be wrong with me as it seems everyone loves this series.


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## Christine Kersey (Feb 13, 2011)

I really enjoyed The Hunger Games, but I read it before it became so popular, so I had no expectations. I think if you've read all kinds of rave reviews, your expectations are going to be high and they won't be met. And it did take me a little while to get into the first one, but once I did, I quite enjoyed it.


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## bordercollielady (Nov 21, 2008)

I enjoyed the first two books..but the third one seemed like  it was written by a different  author.  I was very disappointed.


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2011)

bordercollielady said:


> I enjoyed the first two books..but the third one seemed like it was written by a different author. I was very disappointed.


Same Same.


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## dengar (Dec 27, 2010)

I enjoyed it.  It was different since it was basically 1 story arc throughout the entire book, which made it a very fast read.  I dont know of the next 2 are like it though but I'm definitely going to read them.


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## Ashley Lynn Willis (Jan 27, 2011)

I enjoyed all three.  But I also loved the Twilight series. *Blushing* Well, all but the last in the Twilight series.  That one stunk.  I think I just enjoy YA a lot, and I love it when an author is talented enough to draw me into a world so thoroughly that I cry when a character dies.  Yes, I cried while reading The Hunger Games but not during any of the sequels.  That says a lot because I can count on one hand the number of times I've shed tears while reading.  It probably doesn't help that I have young children and could only imagine what a parent would feel having a child in those games.


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## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

I couldn't get into it at all, after a dozen pages or so I was struggling to find reasons to keep reading.  Didn't like the characters, didn't like the writing style, didn't like the setting.  Although I did read a review of it a little while ago that had the heading "Battle Royale With Cheese" that made me giggle.


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## Pinworms (Oct 20, 2010)

Ben White said:


> Although I did read a review of it a little while ago that had the heading "Battle Royale With Cheese" that made me giggle.


Hahaha! That is pretty funny


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

I loved the first book, mildly enjoyed the second and scratched a bald spot in my scalp-bone trying to figure out just what the hell she was on about in the third book of the series.


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## mscottwriter (Nov 5, 2010)

My 12 yo daughter who hates to read got the book for Christmas and was astonished that any book could be so good.  I was amazed that she would read an entire book on her own.

I personally really enjoyed the book, and couldn't put it down.  But then again, I love dystopian novels and YA fiction.  I'm going to try the other two, but I have heard that they're not as good.

Sometimes things really resonate with certain readers but not with others.  You just never know...


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## maryannaevans (Apr 10, 2010)

I enjoyed the first two books a lot. I haven't read the third one yet.

I like YA fiction, so that's probably a factor in my enjoyment. I really didn't like _Twilight_ and the half of the second book I read before putting it aside. Bella is such an unappealing and whiny character. As a mother, I was upset by the fact that she met a pretty boy in biology class and, before they've even had a real conversation, she's ready to sacrifice her immortal soul to be with him. Is this what we want our daughters reading?

Catniss has her obstinate and unreasonable moments, but they're necessary to the _Hunger Games_' books plots, and they're appropriate for a teenaged girl in a terrible situation. Her devotion to both the young men who love her is based on shared history and mutual respect. She is capable of self-sacrifice for the people she loves. _That_ is what I want my daughters reading.


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## Jrose (Oct 29, 2010)

My mother read all three and loved them so much that she highly recommended them to me.  I've downloaded the first one (Hunger Games) to be read sometime in the future.


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## caseyf6 (Mar 28, 2010)

I loved the first one, thought the second one was okay, and it did feel like the third was written by someone else entirely.


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## mscottwriter (Nov 5, 2010)

> I really didn't like Twilight and the half of the second book I read before putting it aside. Bella is such an unappealing and whiny character.


Hee, hee

My daughters and I felt the very same way. Personally, we're for team Jacob 

I thought Katniss was an excellent role model because, based on the situation she found herself in, she had to be tough. It was either that or die. And unlike Bella, she wasn't so self absorbed. Even when she was fighting for her life, she reached out to other people. I think her culture made her suspicious and determined.


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## maryannaevans (Apr 10, 2010)

mscott9985 said:


> Hee, hee
> 
> My daughters and I felt the very same way. Personally, we're for team Jacob
> 
> I thought Katniss was an excellent role model because, based on the situation she found herself in, she had to be tough. It was either that or die. And unlike Bella, she wasn't so self absorbed. Even when she was fighting for her life, she reached out to other people. I think her culture made her suspicious and determined.


Exactly.

And yes, Team Jacob. Absolutely.


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## David Wisehart (Mar 2, 2010)

I just finished it. Great read. Great pace. Good characters and action.

Much better book than I expected.

Haven't tried the sequels yet. My friends are lukewarm on the other books. I may hold off and clear some other titles from my TBR pile first.

David


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## sarahdalton (Mar 15, 2011)

I love the Hunger Games but I think it's because I love Katniss. The story is compelling but not particularly original, whereas Katniss is complex and feisty.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I didn't expect to like the Hunger Games as much as I did.  Sort of read it to see what the fuss was about and devoured it.  Same with the second one.  I kinda thought the third one was a hot mess....  I would read another book by the author though...

Betsy


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## Guest (Mar 23, 2011)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I didn't expect to like the Hunger Games as much as I did. Sort of read it to see what the fuss was about and devoured it. Same with the second one. I kinda thought the third one was a hot mess.... I would read another book by the author though...
> 
> Betsy


cool! Glad you had fun with it!


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## naomi_jay (Feb 1, 2011)

I devoured The Hunger Games, and enjoyed the rest of the trilogy, but books two and three didn't thrill me the same way as the first.

Is anyone else worried about the film adaptation? I know we all have different images of the characters in our heads, but the girl they've cast as Katniss just doesn't look even close to how I imagine her.


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## lstrange (May 21, 2010)

I haven't read it yet, but want to.

My son read it for class, and he said it was good.


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## stampingpaperdoll (Oct 4, 2009)

Loved the Hunger Games-had to read it to see what all the fuss was about.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I thought that Katniss and Peeta are two characters from a book that I probably won't forget.  I liked the second one, and am in the middle of the third one.  I thought they were very entertaining, and as I ride the bus to work, it made my commute time go really fast-I wanted to keep reading.


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## Aaron Pogue (Feb 18, 2011)

I'm not a big fan of YA literature, so I only read it for a class assignment.

It's a good novel, for what it is. Reminds me of a Heinlein-style concept with a much snappier, up-to-date story structure. (I did really hate the first-person present-tense narration, but apparently that's a popular YA gimmick.)

In the end, I liked the story. I liked it a lot. But I had no interest in reading the sequels. I felt like the author had done an amazing job creating a setting and situation I found fascinating, but I had absolutely no faith she could carry it on and wrap it up in a way I'd find satisfying. I preferred to write the sequels in my own imagination (metaphorically speaking).


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## Guest (Mar 23, 2011)

naomi_jay said:


> Is anyone else worried about the film adaptation? I know we all have different images of the characters in our heads, but the girl they've cast as Katniss just doesn't look even close to how I imagine her.


I didn't realize they'd cast someone, and I just went to go look. Is it Jennifer Lawrence? I don't know who that is, which is fine, but I agree that she doesn't look at all like I'd imagined her (even if we dyed her hair and all that). Because of how much I loved the book, I was already worried about the movie, and I knew a lot of it would depend on who they cast as Katniss. I guess we'll see what she's got.


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## Jamie Case (Feb 15, 2011)

naomi_jay said:


> I devoured The Hunger Games, and enjoyed the rest of the trilogy, but books two and three didn't thrill me the same way as the first.
> 
> Is anyone else worried about the film adaptation? I know we all have different images of the characters in our heads, but the girl they've cast as Katniss just doesn't look even close to how I imagine her.


The director said they didn't cast on looks, but on Suzanne Collin's specifications for the character. The role Jennifer Lawrence played in Winter's Bone is very similar thematically to the Katniss role.

I'm not usually a fan of authors dictating movie adaptations, but hey it worked for J.K. Rowling.


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## Ray Rhamey author (Jan 6, 2011)

In terms of age, I'm verrrrry far from being a Young Adult reader, the intended audience. Nonetheless, I devoured the trilogy. I read the first book during a week, and then consumed volumes two and three on one Saturday. While I started reading as "research" because I'm thinking about writing a novel for the YA audience, and one of my current books could cross over to that audience, I soon left research behind and just enjoyed the story and the characters. Recommended.


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## naomi_jay (Feb 1, 2011)

I've never seen Jennifer Lawrence in anything, but I hear she's very talented, so I guess I'll reserve judgement. (Like it's anything to do with me...)


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## Jamie Case (Feb 15, 2011)

naomi_jay said:


> I've never seen Jennifer Lawrence in anything, but I hear she's very talented, so I guess I'll reserve judgement. (Like it's anything to do with me...)


Just as long as Willow Smith doesn't get cast as Rue.

(Like that's got anything to do with me either...)


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## DanG (Mar 10, 2011)

My take on the _Hunger Games _ trilogy:

The pacing is fantastic. The stylistic use of grammar is perfect to keep the pace up and speaks to the education level of Katniss.

The dialogue is rarely forced.

Katniss' distance and obstinence is perfect for a young girl in a very tough situation - she really defines "District 12" in how she acts and speaks. Peeta too.

I didn't buy into Gale the way we were intended to, but his silent strength wasn't a flaw in the book. All-in-all the characters, pacing, style, and majority of the story was superb.


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## naomi_jay (Feb 1, 2011)

> Just as long as Willow Smith doesn't get cast as Rue.


I think my tiny mind would break. The more I think about this film, the more worried I get. I might just re-read the book and pretend the film isn't happening!


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## Aaron Pogue (Feb 18, 2011)

I've been worried about the movie ever since I heard it was happening -- not about casting or anything, but about characterization.

The thing is, 80% of the book is Katniss's internalization. She's constantly thinking about who she is, and what values she holds, and figuring out exactly what she needs to do outwardly to win the game while still maintaining her integrity.

I don't care how good an actress Jennifer Lawrence is (or anyone else), it's going to be impossible to _show_ all that internalization without a constant voiceover (which would be its own little evil). So the options are to portray her as the vicious, conniving, murderous character on the outside that won the game...or change her actions to show the nice girl she is on the inside (and cripple much of the strength that made her character so special).

The setting demands a movie, but I don't know that Katniss (the strongest thing about the book) can even be portrayed on film.


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## Cuechick (Oct 28, 2008)

Well here is what the author had to say about the casting of academy award nominee, Jennifer Lawrence...



> Dear Readers,
> Dear Readers,
> We have found Katniss.
> As the author, I went into the casting process with a certain degree of trepidation. Believing your heroine can make the leap from the relative safety of the page to the flesh and bones reality of the screen is something of a creative act of faith. But after watching dozens of auditions by a group of very fine young actresses, I felt there was only one who truly captured the character I wrote in the book. And I'm thrilled to say that Jennifer Lawrence has accepted the role.
> ...


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## naomi_jay (Feb 1, 2011)

> The thing is, 80% of the book is Katniss's internalization. She's constantly thinking about who she is, and what values she holds, and figuring out exactly what she needs to do outwardly to win the game while still maintaining her integrity


I hadn't thought of that aspect, but you're right. We could end up with a film full of monologues or solilioquys ... or a very fluffed-up, toned-down Katniss.


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## Jamie Case (Feb 15, 2011)

Aaron Pogue said:


> I've been worried about the movie ever since I heard it was happening -- not about casting or anything, but about characterization.
> 
> The thing is, 80% of the book is Katniss's internalization. She's constantly thinking about who she is, and what values she holds, and figuring out exactly what she needs to do outwardly to win the game while still maintaining her integrity.
> 
> ...


I think this is why Suzanne Collins picked Jennifer. There were plenty of other actresses who looked more like Katniss, but Jennifer can convey emotion without words. Some actors/actresses know how to say more with an expression or a look than with twenty lines.

On Katniss...I don't think she's that focused on integrity at the beginning of the games. Her internalizations are all about how she should keep away from Peeta because at some point she might have to kill him, in spite of the bread thing. That integrity and not losing yourself thing is something she learns from Peeta


Spoiler



(which is why I knew since the first book that she would end up with Peeta)


. At first she thinks it's an odd way to see things, but eventually she understands.


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## RVS78 (Mar 13, 2011)

Reading it now, in the middle of book 1. First YA book I've read since I was a young adult. Enjoying it so far. Someone told me the premise of it and thought I'd give it a try. It sounded a lot like Battle Royale (novel, movie, manga) which I liked very much. I'm a sucker for dystopian tales.


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## sbaum4853 (May 3, 2010)

I liked it. Liked Catching Fire the best of the three. Hated Mockingjay. 

I remember feeling like The Hunger Games was better than average and worth continuing. Then I gave it to my wife and she thought it was incredible. So did all her friends.


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## dixiehellcat (Jan 23, 2011)

Not a huge YA fan, but INHALED all 3 books. Loved em. Hope the movies are a fraction as good. And I wish with all my heart they would cast Hugh Laurie as Haymitch.


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## Jamie Case (Feb 15, 2011)

dixiehellcat said:


> Not a huge YA fan, but INHALED all 3 books. Loved em. Hope the movies are a fraction as good. And I wish with all my heart they would cast Hugh Laurie as Haymitch.


Haymitch is a little on the chunkier side no? Hugh Laurie would have to pack on a few. He would be amazing though. I also like David Arquette for the role. He's the right age and he's got that "silly/sloppy on the surface but can get really dark" thing going on.


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## Alexandra Sokoloff (Sep 21, 2009)

Loved the first Hunger Games - it was the first book I've read in a long time that made me green with envy that someone had come up with the idea.  Brilliant - it virtually defines high concept, and beautifully executed.  I didn't warm to the second book and haven't read the third, but I'm not much of a series reader, anyway.

I can see that people might have been turned off by the hype,  though.


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## Jamie Case (Feb 15, 2011)

I figured I'd resurrect this thread now that there are a bunch of casting updates. I got these pics from the Hunger Games thread over on GR. The pictures of the three leads are photoshopped.









Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss. This pic makes me think of the publicity shots Coin had Katniss do in Book 3. I can definitely see Jennifer as Katniss.









No. Just....no.









It's probably just the sad photoshop job, but he looks like a cast member from Wolverine:The Musical.









Willow Shields as Prim. Her eyebrows and her name are giving me a Blue Lagoon flashback, but I can see her as Prim.









Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket. I'm expecting some Hollywood wizardry to make her look a little more matronly.









Amandla Stenberg and Dayo Okeniyi as Rue and Thresh. I think they hit the jackpot with Rue. Just picturing this girl in the arena makes me sad.









Levin Rambin (also known as Mark's daughter on Grey's) and Jack Quaid as Glimmer and Marvel.

Thoughts?


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2011)

I always thought I'd be a good casting director. The only one of those picks I actually approve of is Elizabeth Banks. She was on 30 Rock for a while, right? The main characters...this makes me think the movie's going to be another casting train wreck a la The Golden Compass.


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## caseyf6 (Mar 28, 2010)

I hope to God they don't give Gale that kind of foreward-bangs garbage.  

Rue made my eyes sting; hope they use her.


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## kCopeseeley (Mar 15, 2011)

OMG, whoever it was that didn't like the first person perspective... I AM SO ON BOARD!!!  I read a LOT of YA fiction and that is my biggest annoyance right now.  Soooo tired of it.  Waaaaay overdone.  I purposely wrote Compis in third person because of that.

I digress.  I loved HG and devoured all three books in like a day because I could. not. stop. reading.  That being said, I think they would have been much stronger as a series if she'd cut out a LOT of the second book and combined the rest into just two books.  I won't say which part I would cut, but for those who have read it, I'll just say the plot device she uses got a bit repetitive for my taste.


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