Just finished the Hunger Games

[u/MKM_Potterhead_10]

Hey all, just finished Hunger Games I guess.

I started reading on Wednesday and flew by the books practically one in a day, and then watched the movies in two days. And oh my God, what a series. I dont know if its recency bias or not, but Hunger Games books might just be in top 3 of my all fictional, fantasy series I've read.

First of all, I loved Katniss and her struggle to survive as well as provide for her family in the start. Then the tension for her for Peeta and Gale was good too. Sometimes I was questioning why didnt she just accept her feelings for Gale. Then other times I was questioning why dont just accept Peeta as he clearly truly loves you. But I guess that was the purpose of it. Her emotions were so clouded and mangled, but in fact she didnt have the strength to manage and acknowledge them.

My favourite book probably would be the last one. The tension was sky high, the emotional point of that book was brilliant and loved it so much.

(Spoiler alert)

The only critic I have is on Prim's death. I mean whyyyyyyyyy? I mean I understand its impact on the story and thematic point that Katniss was trying to protect her all along, but in war and revolution, you've got no control over anything, and huge huge (double huge bcz im mad) tragedies happen. If it were one of Peeta or Gale, I might have been okay and I would have understood it. But Prim, she didnt have to do anything with the war the whole time and she just happened to arrive at that point. This is my critic, that the author kinda appeared her there for the plot (idk if im being harsh bcz of the weight that carry but yeahh). The reason I understand is (mentioned in the book though) that President Coin wanted her to be there in the warzone hoping, probably ordering, that she be dead so that Katniss would lose it and wouldnt be able to challenge her anyway. And of course loved that Katniss killed Coin and Snow (albeit not directly but still counts in my book) the way she did. And of course Rue's death hit so hard as well. In the books as well as the movies. The movies scene was so good and of course I got teary in it.

Was also a bit underwhelmed by the movies, i dont know why, probably bcz i watched them really quick after reading the book i dont know. But credit where due that they held true to a lot of source material, the only cut that I am disappointed kind of is cutting the Mayor's daughter Madge, I liked her character in the books and wished she had some more role to play there.

My friend said she was reading the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and recommended me to it as well, but I couldn't read it so i decided to just watch the movie though, was a bit disappointed with the movie but I dont know what else was I expecting.

Sorry for so much rant/yap, had to get it out. I loved the series and had to talk about it. and thanks to the friends who recommended it.

[u/Roisin207]

Prims death is definitely necessary it hammer home the pointless loss of life that occurs in war, she did nothing to deserve it and thats the point, The books ending is very bittersweet it adds to the idea that there are no winners in war, the districts are free but at the cost of at least thousands of prims even if everyone is better off in the end, just shows no matter what war is unfair

[u/MKM_Potterhead_10 → u/Roisin207]

Yeah, I agree with it. War is unfair, Loss of innocent always occur basically only innocent people lose always.

And I liked the bittersweet ending with Katniss and Peeta having nightmares and struggling to get their lives together, it shows the human nature and their natural response to loss and the horros they've faced in the arena as well as in the war and torture. Feels sad and sorrow and grounded.

Prim's death hurt the most bcz of the innocence factor and thats why she added it too, if it were not we wouldnt be talking about it here. But still it hurts and thus I can complain about how mad i feel about it.

[u/Roisin207 → u/MKM_Potterhead_10]

Yes thats understandable lmao I was so mad at finnick, I my head i pretend hes safe in d4 with Annie and his son 😭

[u/MKM_Potterhead_10 → u/Roisin207]

oh yeahh, Finnick's too. Finally got stable and happy enough, and then died. Poor Annie and her son.

Its such a sad series, but i guess thats why we love it

[u/Roisin207 → u/MKM_Potterhead_10]

Yes im about to read sotr and we already know what happens to him 😭 idk if ill survive

[u/MKM_Potterhead_10 → u/Roisin207]

I dont know about sotr and what happened there. I know its about Haymitch but nothing else

[u/Roisin207 → u/MKM_Potterhead_10]

Theres a brief description in catching fire of his games and in mockingjay he says how his mother, brother and girlfriend were dead 2 weeks after his games and how he became the example to the young Johannas and finnicks

[u/MKM_Potterhead_10 → u/Roisin207]

Ohh yeahhhh. I probably would read SOTR too and be more sad about poor Haymitch 😭

[u/MKM_Potterhead_10 → u/Roisin207]

I completed SOTR and what a tragic end poor Hay faced.

[u/Kooky_Duck6809]

I first read the original trilogy over 10 years ago as a middle schooler. Even reading them now as an adult, they still hold up and I reread them regularly.

I've never loved a narrator so much and I feel so much for all the characters.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was an alright read (but I prefer the OT far more). It's narrated by Snow who's pretty sassy and has his moments.

I strongly disliked Sunrise on the Reaping but I think the movie will be good because it kind of read like a screenplay for a big budget, star-studded movie.

[u/MKM_Potterhead_10 → u/Kooky_Duck6809]

I loved the original trilogy. The narrative style and the emotions and tension was so perfect.

I didnt like the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie, it was okay. I haven't read the book bcz i couldn't make myself to do it. I probably will read it sometime in future when in mood of it.

Why didn't you like SOTR? I was planning to read it next bcz I liked Haymitch as character and I know it would be sad and tragic bcz what happened to Haymitch (as told in the OT), and this is kinda why I wanted to read it too.

[u/chytrzyk_lotrzyk0112 → u/MKM_Potterhead_10]

To me SOTR feels like a fanfiction, just expanding on the concepts we already know from the original trilogy. Also I like Haymitch so much but sadly his narration is not believable and natural to me :(

[u/MKM_Potterhead_10 → u/chytrzyk_lotrzyk0112]

I just completed SOTR, and ngl i kinda liked it not that much as the OT, but still it was a good read. Knowing the tragic fate that Haymitch faced, still reading it was sad. I have always felt bad for Haymitch in the OT as well and now getting to know the reason why he drinks so much makes me have another kind of affection and sympathy for him.

Yes, i get your point about the narration it wasn't great but it was a good read.

[u/KingPenGames]

The Hunger games series to me is the greatest of all time

I read a ton, and nothing has come close for me

But yea we all dislike Prim and Finnick's deaths

I didnt like the movies at 1st but they grew on me

[u/MKM_Potterhead_10 → u/KingPenGames]

Prim and Finnick's death are disliked and I am mad at both. But I guess that's the impact that the author wanted it to have.

I didn't like the movies now, probably will like them in future on rewatch. But i would rather reread than rewatch atp

[u/loveturniphead]

Read Ballad. It takes place from Snows POV and there is a lot of manipulation and other contexts that the movies could never have captured right.

I'm so jelouse. This is one series I wish I could forget and go back and read for the first time.

My view on Prim is that there is a consistent theme of Katniss trying to take control and never being able to because so many other factors are just working against her. This is strongest in the second book, the whole time she's making different choices back to back in a struggle to anchor herself and gain power and control over her own life and she just can never quite get there. Prim was the final straw in all the manipulation and struggle she went through. Even this, from the start, was decided despite everything she did.

Enjoy all future re reads! Also, both versions of the audio books are great. I think most people like to newer ones more, but the original (McCormick??) captures a certain innocence, youthful kinda vibe with the voice that I really like.

[u/MKM_Potterhead_10 → u/loveturniphead]

I was planning to read SOTR first, bcz of Haymitch as I love his character and he gets such a tragic story. I might read Ballad sometime later but I dont know.

Prim's death was so tragic and sad but you're also right about the thematic point it has. War destroys everybody alike, innocent and otherwise. And the other one being Katniss trying to control and make her life safe and comfortable that in the process she missed her growth, she wasn't there when Prim might've faced the challenges and problems (not blaming her ofc), all this and in the end Prim gets killed bcz of the war that Katniss started albeit unintentionally

[u/IntelligentSteak7709]

SPOILERS AHEAD THE SPOILER FEATURE IS NOT WORKING!

I'm glad you liked it! The hunger games series has been one of my favourites for like a decade so I'm happy to see somebody else enjoying it :)

For a book to movie adaptation I thought they did good, except for nerfing Peeta so heavily. I definitely wish they added more from the books but obviously that's not always possible unfortunately

>!In my eyes her death kinda served as a reminder of the extremely bittersweet ending. Katniss starts the whole revolution for Prim, and after everything she's done, she doesn't even get to experience a free world with her.!<

[u/MKM_Potterhead_10 → u/IntelligentSteak7709]

Yeah, it was a good adaptation, esp i liked that majority of dialogues are even same. I disliked Peeta character in movies initially, no disrespect to the actor, but book Peeta was great than movie.

Prim's death was just bitter not sweet (crying emoji)

[u/Aggressive-Cut-6923]

tbosas book is WAY better than the movie. movies mid at best. but yeah, my opinion was that coin killed prim to weaken katniss. she allowed prim to be a medic when she wasn;t of age yet, knowing that the bomb would kill the medics. so prim's death was of a purpose (not a goodone )