Book Club~ The Hunger Games (Book 1)

[the.games]

All votes have been counted and verified, and this weeks book for discussion is:



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Twenty- four are forced to enter. Only the winner survives.

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death – televised for all of Panem to see.

Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, she knows it may be her death sentence. If she is to survive, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
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Well done to @BamitsElfie!; who has been nominated to win the title of Book Club Member of the Month for her contribution to this discussion!

[karter]

okay so this book is probably the best fantasy novel part ever. I have read all the books and this one is the best out of the trilogy. The magic of this book is that it builds up so much suspense (I had seen the movie first and then read the book). Even if you have seen the movie, just read the book, it's totally worth it. There are so much scenes that were not in the movie, or were hurried up. also many characters were nowhere to be seen in the movie, like octavia, flavius, venia, madge. the book has created such a believable world and is so captivating. People might say that the book depicts too much violence and is not suitable for children but it's the violence that created a sense of shock and hence the urge to read more. The most sensitive part of the book is probably the reaping which showed the ruthlessness of the Capitol and the part where rue dies.
So this book is actually so good that it defines perfection.

[Empired]

What I've said below is absolutely full of spoilers from all three books, especially books 1 and 3.

I really enjoyed this book when I read it. It was so exciting, I literally couldn't put it down. I pulled an all-nighter reading it (10pm-5am)! It's my second favourite book from the trilogy, catching fire being my favourite, but it's hard to say that one of the books is better than the other because they're all gripping and so exciting!
If you're thinking about seeing the movie and haven't read the books, I strongly suggest you read them first!! Books always make movies so much more exciting but the film on its own is a little bit confusing if you aren't giving it your full attention for the whole two and a half hours.
I thought it was a particularly good book because Suzanne Collins built up all the characters so well, she gave us a very clear image of how they act and think, but also left some people open to interpretation to give us a bit to think about once we'd finished reading. She managed to capture exactly how most human beings would be in Katniss' situation, I thought the bit where Katniss was snapped awake by Prim's "duck tail" when Prim's name had just been pulled out of the Reaping was absolutely fantastic, Collins didn't miss a single detail in this entire book!
The thing that annoys me is all of those people saying "there wasn't enough romance in this book/film". It clearly was not written to be a romantic book, it was written to open eyes about war, love and loss. This is why President Snow is one of my favourite characters. He's put across as such an evil man but, as we find out later in the trilogy, he actually has his soft spots too (his granddaughter). And all of those people he killed, he had to suffer for it too (drinking the poison and taking the antidote).

I absolutely adored this book and was devastated when the whole trilogy came to an end. I doubt I'll ever find any other books as moving as these three!

[Foregetfuhl]

I could go on and on about all three of these books.. however as the discussion is only about book 1 I'll hush my gums about the other two.. *locks mouth and throws key away for books 2 and 3*

So anywho, having a strong relation with the local book shop I was one of them people who knew when books were coming out and the lady who worked full time in there always told me when books were coming that I may enjoy, its the reason I have so many books that people just haven't heard of or weren't originally very popular, this being one of the latter when I first read it back in 2008. I can't really say its my favourite out of the three as they all equally left me hungry for more and the first time I read the first book I was so annoyed I was stomping around for days knowing that I would have to wait another year for book 2. Although the start of the book nothing much really happens and your sitting think right okay.. am I actually going to enjoy this.. a few more pages in and you just have to take a step back and go actually yes, yes I am going to enjoy it.

The writing style is excellent and the plot really does keep you interested. The constant suspense kept me turning page after page as, I assume, most of those who read the book did too. As each tribute fell you just fell more and more forward gripping the book tighter wanting to know who would be popped of next! I think Rue’s death was probably one of the most emotional moments for me and I couldn't help but ball my eyes out and want to throw the book down and be like WHYWHYWHY! But you knew it was coming.. no way would it come to a point that more than the two main characters would survive the 74th Hunger Games.

The story follows Katniss who lives in a futuristic world and volunteers for her little sister to be a tribute for District 12. As she fights through the games she pretends to have feelings for Peeta who is the other District 12 tribute, (but we all know she really does have the hots for good old Peeta and his bread!). This has this love triangle with Peeta and Gale (whom she hunts with back in District 12) which is very interesting and one where your like 'NO LOVE PEETA' 'NO WAIT LOVE GALE' (Always loved Peeta tbh). I mean its not to the point thats its drippy and awkward like Twilight where your like for god sakes.. but its good in the sense that she isn't needy.. she is a female who can stand on her own two feet.

I hate that it imitates Twilight, and I hate that it takes from Battle Royale too which if people don't know about it is a gruesome horrible book/movie that is just revolting. But the sheer beauty and gritty realism of the plot is enough to banish the feelings that you have about the likeness with other books.

[CigaretteBirdie]

First off, I would just like to say - this book is Shmazing. Yes, thats right. Sh-maz-ing.
I was introduced to it by a friend, who told me straight away that it was a 'must read' kind off book, so I borrowed it off her a couple days later. Now the second I opened the book - that was me hooked. The way it starts off, I thought, was really clever and I think Suzanne Collins explained what was going on perfectly..I mean how she wanted the book laid out in her head - I'm not too sure, but for me, The Hunger Games is perfect.
So starting off with The Reaping, it's all emotional of course, with Katniss having said earlier that there was no chance of Prim being chosen - and then of course she is actually chosen, so that was actually one of my favourite parts of the book. Then of course there's Gale, the best friend, who came to see her after being chosen and gave her them few words of comfort.
There's just so many parts of the book I feel the need to mention, but I just wouldn't do them justice writing them down.
The way the characters are written is great, I feel I know each and every character mentioned - without feeling like its dragging on, which is great.
As Jade mentioned, it does have a likeness to the book Battle Royale, a book I have read before..however, when reading Battle Royale, I felt disturbed..at such a vile story, I mean in all fairness to the book, it was written well, however, when reading The Hunger Games - I found it captivating, not vile or disturbing..or disgusting..it just seemed so real.
One of the things that do annoy me is the fact that Gale and Peeta were written so well in the Trilogy - I cant choose between them, though I am Team Finnick at the end of the day. (Finnick - a past victor - and takes part in the Catching Fire and Mockingjay.)
The movie, which I found entertaining and enjoyed thoroughly, did leave alot of the book out though, which is a shame, however I believe it did do it justice, so I wont dwell on that too much!(;
Personally, Book 2 is my favorite out of the three, but this one comes a close second.
Such a good read, and I strong recommend it to those poor souls who have yet to read this fantastic and captivating book!

[karter]

I hate that it imitates Twilight, and I hate that it takes from Battle Royale too which if people don't know about it is a gruesome horrible book/movie that is just revolting. But the sheer beauty and gritty realism of the plot is enough to banish the feelings that you have about the likeness with other books.

OMG NO! you can't compare it with twilight. Yes, the love triangle part was kinda annoying and also continues in all the latter books, but just NO! Whatever that is, it's been written very well. Also the book has nothing similar with battle royale except the idea of a competition where players kill each other until one victor remains. The book is not solely based on the tournament anyways, it's about rebellion. Having read both the books, I can say that both the books are not even remotely related, Suzanne Collins got to know about Battle Royale when she had almost finished the book but the publishers urged her to continue. I find the book genuinely entertaining, unlike Twilight and Battle Royale.

What I really loved about this book was how the post-apocalyptic future has been pictured, just lovely. I have read Brave New World, The Last Man a few more books based on this genre but Suzanne Collins did a splendid job.

Let's talk about disappointments shall we..Firstly, I did not like how the book ended. I mean, In my opinion it should've ended with Katniss winning and everyone celebrating and everything else, like Katniss' talk with Haymitch, the interview with Caesar Flickerman, what happened with Seneca Crane and many other things should've been carried in Catching Fire(it would've given Catching Fire a nice opening too), my point is that the ending was quite abrupt and clumsy. Secondly, the story was dragged and finally the tournament started in the middle of the book. Another flaw which doesn't really bother others is the fact that what happened in District 12 when Katniss was in the arena, how prim felt like, how Katniss' mother felt like (omg I just realised that Katniss' mother's name has not been revealed in the book)

Despite its flaws I still consider the book perfect, I am actually obsessed with it.

[the.games]

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Happy Discussing!

[Andii]

Omg how did I not read this thread lmao bigges hunger games fan here, anyway

It's nothing like twilight so don't even think about saying anything about it

It's also not really much like battle royale as they are completely different ony thing the same is it children killing other children big woop.

Hunger games is by far theeeee best book I have Read yet lol and the film is immense aswell the film brought more fans towards it but overall the book is wayyy better and is a must read

I watched film first tbh so I wouldn't be disappointed and I wasn't after reading the book I was like omggg wayyy better as I pictured it more since I saw the film. it was immense te other books are great aswell

I'm currently reading the 3rd book an enjoying it so far it's amazing love hunger games so much

[Andii]

O forgot to mention I loveee the way that the boo was written from katniss point of view as it lets us readers get a feel like we are her and actually in the games haha

[karter]

O forgot to mention I loveee the way that the boo was written from katniss point of view as it lets us readers get a feel like we are her and actually in the games haha

I forgot to add this! all the books with female speakers are pretty good imo