Mockingjay

I am finally done reading the trilogy! It has been a great journey to take with Katniss Everdeen - The girl on fire!

Here is a small excerpt from the Wiki article -
Mockingjay is a 2010 young adult dystopian novel by American author Suzanne Collins. It is the third and final installment of The Hunger Games trilogy, following 2008's The Hunger Games and 2009's Catching Fire, and continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, who agrees to lead the rebellion against the rulers of the futuristic society of Panem. The series was inspired by the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur and the Roman Gladiator games. Reviewers have noted that it tackles issues such as loyalty, war, and poverty, as well as what is real and what is not.

Spoiler Alert if you haven't already read this book -

 

I am pretty sure that I am not the only one who wanted Katniss to pick Peeta over Gale. Peeta loved Katniss on a level that Gale was never able to. I know that I probably sound like a teen as I say this. But living in a currently "almost dystopian" society as ours, happy endings are definitely coveted over sad ones. Books are an escape into what can be, and endings that promote the quality of hope over despair are the ones that we need to get past everyday drudgery. I have to admit, though, that I did not like Prim being killed off towards the end. To me it was a bit pointless since the whole population was suffering enough and so was the very confused teen, Katniss. What's the point of bringing more misery into the storyline? Oh well...

I would still recommend this trilogy to anyone who has yet to read them. Books like these also seem to bridge the generation gap between us and our kids with deeper undertones and a deeper understanding of what the world is hurtling towards if we don't stop and think about the planet we are leaving for the future generations.

Catching Fire

I am  50 pages in. I am convinced that this is indeed the best trilogy I have read so far! That The Hunger Games movie grossed over 155 Million in its first two days does not come as a total surprise. That it had a bigger opening weekend than all four of the Twilight movies also did not surprise me...ok..just a little bit. I think, what is loud and clear is that a storyline more befitting for a larger audience that includes many different age groups is definitely a winning concept. 

Here is a small excerpt from the Wiki article -

Catching Fire is the second book in The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. As the sequel to the 2008 bestseller The Hunger Games, it continues the story of Katniss Everdeen and the fictional, futuristic nation of Panem. Following the events of the previous novel, a rebellion against the oppressive Capitol has begun, and Katniss and fellow tribute Peeta are forced to return to the arena in a special edition of the Hunger Games. The book was released September 1, 2009, and was later released in eBook and audiobook format.

Major themes include survival, government control, rebellion and interdependence vs. independence. Catching Fire has received mostly positive reviews. Reviewers praised the prose, the ending, and how Katniss became more sophisticated. 

Though I have limited time now a days (those of you know me know what else I have been up to), I make it a point to read a bit of the book each day. It is certainly as, if not more, riveting when compared to The Hunger Games. Hopefully I will have some time this weekend to go and check the movie out. Excited and impatient!!

Check out the CNN article about the opening weekend.

The Hunger Games

I am pretty sure that none of us have missed out on the recent advertising this title has received. The media frenzy is beyond crazy. It's not that I don't get it. I am a huge fan of the Twilight series and have made it a point to read all the books and watch all the movies. I think what has appealed to me the most about the Twilight series is the screenplay adaptation of the book. This is a huge lacuna that most titles are unable to fill due to poor screenplay. But the Twilight movies delivered the whole context spot on.

It is for the same reason that I am curiously  waiting (just like everyone else) for the movie "The Hunger Games". I am not one to hurry and jump onto the bandwagon just because everyone is talking about it. However, one casual look at the short story on the book cover was compelling enough for me to deep dive into The Hunger Games. I am in the last 100 pages or so and I have to say that it has been a riveting read thus far.

The plot, the main characters, the ability of the writer to constantly create mental pictures...et al have been engrossing. I only hope (really really hope) that the movie that rolls out in the next couple weeks holds the audience in awe just like the book does.

Here is the Wiki synopsis of the book. I would highly recommend reading the book. Personally, I can't wait to read the sequels - Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Suzanne Collins is my new favorite author!