I’m not much of a TV person (I follow only three shows at the most, and those are currently Chuck, How I Met Your Mother and Glee), so I always read. Back in grade school, I always got into trouble because teachers constantly caught me reading under my desk. Sometimes, I stuck a paperback novel between the pages of my textbooks, but I was caught on a couple of occasions. The teachers probably knew, judging from my overly absorbed expression, that the subject matter couldn’t be that interesting so I was probably reading something else.
But don’t get me wrong; I never read anything contraband, especially not in school. I read mostly classic children’s literature (A Little Princess, Tom Sawyer and The Secret Garden were my favorites) and a lot of Nancy Drew–I finished the entire series by the time I was in the 5th grade, which kind of says a lot about how nerdy I was then.
Nancy was a carefree 18-year-old who didn't go to college and had a rich dad.
But she was smart and always had unlimited resources to solve cases. World unfair.
I also read a lot of Sweet Valley Twins/High and Archie comic books. One time, I left a copy of a Sweet Valley University book in my grandmother’s house, and my aunt happened to read it. The very next day, she went over to my mom’s house to discuss the inappropriate adult themes in the books that I read. Of course, I wasn’t allowed to read SVU after that; not in front of my family, anyway.
They had really cheesy covers back then
Sweet Valley aside, I never got into the trashy novel genre, although a lot of my high school friends brought paperbacks covered with gift wrap to school. I was admittedly curious, but reading a lot of classic books made me a literature snob when I was younger; I didn’t want to be seen with a book that featured a painting of a busty young woman making out with a virile man on the cover.
But even during my brief fling with Sweet Valley (and an equally reprehensible short stint with Sidney Sheldon), I still read my children’s classics. I loved The Chronicles of Narnia and was thrilled when Harry Potter came out; I started reading it in high school. There’s admittedly a lot of mediocre children’s/young adult fiction (don’t even get me started on the Twilight saga), but once in a while, a couple of good ones come out.
I wasn’t too excited when National Book Store sent me a copy of The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, both by Suzanne Collins. The books, the first two of a projected trilogy, were loudly praised by Twilight’s Stephenie Meyer, who claimed that she couldn’t even put down the books during meals. I read all four Twilight books, so I can pass judgment on them: they are awfully written. Compelling, probably, but the prose oozes with sap and teenage hormones. Horrible, especially when you reread the books (I usually read books at least twice).
So I was understandably wary of The Hunger Games trilogy. A couple of chapters in, I happily realized I was mistaken. The books are a good jump-off point for tweens who claim they don’t like or understand science fiction, because they don’t alienate readers with scientific-sounding terms or concepts. Good science fiction is measured not by the amount of “science” or technology in it, but by its story. Collins manages to make the characters alive: they’re human beings who just happen to live in another era and another reality (Panem, where the story takes place, “rose up out the ashes of a place that was once called North America.”)
The story, make no mistake about it, is written for girls–0but it’s not the sludge of girly issues that you will find in a Judy Blume novel such as Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret (which is an excellent young adult book for girls). The book’s protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, finds herself in a situation where she has to kill 23 other children in order to survive the Hunger Games, a gristly yearly event that combines elements of the Olympics, Big Brother and Survivor.
There’s talk of makeup and waxing even in a time where children are sent to an outdoor arena to kill each other in order to survive, and the author manages to be light without being patronizing, and discusses otherwise heavy concepts in an easily digestible manner. Some romance in the form of a love triangle will appeal to googly-eyed teens, although even that is tainted by the struggle for survival. Pick it up if you’re looking for an interesting summer read; it’s not as light as say, a Sophie Kinsella novel, but easy enough to flip through without making you feel like you’re losing your brain cells. The third book comes out this year, with a movie adaptation of the first book hot on its heels. I’m not too sure about the movie, but you can bet I’m looking forward to part three of the trilogy.
“The Hunger Games” seems so similar to “Battle Royale”. It’s a Japanese manga about a class of middle school kids placed by the government in an island to have them kill each other until only one emerges as the victor. Violent, but very interesting and though-provoking.
I must say that I was very intrigued with “The Hunger Games”. I’ll try to check it out myself
It’s definitely worth a look
I’ve never read Battle Royale, but the concept does seem very similar. I wonder which one came first. Where can I get it?
I saw a few volumes of Battle Royale at Fully Booked. Plus, there’s also the movie version which already spawned a sequel
I would have easily judged it too if Twilight’s author praised the books. Hahaha! Battle Royale was published in 1999 or 2000. It happens in an alternate Japanese timeline.
Wow. I was barely able to put this book down for a second after the first few pages got me completely hooked. Normally it takes a week to read a book, but now I read this in 24 hours. Suzanne Collins here has an immediacy to it that, when combined with the very dramatic life-or-death plot, is incredibly compelling. It’s entertaining, and incredibly disturbing all at once. They say great art leaves you changed after you experience it… and this book definitely did that. Suzanne Collins has, with one amazing work, propelled herself onto my top shelf.
Have a nice day,
Molly
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