The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Originally posted at Goodreads

At the outset, it is worth mentioning that the reason I read Hunger Games is that the lead is a woman. I have finished a number of YA books (not numerous, but substantial enough) to see a subtle inclination (at least to the ones I have read). Those books were epitomes of woman empowerment at the most, and at the least were divergents from a male-lead, paternalistic, socially constructed society. I find that Hunger Games is no different from those books and certainly no stranger to that, although to what degree I have yet to conclude.

The books is presented through Katniss' POV, I guess this should have said lot of what was forthcoming. I am hesitant to ascribe as form of a fault more than necessity the extended internal monologue and world-building through Katniss. I guess there is simply no other choice considering the manner the book is presented. The problem though is that the mental disposition of Katniss is more of a hodgepodge, that is to say clutter is involved. Sometimes it is questionable that someone who suddenly daydreams of the past and fantasizes of what could have been won the games. Although I am lead to believe that such fickle-mindedness is prevalent among the female sex. But beneath that, I can see how Katniss has been tempered, the verisimilitude of the persona within the setting is riveting.

There is almost none to little character development at all aside from Katniss' is there? This waterloo is intricately embossed with the manner of writing the story. How can one build another character through a single POV?

The book is also labeled as dystopian. To this aspect too much have yet to be developed, and after the first book, I have yet to conclude if I am in the middle of either a gory love story or a dystopian novel. I am picking that second book to answer all this. I have high hopes that this will not be one of those books that are using dystopian themes to perpetuate comical and laughable love stories that are better left unread, or better yet, unwritten. This book comes with a three star rating meaning I'd follow Katniss to death rather than live a thousand lives with a simpleton like Bella.

Conspicuously, and still strangely enough, the tragic love story of 1984 is what comes to mind with Peeta and Katniss' relationship and of course, Battle Royale. I am even inclined to say that the plot was lifted from this Japanese work.