The Hunger Games (Finally!)
Jan. 29th, 2011 05:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
next_to_normalOkay, kids. I think we need to do this in two parts - first, for those of you who haven't read The Hunger Games, I will attempt to explain to you why you TOTALLY SHOULD without spoilers. Then, y'all who have already read it, LET US SQUEE TOGETHER!
The Hunger Games is another novel that hits my dystopian future kink. After the United States has been effectively destroyed, a new nation called Panem is established consisting of a capital city and twelve surrounding districts. Each year, two children - one boy and one girl, between the ages of 12 and 18 - from each district are chosen to go to the Capitol and compete in the Hunger Games, which is a Running Man-esque fight to the death in a futuristic gladiator's arena, broadcast live across Panem in the biggest reality TV event of the year. You know, like American Idol, if the AI contestants killed each other instead of singing songs. :)
The wealthier districts are able to train their contestants - called "tributes" - and for them it's an honor to be chosen and represent their district. But in places like District 12, where citizens are barely able to scrape together enough food to survive, being selected as a tribute is essentially a death sentence. Which is why Katniss Everdeen immediately steps up to volunteer when her twelve-year-old sister is chosen. Katniss had to grow up fast, when her father's death and her mother's breakdown forced her to provide for her family at a young age, but that responsibility has made her a skilled hunter/gatherer, which will help her survive in the wilderness that serves as the Game's arena.
The life-or-death struggle tests Katniss' wits, her strength, and her humanity. Which, oh by the way, totally hits my OTHER kink, awesome ladies being awesome and kicking ass. Katniss is like Buffy and Veronica Mars and Kara Thrace all rolled up in one sixteen-year-old girl. (If that doesn't get you reading, I don't know what will!) She's heroic and self-sacrificing, courageous and resourceful, fiercely protective of her sister, hardened by circumstances, and naive about love and relationships.
I also love that it combines so many disparate genre elements, so that it works on several levels. You can read it as a post-apocalyptic survival story, you can read it as a romance, a sci-fi thriller, an action-adventure novel, a statement about injustice and abuse of power, or commentary on our current obsession with reality TV. :) The premise is dark, but Suzanne Collins manages to inject enough humor that it's not all doom and gloom, although there are certainly enough heartbreaking moments to go around. It's fantastically well-written and incredibly compelling - I stayed up until 2am to finish it because I couldn't put it down.
Okay, this is the part where Hunger Games virgins cover their eyes and shit gets real. Go! Read! Then come back and let's talk more!
So... OMG, you guys! OMG! I am so totally a Katniss/Peeta shipper now, lol. The funny thing is, this is the kind of story I should be immediately predisposed to hate, because it includes three annoying tropes:
1. Couple gets together under false pretenses, one or both develops real feelings and then gets hurt when the truth is revealed. I think it's been done in just about every romantic comedy EVER. This story puts a slight twist on it, though, in that the pretense is part of a strategy for survival, which ups the stakes considerably beyond the simple "he loves me/he loves me not" rom-com angst. It's obvious why Katniss and Peeta's tragic story was so popular with the Panem audience - it was fascinating to watch them not only struggle to survive, but to risk everything to keep each other alive, too. And even though you know it's all going to come crashing down at some point, you can't help longing for those crazy kids to make it work somehow. Also, Peeta is kind of irresistibly adorable. I AM A SUCKER FOR UNREQUITED LOVE, OKAY?
2. The impending love triangle. Gale doesn't have much of a role in this book, which made it a rather one-sided love triangle, but I'm assuming that things get complicated, given the totally unsubtle way Collins kept throwing in Katniss thinking about Gale and how he'd react to seeing her and Peeta "pretending" to be in love. Usually that would be a total red flag for me, because I don't want to spend the next two books with Katniss dithering over which guy to choose, Twilight-style, but Katniss is about the farthest thing from Bella Swan I've ever seen, so I'm not terribly worried. I also like the way the guys have been set up to represent a metaphorical choice - Gale represents the life she knew, what she's used to and comfortable with, whereas Peeta represents something new and kind of scary. I'm not entirely sure how that will play out, but I liked the layer it added here.
3. Character is oblivious to the fact that the guy is in love with her. I usually loathe this level of unself-awareness in a character, because it makes them seem stupid, but I'll give Katniss a pass on the grounds that she's kind of preoccupied with, you know, not getting killed.
Things I loved:
1. The gender-bendiness of Katniss/Peeta! They remind me of Buffy/Spike in that way, how he's the weaker, more vulnerable one, the one who's able to recognize his feelings and is honest about being in love with her (even if she thinks it's just an act).
2. Katniss and Rue! I love how everyone underestimates Rue, but Katniss recognizes the value of her skills. And how much she reminds Katniss of Prim (because I am also such a sucker for sibling relationships) and that makes Katniss protective. OMG I cried when Rue died, but I loved how Thresh and the people of District 11 acknowledge and appreciate what Katniss did for Rue. It's like this little spark of hope when everything else in the story kind of makes you want to lose your faith in humanity.
3. Katniss being clever! I liked that she doesn't win by brute strength, but that she outwits a lot of the other players and is resourceful in keeping Rue, Peeta, and herself alive. There are more ways to kick ass than, well, kicking ass. :)
4. Probably other things! I kind of read it a month ago! Remind me of all the awesome things you loved!
*flails* Gah! Now I want to read the other two books. No! Bad! Must do homework!... This will be an ongoing internal struggle.
Okay. Let's talk movie casting! Who do you want to see?
The Hunger Games is another novel that hits my dystopian future kink. After the United States has been effectively destroyed, a new nation called Panem is established consisting of a capital city and twelve surrounding districts. Each year, two children - one boy and one girl, between the ages of 12 and 18 - from each district are chosen to go to the Capitol and compete in the Hunger Games, which is a Running Man-esque fight to the death in a futuristic gladiator's arena, broadcast live across Panem in the biggest reality TV event of the year. You know, like American Idol, if the AI contestants killed each other instead of singing songs. :)
The wealthier districts are able to train their contestants - called "tributes" - and for them it's an honor to be chosen and represent their district. But in places like District 12, where citizens are barely able to scrape together enough food to survive, being selected as a tribute is essentially a death sentence. Which is why Katniss Everdeen immediately steps up to volunteer when her twelve-year-old sister is chosen. Katniss had to grow up fast, when her father's death and her mother's breakdown forced her to provide for her family at a young age, but that responsibility has made her a skilled hunter/gatherer, which will help her survive in the wilderness that serves as the Game's arena.
The life-or-death struggle tests Katniss' wits, her strength, and her humanity. Which, oh by the way, totally hits my OTHER kink, awesome ladies being awesome and kicking ass. Katniss is like Buffy and Veronica Mars and Kara Thrace all rolled up in one sixteen-year-old girl. (If that doesn't get you reading, I don't know what will!) She's heroic and self-sacrificing, courageous and resourceful, fiercely protective of her sister, hardened by circumstances, and naive about love and relationships.
I also love that it combines so many disparate genre elements, so that it works on several levels. You can read it as a post-apocalyptic survival story, you can read it as a romance, a sci-fi thriller, an action-adventure novel, a statement about injustice and abuse of power, or commentary on our current obsession with reality TV. :) The premise is dark, but Suzanne Collins manages to inject enough humor that it's not all doom and gloom, although there are certainly enough heartbreaking moments to go around. It's fantastically well-written and incredibly compelling - I stayed up until 2am to finish it because I couldn't put it down.
Okay, this is the part where Hunger Games virgins cover their eyes and shit gets real. Go! Read! Then come back and let's talk more!
So... OMG, you guys! OMG! I am so totally a Katniss/Peeta shipper now, lol. The funny thing is, this is the kind of story I should be immediately predisposed to hate, because it includes three annoying tropes:
1. Couple gets together under false pretenses, one or both develops real feelings and then gets hurt when the truth is revealed. I think it's been done in just about every romantic comedy EVER. This story puts a slight twist on it, though, in that the pretense is part of a strategy for survival, which ups the stakes considerably beyond the simple "he loves me/he loves me not" rom-com angst. It's obvious why Katniss and Peeta's tragic story was so popular with the Panem audience - it was fascinating to watch them not only struggle to survive, but to risk everything to keep each other alive, too. And even though you know it's all going to come crashing down at some point, you can't help longing for those crazy kids to make it work somehow. Also, Peeta is kind of irresistibly adorable. I AM A SUCKER FOR UNREQUITED LOVE, OKAY?
2. The impending love triangle. Gale doesn't have much of a role in this book, which made it a rather one-sided love triangle, but I'm assuming that things get complicated, given the totally unsubtle way Collins kept throwing in Katniss thinking about Gale and how he'd react to seeing her and Peeta "pretending" to be in love. Usually that would be a total red flag for me, because I don't want to spend the next two books with Katniss dithering over which guy to choose, Twilight-style, but Katniss is about the farthest thing from Bella Swan I've ever seen, so I'm not terribly worried. I also like the way the guys have been set up to represent a metaphorical choice - Gale represents the life she knew, what she's used to and comfortable with, whereas Peeta represents something new and kind of scary. I'm not entirely sure how that will play out, but I liked the layer it added here.
3. Character is oblivious to the fact that the guy is in love with her. I usually loathe this level of unself-awareness in a character, because it makes them seem stupid, but I'll give Katniss a pass on the grounds that she's kind of preoccupied with, you know, not getting killed.
Things I loved:
1. The gender-bendiness of Katniss/Peeta! They remind me of Buffy/Spike in that way, how he's the weaker, more vulnerable one, the one who's able to recognize his feelings and is honest about being in love with her (even if she thinks it's just an act).
2. Katniss and Rue! I love how everyone underestimates Rue, but Katniss recognizes the value of her skills. And how much she reminds Katniss of Prim (because I am also such a sucker for sibling relationships) and that makes Katniss protective. OMG I cried when Rue died, but I loved how Thresh and the people of District 11 acknowledge and appreciate what Katniss did for Rue. It's like this little spark of hope when everything else in the story kind of makes you want to lose your faith in humanity.
3. Katniss being clever! I liked that she doesn't win by brute strength, but that she outwits a lot of the other players and is resourceful in keeping Rue, Peeta, and herself alive. There are more ways to kick ass than, well, kicking ass. :)
4. Probably other things! I kind of read it a month ago! Remind me of all the awesome things you loved!
*flails* Gah! Now I want to read the other two books. No! Bad! Must do homework!... This will be an ongoing internal struggle.
Okay. Let's talk movie casting! Who do you want to see?
no subject
Date: Jan. 29th, 2011 11:10 pm (UTC)Haha, I believe Lauren also made the Buffy/Spike comparison! We definitely have a type. :)
I've been seeing a lot of talk about Kaya Scodelario as Katniss, which I'm ambivalent about (though I love her). My only specific hope for the movie is that it doesn't suck...
no subject
Date: Jan. 30th, 2011 02:57 pm (UTC)YESSSSSSSSS.
Haha, the "loved her since forever" trope doesn't bother me as much, because like I said, total sucker for unrequited love, so I kinda dig the whole "he loved her for years and she never noticed" thing. I do tend to be a little weirded out by people who fall in love in elementary school, lol, but I get the sense that all of these characters are mature beyond their years because of the circumstances.
Yeah, I've seen Kaya's name a lot, too. I haven't seen Skins, though, so I have no idea what I think of her. The trouble is, I just don't know enough teen/tween stars to have good ideas, lol.
no subject
Date: Jan. 29th, 2011 11:47 pm (UTC)SQUEE!!
Katniss is wonderful - finding herself in impossible situations and working through. By her wits! She's aware of consequences and makes decisions oftentimes necessary and horrifying and immediate.
I have no idea of a cast for this movie except I would like young, talented and fresh faces.
no subject
Date: Jan. 30th, 2011 03:02 pm (UTC)I would definitely prefer unknown actors over tweeny Disney Channel stars or something. My one worry is that the casting will be influenced by the Twilight craze, and they'll want to cast actors who look good in posters on a 13-year-old girl's wall, rather than based on who's the most talented and right for the role.
no subject
Date: Mar. 30th, 2012 11:06 pm (UTC)Katniss is like Buffy and Veronica Mars and Kara Thrace all rolled up in one sixteen-year-old girl.
Except NOT BLONDE, which I know shouldn't matter to me, but I really loved that I could picture a non-white protagonist if I wanted to? I've heard a bit about the movie-fail on this, but I did love that the book wasn't so exclusionary.
a statement about injustice and abuse of power, or commentary on our current obsession with reality TV
AND AND AND, how those two things in particular work together in some ways? How far can we dehumanize people we can put real names and faces to, without either becoming or showing something awfully ugly about us as a whole? Loved it.
I am so totally a Katniss/Peeta shipper now, lol. The funny thing is, this is the kind of story I should be immediately predisposed to hate, because it includes three annoying tropes
WORRRRD. I think I liked it because of those three tropes which I usually hate too!? Because the narrative knows what's up, and Katniss knows what's up, and they're shown as things to work around among all the other stuff, not falsely prioritized.
2. RUE.
3. SO MUCH THIS. It wasn't like, "she's a strong girl so ALL ELSE IS INVALID." She's physically tough, but that wouldn't be enough, and the physical strength and skill isn't something used to detract from her other survival skills.
no subject
Date: Mar. 30th, 2012 11:30 pm (UTC)Truth. The movie casting kind of loses the class/race intersection of the Seam vs. the merchant class in District 12. I am ambivalent at this point, though, because JENNIFER LAWRENCE AND HER FACE. (She really carries the whole thing with her FACE, because there's no first-person narration in the movie, so Jen has to take all of those internal thoughts and make them external. It's an outstanding performance, and I think the movie would really suffer without her.)
Very few characters' races are actually specified in the series, so I'm hoping they'll take that liberty to cast other non-white actors just because they can, like they did with Cinna.
Because the narrative knows what's up, and Katniss knows what's up, and they're shown as things to work around among all the other stuff, not falsely prioritized.
Yeah. I think the metanarrative aspect of it definitely helps the tropes feel less cliched. Because the characters know they're tropes - that's exactly why they're using them! To appeal to an audience that likes familiar narratives. Then the issue of expectations and roles/performance becomes part of the narrative, instead of distracting us from it.