New YA series alert! Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
If you live near me, you can borrow them from me. AMAZING!
It’s life or death for citizens of Panem, a future post-apocalyptic version of the United States (floating in time; we are not told any possible future dates for this apocalypse) each year when the Reaping comes around. Two young people from each District (12 Districts; a Thirteenth District lies barren and deserted) are sent to the Capitol to participate in a to-the-death Olympic-esque, yet more Survivor-esque, hunter and hunted challenge.
I was expecting gore and more gore, but the author actually handles this quite deftly. The main character, Katniss and her fellow District Twelve nominee, Peeta, are rushed into a world of food, warmth, personalized care, attention, and training, and the main spotlight. And then they are set loose in the arena where everyone is determined to kill to survive and win the prize.
I inhaled this book in about three hours and hungrily started the sequel, which didn’t disappoint me at all. Some critics were disappointed by the lagging sophomoric love triangle that is reminiscent of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series, but I was okay with it and actually think Collins did her love triangle better, as the stakes are higher.
I cannot wait for the third installment. Totally into this series, much like I was with Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series. Fantastic!
From Bookmarks magazine,
But most reviewers felt that Catching Fire was still a thrill because Collins replicated her initial success at balancing action, violence, and heroism in a way that will enthrall young readers without giving them (too many) nightmares.
Me again. If you’re looking for a clear YA treatment of the topics of violence, attraction between teens, survival, anarchy, and tyranny that stays well within the boundaries of just enough information, but not an overload, check these books out. I am a huge fan. I enjoyed this series much more than Libba Bray’s series, which I will review later this week.
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Loved…loved…LOVED these books. We had to buy two copies of Catching Fire because my daughters were fighting over who got to read it first (My wife!)…
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