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| ©Lionsgate The Hunger Games |
So maybe I’m a little bit
behind the hype here but I’ve only just watched The Hunger Games last night after failing to see it at the cinema.
After all of the fuss over the film, I finally decided to read the books even
though I had never heard of them before the release of the movie. I was so
surprised that I wrote an article for my university newspaper which went
something like this…
If you haven’t heard of The
Hunger Games yet, where have you been? Before its film success, the novel
had maintained a spot on USA
Unfortunately, because of its target audience and its
success, it is difficult to avoid comparing Collins’ novel to Harry Potter and Twilight, but if you’re a fan of either you will love this book and
the film. Within a couple of chapters, I was completely gripped.
To give a brief summary (without spoilers), The Hunger Games is based in the country
of Panem, controlled by the Capitol after a failed rebellion. The Capitol hosts
the televised Hunger Games every year to warn the country against another
uprising. There is a draw from which one girl and one boy between the ages of
12 and 18 are picked from each of the 12 remaining districts to fight to the
death. The last one to remain in the game, alive, is the victor. In the 74th
annual Games, Katniss Everdeen prepares to fight for District 12.
Forget Bella; Katniss embodies all the strength, wittiness
and intelligence of the ultimate heroine. She completely defies all stereotypes
and you cannot help but fall for her tough, independent exterior which hides
her almost soft and sometimes naïve nature.
I love Twilight,
honestly I do, but I first read those books when I was 14 and 15 years old.
Upon returning to read them recently, it spoiled the magic for me as I realised
how controversial and yet marginal the content and characters really are. But The Hunger Games can be read as a
wonderful, and truly brilliant, critique of society and the Capitalist system.
From the alienated, anonymous twelve districts working to
supply the Capitol, to the celebrated sole victor of the Games as a way to
appease the population, Collins has created a novel that is not just entertaining
but is extremely thought provoking.
Whilst I’ll avoid as many spoilers as possible, something
else that struck me whilst reading this book was the sincerity of Peeta. I have
to admit, this is one of the most moving things about this novel. As the reader
is dragged through turmoil and struggle, he is what grounds this story with his
simple determination to remain true to himself, another allusion to the flaws
of Capitalism with its destruction of individualism.
Indeed, this dystopian novel has been praised as
“outstanding” by The Times. Yet it is not only an exhilarating ride on the
constantly wavering edge between life and death but also calls into question
the very nature of being human.
And a few months on, these comments still stand. Even more so
after watching the film, which I thought was a fantastic adaptation.
Annoyingly, halfway through, my brother (being the computer
geek that he is) said “God, those graphics are awful” when Katniss and Peeta
were set on fire. And yeah, do you know what, they weren’t great but I think
the whole point was that they weren’t meant to be brilliant because the entire
concept of the Games is that they’re fake
and completely fabricated, only
serving to highlight the illusion of their reality.
He and my dad also kept predicting what would happen by the
end and if I hadn’t have read the books I would have said exactly the same
thing. But I have, and this is another reason why Collins has done an
incredible job; everything that you would expect from a novel of this young
adult genre is completely usurped. Read it and you’ll know what I mean because
this is one gutsy writer who has the right to point and laugh at those who
think she’s just written another, predictable story.
The film also didn’t openly try and appeal to younger
audiences so didn’t fail to deliver the seriousness and pure grittiness of the
novel. I felt that the way the desperation to survive and kill was kept as raw
and true as it was (and as would be in reality) in the book.
And just as a sidenote: Jennifer Lawrence is a perfect casting choice. What an amazing
and up-and-coming actress (with an equally fabulous figure might I add).
So I challenge you to read The Hunger Games and not find yourself drawn into the suspense, the
terror and the passion which Collins so excellently weaves between its pages. I
promise that you will be hungry for more…
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