The Hunger Ganes

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I was hospitalised for 4 days and I really couldn't read at all. Or move. Or walk. Or eat. You get the picture. Well, now, I can do some light work, but I still spend most of my time at home sleeping. In fact, I'm so tired that right after I finish this, I'm going to sleep.

So, during my stay in the hospital my awesome bestie Rachel brought me "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins to read. I read it as soon as I got out of the hospital, and it was so good.

The premise is simple. Well, in literary terms, because to me, its very straightforward in terms of plot, although others might disagree. Basically, in a dystopic society (no mention of how or when, although it's likely to be in future North America), there's an annual event called the Hunger Games where twenty four children from 12 districts will be "sacrificed" in a brutal fight to the death. Katniss, from District 12, volunteers for the games after her little sister's name was chosen. She and the other boy, Peeta, pretend to be in love (marketing ploy), and go on to fight the games.

Well, since Katniss is the protagonist, she obviously doesn't die. And towards the end, you can see that there will be a sequel (in fact, this is the Hunger Games Trilogy), since her romantic feelings towards Peeta are left unresolved.

This book is actually pretty famous, but I've never read it before. Probably because I thought it'll be like Battle Royale (which Geri banned me from reading). Battle Royale is also a killing book, but this time, it's written by a Japanese, and basically one class of children (literally a class), are forced to kill each other. I heard that there is a Battle Royale manga where all the (gruesome, violent) deaths are depicted panel by panel. -shudder-

It also reminded me of Lord of the Flies by William Golding, another famous book I've never read. It's again a "killing story", although it also classifies as literature. I am doubtful whether I can actually bring myself to study the book. But, it was mentioned in English/Literature class, and my teacher told us that the most violent guys turned out to be choir members so BEWARE THE CHOIR.

But this book was less gruesome than expected. So if you want to read any of the two books mentioned above (if you do, you are brave), you should read the Hunger Games as well.