Thursday, March 21, 2013

Hunger Games

I just read the Hunger Games trilogy in 4 days.
I read book one in 36 hours about 2 weeks ago.  I had to take a break because when I dive into a book like that and just read read read... it becomes a reality.  It's happened before.  And being in The Arena as a tribute wasn't a good reality.
In fact, one night, Joey started crying for his mid-night feeding.  I was half asleep and started to swing my legs over the side of the bed.. when I froze... and thought... It's a trick.  They're trying to lure you in there.  It's a trick.  A trap!  Don't go.  They'll kill you.  You don't even have any weapons yet.  It was more than a minute or two I sat there debating what should be done.  Risk it and feed the baby?  Practically giving myself to the Career Tributes?  Or should I devise a plan.  What if Joey really is in trouble?  He's not really my ally... but I care about him.  I don't want him to dieI need a plan!  I need a bow!  Maybe Haymitch will send me a silver parachute. *nodding* I should wait for the parachute.  Joey's still screaming!  What if there are trackerjackers in there?  Agh!  I need water.  I need a plan.  I miss District 12.
I snapped back when Ken rolled over and asked what I was doing sitting on the edge of the bed.
I knew he wouldn't understand... and figured I would sound prit--tee crazy.  So I went in and fed Joey.
And as I sat in his room, tensely watching the door to see if Foxface or Clove were going to whip around the corner and kill us... I decided I wasn't ready to read the second one.  I needed to acclimate myself with reality. 
But once I finished Catching Fire it seemed pointless (and too hard to wait) to stop there.  So I grabbed Mockingjay and read it.  Really fast.
And now, after I ignored my kids and Ken for a few days, all I think about is Peeta.  And Katniss.  And Prim.  And President Coin.  Egh!  I worry about Gale in District 2.  And Haymitch.  He needs someone.  I think about Greasy Sae, Pollux, Finnick, Annie, President Snow, Octavius, and Rue.  Cinna is on my mind.  I even think about Effie Trinket.  And Madge. And Beetee. And little old Mags.  But mostly, I think of Peeta.
Because.
Because.
Because, I'm in love with him.

And it could be just because he's newer... but I might love him more than Ron Weasley.
Peeta and Patty.  It just sounds cute, huh? 

Whew. *sigh* I'm into this thing deep.  And I feel bad that I snubbed it for so many years.  Sorry fellow Hunger Games fans.  I thought you were lame for wearing your Mockingjay Pins and drinking your Pine Needle Tea when you could have been practicing Quidditch on your Firebolt or drinking Butter Beer.  I thought it would be dumb.  And a let down.  And not worth my time.  I thought... I thought.... IthoughtIwasaboveit.  I apologize.  Because I was wrong.  And now, like you, I'm obsessed.






Sidenote:  I watched the Hunger Games movie directly after I finished the first book and was let down.  I enjoyed the love story in the book.  The history Peeta and Katniss shared without even realizing it.  I enjoyed all the strategies and the mind games.  And those are hard to relate on film... so it seems like the movie makers didn't even try.  But in my case book always trumps movie. 100% of the time.  Except for Twilight.  When both are pretty bad.  The only other time movie trumps books is The Notebook.  Because, Ryan Gosling.  Boom.

Second Sidenote:  Don't hold me to that "I love Peeta More Than Ron Weasley" statement.  I'm still weighing out my options.

6 comments:

Julia Marcum said...

I am so glad we can talk about hunger games now!! There were only 2 things that I liked about the movie over the book. 1. The relationship between Katniss and Gale got lost in the book a little bit. And then at the end, I was like Gale? Oh yeah....Gaallleeeee. The movie really helped remind us about Gale.

2. They did a good job showing it was in the future, even though the districts were living very much in the past. I couldn't imagine that while reading. How it is futuristic.

Now I want to read them again!

Patty said...

Julia- Yes. Agreed about Gale in the movie. But I LIKED that you forget him in the book a little. I think that was on purpose. By the end of the trilogy... I'm not that big on Gale anyway. Obviously.

Nikki said...

Peeta and Patty sitting in a tree - actually yes! Probably!

I'm the same, I get waaaay to involved if I read a book quickly. I read Bright Young things by Scarlett Thomas in less than 48 hours at the weekend and it's been kind of haunting my brain ever since. The worst part was when I started drifting off part way through a disturbing scene and started half dreaming half reading it. Scary!

Beth Willmore said...

I'm glad that you chose Joey's hunger over your will to live in the night. Good mom award (although pretty crazy considering that tracker jackets will MESS YOU UP!)

Yeah I love Peeta too. But you're right, Ryan Gosling. Boom.

Let's get matching Hunger Games shirts and wear them somewhere awesome. Like... church!!

Rachel said...

Love your midnight Hunger Games confusion story. It made me laugh. 2am + a great book will do that to you. I'm also a Peeta fan, really though, how could you not be? Want a new book that's kinda similar? Try Divergent by Veronica Roth. She's written the first 2 or her trilogy. LOVED the first one, and felt meh about #2, Insurgent. I like books that surprise me and I felt the first one did. I'm in need of a new book....I can only reread David Sedaris books so many times (5 seems to be my limit!).

kaleen said...

I agree with every single thing you said in this post.

I will have to get some book recommendations from you. After I read a good series, I get lost on what to read next because I feel like nothing can top what I just read. I'm always pleasantly suprised, and grateful, when they do!

LOVE it.