The Hunger Games

After a long, slow start, The Hunger Games really pays off. I had some niggling issues with the oversimplification of the various districts, though the big creepy thing that happen at the end of the book show that the tech sophistication is high enough to force an unnatural focus onto the districts. I really liked the strength of the various characterizations.

I can't say this without some story specific spoilers, so... forewarned.

I didn't like the pretend love triangle angle to the story. When one of the boys is first introduced, it seemed pretty clear to me that he was in the big brother role. Either Kat displayed no romantic feelings toward Gale or I just completely missed it. Either way, I feel like story of Kat and Gale is boring and that Kat and Peeta make a much more interesting and emotionally charged story. I mean that in the sense that, if these characters were actual real life people, I expect that the two hunters would fall together naturally. They are already too compatible to push each other to new levels of growth, while Peeta is SO different from Kat, his source of strength comes from a totally different font, that the two of them would really be intense.

One last thing, and I'm not sure if this is a good thing, a bad thing, or just a thing. When I finished the book, I was done. I'm not left with a feeling of itching longing to find out what happens next to Kat. The story is done and I am satisfied. I don't know if I am ever going to make the effort to continue the rest of the trilogy because I am all set. That can't be a good thing for the first book, right?