The Hunger Games

I always try to read a book before I see the movie. However, I swore off all young adult fiction after reading the Twilight series. I actually had no desire to even see the Hunger Games movie until my husband watched it and told me it was pretty good. He was right!! So then I decided to read the entire series before I see any other movies.

The book didn't disappoint. I wouldn't say it was the most exciting book ever, but it did add a little more detail to what I've already seen in the movie and sets up an all around great idea for a series.

I really hate my head though, because of course as I was reading I pictured everything the way it was in the movie. District 12 looked like the gray rainy streets in the movie. Katniss was Jennifer Lawrence. Gale was Liam Hemsworth. Peeta was what's-his-name. I guess that's just the way it goes.

Some differences from the movie that I like in the book were:
1. Katniss's relationship with Cinna, her stylist. He really becomes one of the only people in training in the Capitol that she sees as a friend.
2. The expanding on Katniss faking her relationship with Peeta, especially at the end, after they have won. It turns her into less of a badass (I feel like the movie just focuses on her being a badass) and into a girl with a problem that she is going to have to face sooner or later.... can't wait to see how that's expanded on in Catching Fire.
3. The descriptions of the way the Capitol looks. I can't help but picturing it as the “Emerald City” in Wicked:The Musical. It's described as a place full of color and vibrace, a stark contrast from the Districts that all of the tributes come from.
4. Katniss's relationship with Rue is described in more detail and you feel the fierce protection that Katniss has for her after she comes to see her as the sister that she left behind.

If you have resorted to seeing the movies instead of reading the books, I say give it a shot! Take it from a YA hater... this first one was not disappointing. Suzanne Collins is a great writer... the plot never stops moving. She sometimes lacks description, but I maybe that will get better in the next books of the series.

I'm starting to figure out that there are some YA books out there worth reading.

Read more reviews at Great Minds Read Alike blog.