
by
heliona » Mon Sep 07, 2015 12:05 pm
So, I've read the three books, after having seen the three films.
I think I preferred the films to the books. I'm not sure. I liked the books, but I felt that they lacked depth. I think it was the first person, present tense that let it down for me. I felt like the books could have delved a bit deeper into the emotion of the people. The fact that Katniss is quite frankly a bit of an idiot when it comes to how other people feel means that we don't get to know, either. I think that a usual, third person narration would have helped with that. (And it is that that makes me prefer the films, I think.) The subject was good, but it didn't get me upset or thinking about it that much. Again, I think it's the fact that it's from Katniss' point of view all the time. I felt like more could have been written about it. Perhaps it is because it's a YA book that the subjects aren't explored deeply.
Gale was meant to be very handsome - it's mentioned more than once in the books. Since I read the books after having seen the films, I don't really have the same issue with regards how you all who read the books first imagined the characters. I feel that Gale was under-represented in the books, and Peeta didn't come across really well for me, either in the books or the films. His strength doesn't shine through, for me, he's a bit wimpy for some of it. Naive, occasionally. The "romance" between Katniss and Gale and Katniss and Peeta just wasn't there for me in the books at all. I could believe that Gale and Peeta had feelings, but Katniss? No. And the ending was pretty dissatisfying, too. Again, that's partly to do with the first person POV.
I feel like there could have been so much more to these books. Don't get me wrong, I raced through reading them - they were a pageturner. And I welled up at the same bit you, did, Rose (the bit with Buttercup).
I think my favourite characters were Finnick and Haymitch.
I haven't read 1984 yet (it's on my list!) or Ender's Game - but I think I may prefer them in terms of a dystopian story.
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