The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
Let's just get this out of the way, first thing, so that those of you who are so inclined can declare me insane and go on with your lives: I thought this book was very mediocre.
Yeah, sorry. I really did try. I will admit that I tend to avoid things that are insanely hyped up. I've also recently become very tired of reading books in a series; the commitment is sometimes exhausting. And so, I have been avoiding these books like the plague for a while. But, as often happens, I decide to stop being a curmudgeon and see what all the fuss is about. And just so you know that I am always willing to admit when I'm wrong: I started reading the Harry Potter books after #4 came out, and became a huge fanatic. I mean, I can admit now that they're fun and inventive, but not necessarily terribly good from a literary standpoint, but I do love 'em dearly. But anyway. Back to the present day.
The Hunger Games is the first book in the new YA series hotness. It depicts a dystopian, post-apocalyptic state in the mid-Atlantic region of what was once the United States. The denizens of the Twelve Districts are poor, hungry, and extremely repressed by the people of the Capitol, who are effete and shallow. The worst of the situation is the annual Hunger Games, in which twenty-four children (a boy and a girl from each district) are thrown into an arena and forced to fight to the death. The game ends when there's one contestant left standing. The winner is set for life: returned to his or her district, given a large house and large sums of money. It's crowd-control at its most sadistic: the people are forced to first watch as their children are randomly selected as participants (called tributes), and then the games are televised as "entertainment". It's really a pretty disturbing, albeit interesting, concept for the central idea of a young adult fantasy novel.
Our main character is Katniss Everdeen, a teenager who lives with her mother and younger sister in the lowest district of them all, District Twelve. Katniss is the street-savvy one: she illegally hunts game and trades it on the black market in order to provide for her family. When her little sister, Prim, is selected as a tribute, Katniss of course volunteers to take her place. She is joined by a young man named Peeta, who showed her a kindness long ago. They journey to the Capitol, where they are paraded around, celebrated, and trained to survive. They are naturally at a disadvantage, being from the poorest District, which has only ever had two winners in the history of the Games. The lone surviving winner is their coach, Haymitch, and he's a drunken lout.
Now, let me ask you this: is there really anyone that doesn't think they don't already know how this is going to end?
I'm not suggesting that a predictable storyline is enough to ruin a novel, and in fact, one of the things Collins does best is keep the tension running high. She also succeeds in using first-person narrative (the story is told by Katniss) to really bring home the sense of isolation and danger that exists for the tributes. Katniss struggles constantly with the question of who to trust and how her own feelings are going to affect her chances.
For me, though, the first person narrative is also the main weakness of the novel. Katniss, despite her clear bad-assness, is kind of a bore. The language and descriptive passages are very terse. I do acknowledge that this brevity adds to the picture being painted, but being descriptive with fewer words is an enviable skill, and I'm not sure Ms. Collins has it as much as, say, Hemingway. I know, I know, it's "only YA". But so are some really excellent pieces of work, like the Narnia Chronicles. A book can be for young adults and still be beautifully literary. I found the writing to be rather uneven, as well. Throughout, Collins managed to keep the excitement and thrill of danger moving at a good pace, but in the final chapters, it's as though she realized she was two days away from her deadline, so decided to rush. The climax barely even gives you time to catch your breath, nor does it measure up to the events of the Hunger Games up to that point. Collins seems in a hurry to lay the groundwork for the rest of the series, which is understandable, but perhaps not worth rushing the end for. The foundation's laid pretty well throughout the novel, I think.
The last thing I'll say, and this is truly nit-picky, is that somebody needs to lay off the commas, or be less concerned about her word count, or something. Part of the problem with the writing style is that it is trying to be brief and to the point, but is also trying to sound conversational. Again, that's a hard skill to master, and I think that had Ms. Collins chose to be the tiniest bit more free with her words (say, using an "and" instead of merely a comma) the result would be more enjoyable and natural to read.
As I said before, I'm a little over YA fantasy fiction, so feel free to discount my opinions here. The Hunger Games was a fine way to spend a couple of afternoons, but I didn't feel that it was particularly deserving of all the hype. Maybe the next two books get better? I'm not really sure I'm inclined to find out, and that's kind of the gist of what I have to say about this novel. If a first book doesn't truly compel me to want to read the others, then it hasn't done its job.
PS: Jennifer Lawrence is, IMO, a really crappy choice as the star of the inevitable and upcoming film adaptation. I wish her luck.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
CBR Book 14: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a reasonably touching historical fiction about the German Occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II, disguised as a charming little story about quirky people who like to read and write letters. Juliet Ashton is a young authoress in London immediately following the events of the war. She's just come off a book tour for a series of vignettes regarding the war, and is burned out by it all when she receives a letter from a man who has somehow come across a book that once belonged to her. Soon she is corresponding with various members, and is drawn into the world of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and is fascinated by their stories of the occupation. Eventually, she reaches the determination to write about the experiences of the people of Guernsey, and goes there to do further research. What she finds is much more than anticipated: friends, family, and love.
What can I say? I love epistolary novels. I'm not sure why ... it might be because I find characters and character development to be the most important aspects of a novel, and when the story is told through the eyes of the characters themselves, you get so much of them along with the story. This novel is no exception. The characters are nothing particularly exciting, but they're warm and somehow familiar. The stories, though, are fascinating. I thought I was reading something light and fun, but the stories about the Germans, some good and some bad, are touching and poignant. The overall tenor of the novel is one of weariness and cautious emergence. People are almost afraid to hope again, to laugh and to love. In that sense, it seems as if there's almost an excuse for the characters to be slightly less than dynamic. They've shut their true selves away in order to survive the war, and they're just now starting to open up again.
All in all, a fun and thoughtful little read that will take you an afternoon. Charming and not without a couple of twists and turns to keep you guessing, at least a little bit.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a reasonably touching historical fiction about the German Occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II, disguised as a charming little story about quirky people who like to read and write letters. Juliet Ashton is a young authoress in London immediately following the events of the war. She's just come off a book tour for a series of vignettes regarding the war, and is burned out by it all when she receives a letter from a man who has somehow come across a book that once belonged to her. Soon she is corresponding with various members, and is drawn into the world of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and is fascinated by their stories of the occupation. Eventually, she reaches the determination to write about the experiences of the people of Guernsey, and goes there to do further research. What she finds is much more than anticipated: friends, family, and love.
What can I say? I love epistolary novels. I'm not sure why ... it might be because I find characters and character development to be the most important aspects of a novel, and when the story is told through the eyes of the characters themselves, you get so much of them along with the story. This novel is no exception. The characters are nothing particularly exciting, but they're warm and somehow familiar. The stories, though, are fascinating. I thought I was reading something light and fun, but the stories about the Germans, some good and some bad, are touching and poignant. The overall tenor of the novel is one of weariness and cautious emergence. People are almost afraid to hope again, to laugh and to love. In that sense, it seems as if there's almost an excuse for the characters to be slightly less than dynamic. They've shut their true selves away in order to survive the war, and they're just now starting to open up again.
All in all, a fun and thoughtful little read that will take you an afternoon. Charming and not without a couple of twists and turns to keep you guessing, at least a little bit.
Friday, March 18, 2011
CBR Book 13: Judi Dench: With a crack in her voice
Judi Dench: With a crack in her voice, by John Miller.
Were you aware that Judi Dench is awesome? You probably were, but if you'd like to know a little bit more about her awesomeness, you should read this biography. It's pretty interesting, but it does come with some caveats.
1. If you ever entertained any notions of a career in theater but went on to do something practical, like be a librarian, this book will make you regret this choice. 2. You will be forever regretful of all the amazing theatrical performances you had no opportunity of seeing. I'm not just talking about Dame Judi's (although, my god); she talks about seeing other performances as well. For instance: Did you know that Ciaran Hinds originated the role of Larry in Closer on the stage? Gah. 3. You will be sorely tempted to quit your job and spend the next six months reading all the plays that get talked about. You're still not all the way through the entirety of Shakespeare, and you've read almost no Chekhov and you're ashamed.
If you can get past all that, though, it's a good read. It's a little bit confusing organizationally, but it's mostly just amazing, the career that woman's had. It really speaks a lot to the differences, perhaps, in how acting and showbiz works in the UK as opposed to the US. Judi Dench was a tremendous deal over there (and to people really in the know here) long before she became a noted film actress. She had done practically everything there was to be done in terms of Shakespeare, and done it with everyone who was anyone. For her to become a noted film actress seems really almost like a postscript.
Perhaps my view is a little cynical, but that's a far cry from how it sometimes seems that actresses "make it big" here in the US ... somebody says "Gosh, you've got a pretty face," and the next thing you know, you're having a screen-test. That's not entirely fair, of course. In the last bio I read, of Katharine Hepburn, she'd certainly done a fair amount of stage work before she headed West. Still, she hadn't had the formal training that Dench did (she attended a dramatic arts school of note), and she hadn't been doing the really classic stuff. Her first major role wasn't Ophelia for the Old Vic. Ok, fine, maybe I'm just a snob.
Anyway, it's a really interesting glimpse into the life of Dame Judi. It's not at all a "sit down and talk to your subject" kind of thing, rather, the biographer, John Miller, followed Dench around and watched her rehearse, talked to her directors and her peers, and has composed his sense of who she is from the stories told by others. She's a born leader, a practical joker par excellence, and a force of nature on-stage, apparently. And she's played practically everything worth playing. She probably won an award for it. She didn't like being Portia or Regan. She was supposed to originate a couple of roles in Cats, but she tore her Achilles tendon. She has actually directed a fair amount of plays, the first being Much Ado About Nothing, starring Kenneth Branagh (for whose company she was asked to direct) and Samantha Bond.
Yeah, I'm kind of in awe now. In all honesty, she sounds like an amazing person, but I think the biography is much more interesting in its stories about acting and the British stage. If you have an interest in any of these things (and you're probably a Pajiban, so it's possible?), I'd recommend this book. But only if you've got time to read the entire works of Shakespeare afterward.
Were you aware that Judi Dench is awesome? You probably were, but if you'd like to know a little bit more about her awesomeness, you should read this biography. It's pretty interesting, but it does come with some caveats.
1. If you ever entertained any notions of a career in theater but went on to do something practical, like be a librarian, this book will make you regret this choice. 2. You will be forever regretful of all the amazing theatrical performances you had no opportunity of seeing. I'm not just talking about Dame Judi's (although, my god); she talks about seeing other performances as well. For instance: Did you know that Ciaran Hinds originated the role of Larry in Closer on the stage? Gah. 3. You will be sorely tempted to quit your job and spend the next six months reading all the plays that get talked about. You're still not all the way through the entirety of Shakespeare, and you've read almost no Chekhov and you're ashamed.
If you can get past all that, though, it's a good read. It's a little bit confusing organizationally, but it's mostly just amazing, the career that woman's had. It really speaks a lot to the differences, perhaps, in how acting and showbiz works in the UK as opposed to the US. Judi Dench was a tremendous deal over there (and to people really in the know here) long before she became a noted film actress. She had done practically everything there was to be done in terms of Shakespeare, and done it with everyone who was anyone. For her to become a noted film actress seems really almost like a postscript.
Perhaps my view is a little cynical, but that's a far cry from how it sometimes seems that actresses "make it big" here in the US ... somebody says "Gosh, you've got a pretty face," and the next thing you know, you're having a screen-test. That's not entirely fair, of course. In the last bio I read, of Katharine Hepburn, she'd certainly done a fair amount of stage work before she headed West. Still, she hadn't had the formal training that Dench did (she attended a dramatic arts school of note), and she hadn't been doing the really classic stuff. Her first major role wasn't Ophelia for the Old Vic. Ok, fine, maybe I'm just a snob.
Anyway, it's a really interesting glimpse into the life of Dame Judi. It's not at all a "sit down and talk to your subject" kind of thing, rather, the biographer, John Miller, followed Dench around and watched her rehearse, talked to her directors and her peers, and has composed his sense of who she is from the stories told by others. She's a born leader, a practical joker par excellence, and a force of nature on-stage, apparently. And she's played practically everything worth playing. She probably won an award for it. She didn't like being Portia or Regan. She was supposed to originate a couple of roles in Cats, but she tore her Achilles tendon. She has actually directed a fair amount of plays, the first being Much Ado About Nothing, starring Kenneth Branagh (for whose company she was asked to direct) and Samantha Bond.
Yeah, I'm kind of in awe now. In all honesty, she sounds like an amazing person, but I think the biography is much more interesting in its stories about acting and the British stage. If you have an interest in any of these things (and you're probably a Pajiban, so it's possible?), I'd recommend this book. But only if you've got time to read the entire works of Shakespeare afterward.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Open Letter, part 552?
Dear celebrities,
I like to look at pictures of you. It's mostly for the clothes. However, when recently perusing a gallery of "grocery store looks" (because I don't get outfit ideas from the gowns you wear to award shows), I noticed something. NONE OF YOU ARE USING REUSABLE BAGS. Really?? C'mon, now. Surely some of you drive a Prius and recycle a bit. God knows you can afford designer grocery bags, or some such nonsense, since you clearly all shop at Whole Foods. And yeah, you're shopping at Whole Foods. Theoretically that means you care about organic and/or sustainable food, although maybe that's just because it's trendy, and more expensive than shopping at Ralph's?
Anyway, get with the program. Reusable bags. Before long, teen-aged girls will be writing into People.com to ask where J-Lo got her adorable leopard-print shopping bag, and the world will be a better place. Seriously.
Kisses,
Me
I like to look at pictures of you. It's mostly for the clothes. However, when recently perusing a gallery of "grocery store looks" (because I don't get outfit ideas from the gowns you wear to award shows), I noticed something. NONE OF YOU ARE USING REUSABLE BAGS. Really?? C'mon, now. Surely some of you drive a Prius and recycle a bit. God knows you can afford designer grocery bags, or some such nonsense, since you clearly all shop at Whole Foods. And yeah, you're shopping at Whole Foods. Theoretically that means you care about organic and/or sustainable food, although maybe that's just because it's trendy, and more expensive than shopping at Ralph's?
Anyway, get with the program. Reusable bags. Before long, teen-aged girls will be writing into People.com to ask where J-Lo got her adorable leopard-print shopping bag, and the world will be a better place. Seriously.
Kisses,
Me
Saturday, March 05, 2011
CBR Book 12: Among Others
Among Others, by Jo Walton.
You would think that combining a love of science fiction, fairies, libraries, magic, and Wales would be a winning combination. At least it would be for me. But somehow, Jo Walton misses the mark. Perhaps she has read too much SF, which I generally find to be lacking in terms of the writing and characterization ... she should branch out and read more fantasy, or literature, or something.
Among Others is about Mori, a Welsh teenager in the late 70s/early 80s, who is adjusting to a new life. Her mother is, as she puts it, a "mad witch," she has lost her twin sister, and she has been more or less taken in by her estranged father and his three half-sisters, who send Mori to a snooty English private school. The things that make Mori tick are science fiction, magic, and interacting with fairies. The story is about Mori coming to terms with the loss of her twin, learning the boundaries of magic, and mostly just growing up and accepting herself.
Although Mori is rather an interesting character, her voice (the narrative is her diary) is not very compelling. Despite the nature of her adventures (fairies and magic and all), she's very dry. It's not that flowery language is a necessity when dealing with fantasy, but one just never feels that one really gets into Mori's head, somehow. The structure of the novel and the progression of the story does work well ... it is dryer and less interesting early on, but opens up as Mori herself grows and finds the places where she fits in.
Another issue is all the references. It's a very hard thing to use very specific knowledge in a novel, I think. If you throw in too much of it, and it's too esoteric, your reader is largely left scratching his (merely a literary pronoun, deal with it) head and wondering what on earth you're talking about. Mostly, it's just kind of annoying. I grew up with a lot of sci fi/fantasy, but I definitely moved more towards fantasy and "regular" literature as I grew up. I recognize most of the names of authors that Walton throws out, but I certainly haven't read all of their work, so I feel as though I'm missing some added depth to the novel. I think maybe what Walton was trying to do was negate the typical lumping together of sci fi and fantasy ... Mori definitely moves back and forth between a more practical, almost clinical view of the world and the sort of "old knowledge" of fairies and the connections between things.
All in all, a disappointment. It's as though Walton took that list of things: science fiction, magic, fairies, libraries, and decided to write a novel that somehow incorporated them. She more or less succeeded, but perhaps she spent more time developing on those subjects than on her characters themselves? In the end, it's clear that Mori has grown, that she's learned something, and so she's not a completely static character; but I wouldn't call her terrifically dynamic, either. It's interesting as a twist on the usual "coming of age" story, but it doesn't quite stand up on its own legs, in my opinion.
You would think that combining a love of science fiction, fairies, libraries, magic, and Wales would be a winning combination. At least it would be for me. But somehow, Jo Walton misses the mark. Perhaps she has read too much SF, which I generally find to be lacking in terms of the writing and characterization ... she should branch out and read more fantasy, or literature, or something.
Among Others is about Mori, a Welsh teenager in the late 70s/early 80s, who is adjusting to a new life. Her mother is, as she puts it, a "mad witch," she has lost her twin sister, and she has been more or less taken in by her estranged father and his three half-sisters, who send Mori to a snooty English private school. The things that make Mori tick are science fiction, magic, and interacting with fairies. The story is about Mori coming to terms with the loss of her twin, learning the boundaries of magic, and mostly just growing up and accepting herself.
Although Mori is rather an interesting character, her voice (the narrative is her diary) is not very compelling. Despite the nature of her adventures (fairies and magic and all), she's very dry. It's not that flowery language is a necessity when dealing with fantasy, but one just never feels that one really gets into Mori's head, somehow. The structure of the novel and the progression of the story does work well ... it is dryer and less interesting early on, but opens up as Mori herself grows and finds the places where she fits in.
Another issue is all the references. It's a very hard thing to use very specific knowledge in a novel, I think. If you throw in too much of it, and it's too esoteric, your reader is largely left scratching his (merely a literary pronoun, deal with it) head and wondering what on earth you're talking about. Mostly, it's just kind of annoying. I grew up with a lot of sci fi/fantasy, but I definitely moved more towards fantasy and "regular" literature as I grew up. I recognize most of the names of authors that Walton throws out, but I certainly haven't read all of their work, so I feel as though I'm missing some added depth to the novel. I think maybe what Walton was trying to do was negate the typical lumping together of sci fi and fantasy ... Mori definitely moves back and forth between a more practical, almost clinical view of the world and the sort of "old knowledge" of fairies and the connections between things.
All in all, a disappointment. It's as though Walton took that list of things: science fiction, magic, fairies, libraries, and decided to write a novel that somehow incorporated them. She more or less succeeded, but perhaps she spent more time developing on those subjects than on her characters themselves? In the end, it's clear that Mori has grown, that she's learned something, and so she's not a completely static character; but I wouldn't call her terrifically dynamic, either. It's interesting as a twist on the usual "coming of age" story, but it doesn't quite stand up on its own legs, in my opinion.
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