Book Review: The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins | Lara Pass

*** - 3 Stars

This week, I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Although I was fairly late on the bandwagon with this one, I wasn't this late. I have read this book series more than once and I thought now would be a good time to review it. I always feel sceptical of reviewing books the first time you've read them. I think the books are sort of glorified in a way. Especially when there is so much hype around a particular book or series and I realised that I feel exactly the same about this book. I feel like the first time I read it, it was very glorified and it takes a few times reading it though to actually be able to review it properly. Instead of looking at it as an exciting new book that I get to read, I get to read this again taking the time to actually think about whether I like the writing style, what I think doesn't work in it etc., etc.

I do like this book. I'm not going to say it's a bad book because it's not. In actual fact I think it is a very good book and is well written. However, I gave this three stars because the story just doesn't appeal to me all that much. I think dystopias are never going to be my cup of tea. They're always going to be a bit to samey for me. I am a girl that loves classical literature and that time period and dystopias are the complete opposite but I do try and view a book objectively and I won't completely rule a book our just because it's not something I would usually read. I just feel that some points of this book were poorly executed. The other thing that really annoyed me is – as with every YA book now – it has a love triangle. Twilight (Stephanie Meyer) was the first big YA series that had a love triangle and that now seems to be the formulae for every book series now. Love triangles, defying the odds, a pretty heroine that doesn't know how beautiful she is and it is starting to drive me around the bend because I feel like I'm never reading anything new. Obviously, first impressions, I'll love the book if I read it all the way through. But then I'll read it again in a few months' time more objectively and realize that it's just like every other book that's been published. Nothing new and interesting is coming by anymore. People keep writing more of the same and it's tiring.

I do like your books and your writing style Suzanne Collins but originality is key and although the story itself is original, the love triangle, the girl who doesn't know how beautiful she is etc., just don't work. I gave this book 3 stars.