Before the Hunger Games Movie - Book Trailers!

So I am in New York right now, the last day of my first National book tour. I will show you a couple of photos taken in the theater of the STARTERS book trailer playing during the film trailers before the Hunger Games film. Ally Carter's book trailer played right after mine, which was fun. Then it went onto movie trailers.

I liked the Hunger Games film very much. There was one thing that I really missed from the book, but I won't mention it here as it's only been out less than a week. And you can probably guess what it was.

To celebrate the end of my tour (and I will move onto more general topics now, I promise), I'm giving away one AUDIOBOOK of Starters. These are several CDs, unabridged. You can listen while driving, or riding the train. It was recorded by the same company that did some of the Twilight recordings as well as Eragon, Potter, etc.

Just comment why you want to win it and give me a week to pick one.

Going back to the Hunger Games + Favorite Re-Reads

Did you go to see the Hunger Games movie last weekend? I saw it Thursday night (my reactions here), and once I got home, I had to flip through my copy of the book to see what liberties the filmmakers had made with dialogue and plot.  As it turned out, this was a rather bad idea because I got sucked back in and ended up spending the entirety of my weekend rereading the entire trilogy (yes, even Mockingjay).

This may not seem that strange to many of you, but for me, it was an exception.  Since I started book blogging in 2008, I have only reread one other book (A Wrinkle in Time).  I just have too many other commitments to justify reading a book I've already read. But I simply could not stop myself.

And now, I have to admit, I understand the value of a reread.  While rereading The Hunger Games, I caught a lot of little things that I couldn't have the first time around.  For example, was it by design that the first time Rue approaches Katniss at training, Katniss is holding a spear? As someone who has written and revised a novel now, I think it must be. It's kind of a brutal poetic symmetry that Rue dies in front of Katniss, pierced by a spear.

In general, the reread gave me a greater appreciation for Collins' craft - the genius way she put parts together. A first read may be more thrilling, but a careful second read allows words and ideas to resonate more fully. Case in point: I am currently caught up in the idea of Peeta as Katniss' dandelion, and all that symbolizes, in a way I wasn't before.

Will you reread The Hunger Games? Have you? What other books do you count among your favorite rereads?

One of my favorites, before my book blogging days, was Connie Willis' The Doomsday Book.  I have read my mass-market paperback so many times, it's practically falling apart.  I love the blend of time travel with historical fiction (the plague!).  The plot is clever and well-executed and the characters burrow so deep into my heart, I cry each and every time I read it.  I may well find myself rereading it again soon ...

The Hunger Games owes its success to me

I recently read this fascinating article over at Salon.com entitled The Making of a Blockbuster detailing crucial early publisher and bookseller efforts to push THE HUNGER GAMES.

Since the movie comes out this Thursday (here in Germany at least), and I have my pre-ordered tickets in hand, I thought I'd take a trip down memory lane and tell you all about my experience fangirling and evangelizing THE HUNGER GAMES.

I first heard about the book the first day of August 2008.  Back in those early days of my book blogging (I started reviewing books on Presenting Lenore in April 2008), I used to frequent contest boards, hoping to score advance reader copies (ARCs), which were much less plentiful to book bloggers then.  I happened upon a contest from Scholastic giving away 100 copies of THE HUNGER GAMES - and my immediate thought was: "This is going to be HUGE".  I had to have this book.  Unfortunately, the contest had already closed, so being the cheeky newbie blogger I was, I e-mailed a Scholastic rep begging for a copy on August 3, 2008.

Fortunately, the Scholastic rep met my groveling with enthusiasm and sent out a copy to my US address.  I pestered my dad about it every day until it arrived and made him send it to me to Germany immediately.  It finally arrived on August 22, 2008 and I tore through it in one day.  I reviewed it on my blog on September 5, 2008.

And then I told everyone about it.  I made my husband read it, who in turn made sure all four of his brothers read it once the German translation came out.  We bought many copies as birthday and Christmas gifts. I even chose it for my book club even though up until then we'd only read adult titles.  (By now, nearly everyone I know has read it, including my father who had never read YA before and my reluctant reader step-sister)

When I heard Suzanne Collins was going to be signing CATCHING FIRE at Book Expo America 2009, I knew I had to get to NYC that May.  My Friend Amy and Booking Mama will recall hightailing it to the Javits at 5 am in the rain with me to stand in the ticket line for CATCHING FIRE.  We were that obsessed.

I read CATCHING FIRE on the rooftop of a Barcelona hotel sipping cocktails. My heart was pounding the entire time: would it live up to the hype I had created in my head for it?  Though I didn't love it as much as the first book, it was still one of my favorite books of 2009, (My CATCHING FIRE review) and it left me dying for MOCKINGJAY.

Largely due to my rabid fandom, I was chosen to be a part of the official 13 District Blog Tour in August 2010 for the launch of MOCKINGJAY.  As the rep from District 10, I offered a HUNGER GAMES playlist and a very special iPod Touch.  It probably comes to no surprise to you that this post is my all-time most visited with over 10,000 page views to date. I wasn't the first to review MOCKINGJAY (darn German mail system), but at the time, I gave it 4/5 Zombie Chickens. (I'd be more likely to give it less chickens these days - it's by far my least favorite of the books).

And now we come to the movie, the soundtrack (my favorite song so far is Abraham's Daughter by Arcade Fire), and the endless merch (um... who needs a Peeta pillowcase?!)  I'm preparing for the movie by reading this HUNGER GAMES make-up tutorial by Forever Young Adult.  How about you?

What was your HUNGER GAMES journey?  I'd love to hear all about it!

Hungry For HUNGER GAMES, the Movie?

Me too. I can't wait. So here are some samples of merchandise that I couldn't resist.

I just got these, so no reviews, just showing off. And alerting you, in case they do run out. Starting with the funniest, there is the Harvard Lampoon parody.

THE HUNGER PAINS.

Then we have the Official Illustrated Movie Companion.

Next up, The Tribute Guide.

Then an anthology of authors writing about the Hunger Games.

Finally, an unofficial book, a cookbook!

This is a game that was sold about a year or two ago. I know they are selling another game now. It could be the same in different packaging?

I wasn't kidding about merchandise selling out. I think the single posters are already out of stock of Katniss and the guys. There are also bracelets, watches, pencils, some of which are not available yet. And much more. You all must have heard about the nail polish fiasco?

And it's only the beginning.

So maybe you guys aren't as nerdy as I am. Or maybe you are? Anyone have any favorite movie memorabilia from a film based on a book?

Why Is The Hunger Games So Popular?

Okay, so we could discuss lots of things that makes The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and now Mockingjay so popular. The inventive plot. The quick pacing. The fact that it strikes a fear in our hearts, makes us realize what our world could become.

For me, it's the characters. Let's examine.

Katniss Everdeen: She's brave, even when she doesn't want to be. Everything she does, she's not sure about. (Who doesn't feel like that?) When she thinks she's screwed up, or when she's just doing what's natural, it comes across as being heroic, beautiful. (Who doesn't want their normal, everyday actions to influence people's lives?) She's loyal and caring, but at the same time she's got her opinions and she's not afraid to let anyone know.

She's brilliant.

Peeta Mellark: He's quiet, reserved, and undoubtedly in love with Katniss. His motives are purely to make sure she stays safe--or as safe as possible. (Who doesn't want someone like that in their life?) He's talented with paint and flour, sensitive, yet ferocious. (Who doesn't want a man who can cook as well as offer protection?)

He's adorable.

Gale Hawthorne: He's the childhood friend, the strong silent one through the first two books. (Don't worry, no spoilers here.) He's Katniss's equal in strength, in cunning, in temperament. (Who doesn't want someone who completes them in every way?) Even though he's not around much during the Games, he worms his way into the arena, into the reader's hearts.

He's swoonworthy. (Yeah, okay, I'm on Team Gale.)

President Snow: He's evil personified. The way he threatens Katniss in those subtle ways, the way he takes the individual pieces of her life and crunches them before her eyes. *shudder*

He's the perfect antagonist.

I could go on and on about Cinna and Haymitch and Rue and about a dozen others. I won't. Instead, I turn it over to you. Who do you love in The Hunger Games or Catching Fire? Why do you love them so much?

Also, if you think there's another reason for The Hunger Games coolness factor, spill spill! I'd love to discuss what makes this book (series) so successful.

Are the Games Believable?

Recently, author Nancy Kress—of whom I’m a big fan, btw—blogged that THE HUNGER GAMES trilogy disturbed her. She praised many things about the books: good writing, excitement, and an appealing heroine. And, the violence didn't particularly disturb her. What got Kress was the "psychological implausibility" of the premise:

We're expected to believe that torturing their children keeps parents passive, rather than as enraged as a she-bear with cubs.

I don't believe it. Parents would not passively send twelve-year-olds, year after year, to torture. An entire population would not watch these televised Games without a resistance movement arising sooner than 75 years.

Does she have a point? Wouldn’t parents do everything to protect their kids? We’d certainly like to think we’d go all “Mama Grizzly” when anyone came after our cubs.

So, why didn’t the parents become enraged she-bears in THE HUNGER GAMES?

Let's start with the back story. The Capital has thrust the games on the populace as a measure of control. The games are supposed to demoralize the people, who are already living at subsistence levels (at least in most of the districts). And, an earlier uprising resulted in the obliteration of District 13. So, under the fear of reprisals—which may also include becoming voiceless slaves in the Capital—parents grudgingly stand by while their child is selected for the Games. Certainly, some parents must fight back or hide their children, but hungry and scared people will do things we well-fed citizens of democracy may shudder at—just to keep the rest of their family alive.

What about our world? Kress writes that “not even Rome had child gladiators.” Maybe not. But here and now, thousands upon thousands of children are trafficked for:

• Soldiers
  
• Sex slaves
  
• Labor (e.g., diamond mines)
  
• Sports (e.g., camel jockeys)
  

Today’s child gladiators are wielding AK-47s (or whatever is the gun of choice). Very often the kids are abducted; in other cases, though, the children are sold by their families. (Yes, I know these are the horrible exceptions to the proverbial rule. And I do think most parents in the world are decent parents, but, let’s face it, we humans are capable of doing some crappy things to our kids.)

So, I'm willing to suspend disbelief and buy the premise of the Games. And so are many, many other adult readers.

However, does it really matter if THE HUNGER GAMES trilogy is psychologically believable from our perspective? Is the experience of the Games really about what might happen in the future? Or is the story more about being a teenager now? Maybe the story resonates—and is thus psychologically believable—because it’s about the feeling trapped in a system outside your own control (like school) and being forced to compete with your peers.

What do you all think? Is the premise of Suzanne Collins’ fantastic trilogy plausible—psychologically or otherwise? Do the Games need to be believable for both adults and teens? Discuss.

Are We Getting Close to The Hunger Games?

I despise reality TV.

No, seriously--Jersey Shore, The Real Housewives of NJ, Keeping up with the Kardashians, the one where that vile woman hooks millionaires up with bimbos--they make me crazy.  I know, I know, I shouldn't take them so seriously but they key off this knee jerk anger in me.

Why?

Well for one, see above. That's a picture of the aftermath when Jersey Shore Cast member Nicole Polizzi (Snooki) was punched in the face by some agro meathead at a bar while filming the show. Reality TV is a form that revels in this kind of ugliness.  When the inevitable violence breaks out there's some pro forma handwringing (generally done over a video loop of said violence) and then it's back to business. I've never considered myself to be of delicate sensibilities, but I just can't take it.

The other reason is the manipulation involved. It's not exactly breaking news that reality TV isn't real. That reality TV is a misnomer isn't what bothers me though, what bothers me is how the form takes real three dimensional human beings gives them nicknames and reduces them to a stock series of (usually ugly) personality traits and contrived story arcs. Not only does this dehumanize the participants but it asks us to look at other people as objects that exist for our amusement.

Young girl punched in the face at a bar? That's not Nicole Polizzi, 22 year old from New York. That's just Snooki. That's entertainment. Doesn't that dehumanize us too?

As Beth discussed yesterday, one of Suzanne Collins' inspirations for The Hunger Games was classical myths. Well the other one was, you guessed it, reality TV. Collins said she was watching TV late one night, flipping past a barrage of reality TV shows that got mixed in with news of the Iraq war and Katniss and The Hunger Games was born from that combination.

I think one way to look at the series is as a very biting comment on this kind of "reality" spectacle. Sure, maybe we don't watch young people kill each other, but we do watch humiliation and violence (again, see above) and horrendous misogyny. Sometimes we pause for a moment of uplift, but then it's right back in the gutter.

Maybe what we see in the Hunger Games is an escalation of all the programs that show us hordes of  the most abhorrent people imaginable--the vain, the intolerant, the deluded, the rageaholics--trapped in shore houses and McMansions clawing at each other on their way to....what?

A little bit of money? Fame? The validation that comes from being seen?

I mean, geez, at least Katniss was fighting for her life!

In what way do you guys see Collins using Katniss and the struggles of her fellow tributes to comment on reality TV? How does the fact that all these people are on a reality TV show effect the plot of the story? Also what does this sort of reality game say about the government that sponsors it and the people who watch it?

(PS: Ok maybe not all reality TV is awful.  I have to admit that I'm a big Project Runway and Top Chef fan. At least nobody is getting punched out on those.)

Getting Ready for Book Club (and Mockingjay)

Next week, we’ll be discussing Suzanne Collins’ books THE HUNGER GAMES and CATCHING FIRE. (And don’t forget the MOCKINGJAY giveaway!) So, this week I thought I’d give everyone who hasn’t read them (or needs a little reminder) a brief run-down on both books. I’ll try to stay clear of the spoilers as much as possible.

Hunger Games

In the ruins of what was once North America, the nation of Panem is divided into twelve districts, with the Capital controlling all with a very tight fist. Katniss Everdeen (16) lives in the 12th district. She and her friend Gale hunt and forage for food in the forest surrounding their impoverished mining district. Both of them provide the main source of food for their families. Life is hard in most of the districts, and the Capital makes it even harder once a year. During the Reaping, two teenage tributes from each district are chosen by lottery to fight to death in the Hunger Games. When her baby sister, Prim, is chosen from District 12, Katniss volunteers to take her place. Along with Peeta, the baker’s son, she travels to the Capital and competes in the games.

Catching Fire (Spoilers!)

Katniss wins the Hunger Games (and saves Peeta) with an act of defiance against the Capital. She and Peeta travel back to District 12 as victors. However, the Capital isn’t done with them. The President sends them on a rather cruel Victory Tour of the districts. And, every 25 years, the Capital can add a special twist to the Hunger Games. The Capital announces that the 75th Hunger Games will pit past victors of the games against each other. Katniss and Peeta will have to fight in the games again. Meanwhile, talk of rebellion is spreading through the districts.


For those of you who have read the books, what District would you represent? (Being from Southwest Virginia, I’m pretty sure I’d be in District 12, aka the Seam.) What were your favorite parts of either book? Why do you think these books have become so extraordinarily popular?

btw, don't forget to register for the Mockingjay giveaway! Please don't sign up more than once, though.

August Book Club Selection

Since MOCKINGJAY will be coming out at the end of the month, August's Book Club selection is the HUNGER GAMES / CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins. So, read one or both books (as if you haven't already), and swing by the blog during the week of August 23rd to discuss!