Prof. Tarma Amelia Black wrote:Of those interviewed, I remember most two people in particular who were vehement about the book and the movie. The persons who plays Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) and President Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland) both were passionate about the book and the movie. I think they both did wonderfully in portraying their characters.
1. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Elizabeth Banks. She is amazing, and did amazing in the movie, and was pretty close to the person i imagined wild reading.
2. Donald Sutherland also did great! There were choices made that I wouldn't have picked, but its my understanding that most of those were directing choices and not his.
ANYWHO, back to the book!
This is probably the only series that, like Harry Potter, I read as they were coming out, rather than waiting for several of them to be out and see how the reviews are. My aunt gave me a copy of the first book for Christmas my sophomore year of college. I actually really liked it, and have reread it before each book (and subsequent movie) came out.
My first thought while re-reading this, was why is Katniss doing the hunting? Once again, here is another YA book where the family is run by the teen because the adult is inept, and the same is true of her best friend Gale. Why does this appeal to us so?
Reading how the reaping is described reminds me of a lot of low-income family systems. "You can have more if you go into more debt," or in this case have more chances to be chosen. I wonder why the ages were set 12-18? surely over 18 could still be acceptable, but 12 is very young to have to fight for your life.
I wonder what the other District 12 champion was like?
I thought it was interesting that District 12 is what used to be Appalachia; that's not far from where i grew up! When I was home for spring break after finishing this book i drove around with my younger sister and speculated about the various areas and what it would be like in the post-rebellion world of District 12.
I loved the description of the Justice Building, it really brought up the contrast between the rich and the poor in District 12, which makes the contrast between 12 and the Capital later that much more terrible.