55. The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games #1 Suzanne Collins. 2008. 374 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.

I have seen the movie more than I've read the book. I *believe* that this is my third time to read the novel. And it appears that the last time I actually read the book was October of 2012! I'm surprised by that. 

This has been 'the year' for me revisiting this series. I've reread The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. I've seen that movie adaptation twice. I've binged my way through the original movie trilogy. I've been intending to actually read the books themselves again. There is another 'prequel' coming next year, I think. 

As I said, I've watched the movie so many times since 2012, it was so refreshing to discover--rediscover--the DEPTH and substance of the book itself. There are so many layers. Especially when you add in what you've learned from the prequel. One thing that may be super-super-super obvious is that Katniss (our heroine) is BROKEN and traumatized from the moment we meet her. She is strong and resilient and a bit hardened. But the death of her father, the failing of her mother to be an adult, a parent, the HARSH realities of the district, these have made the Katniss we know. She's a provider, a survivor. The Games definitely contributed to her PTSD, her trauma-induced mental and emotional distress, but it wasn't only the games. Life in district 12 is hard--difficult. Raising yourself and your sister is difficult. 

I also was detail focused as I was rereading trying to observe things about all the districts and the characters--no matter how small--themselves. Again, so many layers if you've mainly spent time with the movies.

I do plan on reading the other books in this series. Rereading that is. 2012 may feel like a few years ago, but it's over ten.

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