Starting Catching Fire
I’ve just started Catching Fire. I’m not going to do the chapter-by-chapter posts unless someone asks for them, but I’ll write up my thoughts when I’m finished. I’ve got Mockingjay in hand, so I can sweep straight into that when I’m done. This will post on Saturday, if I had to guess, I’d say my Catching Fire review will be up on Sunday.
Is there anything you’re wondering about my reactions? Anything I should keep an eye out for?
Do you have a favorite moment or costume? I want to know all about it!
I’m keeping this short because it’s late and I’ve still got some letters to write for LetterMo. So, have a happy Saturday!
Book Review: Libriomancer
Hey, look, it’s not another Hunger Games post! Instead of talking about teens killing each other for a rich and bloated minority, I thought we’d talk about books and the magic that a special reader can draw out of them. That’s right, we’re talking about Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines. After rather too long admiring his cover poses, and blog posts, but not actually reading any of his fiction, I finally picked up one of Jim Hines’s books on an Audible sale and I whipped through it in three days. That’s fairly quick for me to get through an audiobook unless I’ve got a major car trip, which I didn’t.
I’ve been a fan of Jim Hines the man for a long time. Let’s talk a little bit about that before I get into the book itself. Jim does lots of posts that are interesting to me. He’s probably most well known on the internet as the guy who puts on weird outfits and poses like women on book covers. Which is true. He does. It all started when he wrote a post about how ridiculous most of the cover poses were for women on speculative fiction covers. To prove his point, he tried to contort himself into some of those positions. It kind of grew from there. There’s even a calendar now!
He even got John Scalzi involved! I appreciate that both men obviously put some effort into finding shoes. And it’s nice that Scalzi took it the extra step and got a wig. So, why do I love this man who is wiling to humiliate himself (and endanger his joints) in the name of feminism?
Here’s what Jim has to say about the whole thing:
The Takeaway
It’s easy to point and blame the artists, but publishing a book is like making sausage, and there’s an awful lot that goes into the final product. The art director at gives the artist a certain direction. The sales department has ideas about what they need to make it marketable. Bookstore chains have been known to reject books based on covers they didn’t think would sell. Then there are the readers-if they keep buying boob-and-butt books, publishers will keep putting them out. And of course, all of this is happening in a society still struggling with sexism.
There’s a big conversation to be had here, and I believe it’s an important one. I’m both grateful and overwhelmed by the response to this project and the discussion it’s generated.
To be clear, nobody’s saying sexuality is bad, or that poses showing off a model’s body are bad. But wouldn’t it be nice if we could get cover art that
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Was true to the book and characters
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Didn’t routinely reduce women to sexual objects
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Didn’t emphasize women’s sexuality at the expense of strength or agency
That just rocks. So, I’ve liked him ever since I found out about that. But, for some reason, I had a disconnect in my brain between “Hey, I love what this guy is doing!” and “Hey, maybe I should support him with more than page views and a ‘like’ button.” It’s weird. I’ll buy a video game I’m not even sure I can play (Assassin’s Creed: Liberation) because it has a female lead and my response to that is “Take my money so you will learn and give me more of this,” but it took me an incredibly long time to think, “oh, this guy who does a thing I like online where he is witty and entertaining also writes long books where he is probably witty and entertaining and buying them is a tangible way of supporting that.” Yeah, I’m kind of stupid sometimes.
So, I finally picked up Libriomancer, and boy was that rewarding.
The premise of the Magic Ex Libris series is that books, specifically the energy readers put into books, can be harnessed by magicians known as libriomancers. The more people who read a particular edition of a book, the more power that book has. Things that are too powerful (Harry Potter, I’m looking at you) have been locked for safety. There is an organization, founded by Johannes Gutenberg, known as Die Zwelf Portenære, or the Porters. Their job is to keep magic and magical creatures hidden from the mundane world. Everything goes fairly well for centuries.
Isaac Vainio is a semi-retired Porter working in a small-town library in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He hasn’t touched magic for two years, but when several vampires walk into his library and try to kill him, he dives into the books around him to fight back. Disrupters from Star Trek, monofiliment swords from cyberpunk novels, light sabers, ray guns, Excalibur itself; all of these are available to a libriomancer with a big enough library.
A dryad named Lena, and a fire spider named Smudge are his unlikely allies as Isaac finds himself unexpectedly back in the field. Vampires have been attacking Porters, Gutenberg is missing, and Isaac is the only one with the freedom to dive headfirst into the investigation. Unfortunately, all the signs point to a rouge libriomancer being behind the conflicts.
There are a few things I adore about this book (and the second, which I’m listening to now). First, Isaac reads the same kind of books that I do; fantasy and sci-fi. He references some of my favorites – Feed by Mira Grant, Beauty by Robin McKinley, The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. In Codex Born (the second book) he references Tamora Pierce, who is one of my all time favorite authors EVER. Also, I cosplay. I actively try to bring images and artifacts from the books I love to life. How could I not love this idea? My ideal afterlife is to have a library with access to all the books in the world (Beauty, by the way, has just such a library. It’s even better than the one in the Disney movie!) So, the concept is a winner for me to start with.
The other reason I love the book so much is Lena. Lena is a potentially problematic character. She’s a dryad, who was pulled out of a book called Nymphs from Neptune. The (fictional) book was written during the pulp era where men were men and women were sex objects. The nymphs psychically imprint on their lovers and become the ideal mate. Want a curvy blonde who is sassy in public, but a complete sub in the bedroom? That’s what she’ll be. Want a domestic goddess? A sex kitten? A randy nymph right out of Greek myth? Do you want Xena the Warrior Princess? That’s what your nymph lover will become. Lena was literally designed to become the perfect lover.
So how awesome is it that Hines manages to make her a fully fleshed out character. She has desires and self awareness. He talked about her over on Mary Robinette Kowal’s blog. Isaac is interesting. He is, in a way, the same character design as lots of other heroes I like; brash, self-sacrificing, and a total smartass. I like him becauase he’s a well written version of the kind of guy I like to spend some quality reading time with. But Lena is something special.
The Hunger Games, Wrap Up
I’ve finished The Hunger Games and given it a day to sink in. Overall, I liked it, but I wasn’t blown away by it. Granted, at this point, it’s hard for things to really, really impress me. I’m cynical and I’ve read a ridiculous number of books, so my bar is pretty high for something to actively impress me. That being said, I will go on and read the next two. (Yes, the terrible event in Book 3 has already been spoiled for me, so I’m braced for it.) I probably won’t live blog Catching Fire or Mockingjay unless you guys really want me to.
So, The Hunger Games… by the end of the book, I’m still not especially really emotionally attached to Katniss. I feel for Peeta, but sympathy only takes me so far. Peeta isn’t super fleshed out since we only have Katniss’s perceptions of him and Katniss herself is still very emotionally distant from the reader. The two times she has completely unrestrained reactions to things are when Rue dies and when she and Peeta are taken up into the hovercraft.
I supposed that on one level I’m as morbid as the people in the Capitol. I want to see real reactions from her. I want to get into the emotion underneath all her caution and planning. I feel entitled to all of that, which, I’m not. But then again, I’m a reader of a book. If I don’t feel a pull to the material, I’m not going to read the next book. Or the one after that. I’m also the worst of readers (from a sales and marketing perspective), because I’m a quitter. If you don’t keep my interest I will drop your series like a hot potato even if I’m almost done. I still haven’t read the last Charlaine Harris book because I got annoyed with the series. I quit Harry Potter. I quit the Anita Blake books. So, I’m not entitled to a character’s innermost secrets, but at the same time, I don’t owe a book my time if it isn’t keeping my interest.
I’ll read Catching Fire, probably this weekend. And then I’ll decide from there if I’m going to read Mockingjay. I’ll also watch the films and possibly do a comparison post. I’m in an interesting position right now. I’ve read the book. My boy-nugget has seen the first movie. So, we’ve tried to have conversations about the story as I’ve been reading and it’s interesting how many things we just look at each other blankly about.
All in all, I liked it, but I’m not entirely sure why. I was annoyed by lots of things, but I’m always annoyed by things. I know slightly too much about too many subjects (like archery) to read most things without poking at them. I am curious to see how it all plays out, although, I don’t particularly care about the love triangle aspect of things right now. Maybe I will once Gale becomes more prominent. (I’m not holding my breath though.)
The Hunger Games Chapters 25-27
The end is nigh. Winter is coming. It is the end of the 74th Hunger Games.
Chapter 25
Muttations… Yeah, I can’t take that word seriously.
Ok, so the mutts don’t actually have the faces of the other tributes. They’ve got the eyes and the coloring. They’re, presumably, made from the DNA of the dead tributes, but that’s not quite the same thing.
Well, this chapter is terrible. Cato slowly dying, Peeta bleeding, Katniss freezing.
Ah, ok. So, A) the Capitol is a terrible place. And B) I wasn’t entirely wrong about them gaming the system so they could both make it out.
They beat the Capitol with berries. That’s kind of awesome. Although, honestly, I’m sort of surprised they don’t just let Peeta die of his injuries.
Chapter 26
They give her orange juice. Somehow, that seems absurd to me. Maybe I’ve read too many Elizabeth Peters books, but they should obviously be giving her tea.
They fixed her hearing. Huh. I didn’t expect that.
They’re also healing her scars. I didn’t expect that either. But, I suppose the victors are close enough to being part of the Capitol that they have to look as perfect as possible.
Is it strange that I find the idea of a full body polish almost as much of a violation as the games themselves? Probably. Most people wouldn’t want their scars, especially the ones from the games. But all the little nicks and scrapes from her whole life are gone now. I don’t know that I’d recognize my hand without the scar from the IV for my tonsilectomy. I don’t remember what my knee looks like without the big scar under it. Or the tiny one under my eyebrow. They’re part of me. Also, I have tattoos. I got those on purpose. No one has the right to take all of that off me. Katniss doesn’t seem entirely bothered right now, but she’s also a little bit in shock, I think.
And again, I’m liking the simple gown in the book better than the more sophisticated look in the movie. And why is Peeta in blue?
And then I turn the page and find out that they wanted to give her a breast augmentation while she was out. Wow…
Cinna’s dreaminess finally shows that there is depth and calculation under it. But, he still seems to be pretty much on Katniss’s side.
Is it just me, or is the Capitol like that idiot bully from every teen movie ever? He thinks someone is laughing at him and so he has to find a victim to take his anger out on?
And, Haymitch has just confirmed for Katniss that Peeta is in love with her and she still doesn’t really get it.
“And right now, the most dangerous part of the Hunger Games is about to begin.” And you have fourteen pages left. Have fun!
Chapter 27
Peeta is still hurt, but Katniss is in better shape than she’s ever been? On purpose, you think? What am I saying, of course it’s on purpose. The capitol can build dogs out of dead tributes, I’m pretty sure they can fix Peeta’s leg.
Poor Caesar Flickerman. I’ve had those moments on stage where someone just refuses to go on with the scene.
I honestly can’t think of anything worse than having to watch the highlights of the Hunger Games after getting out of there.
President Snow is scary.
Oh, Peeta lost his leg. That makes slightly more sense now.
Poor Peeta. I’m pretty sure the moment beside the tracks with Katniss is worse than when he woke up and found out he was missing a leg.
Obviously, Gale is barely a character for me at this point, but I find it a little odd that Katniss went from ‘nope, no romantic feelings for Gale. Nope, nope, nope.’ to ‘I just don’t know what to do.’ Nothing with Gale has changed, and yes, maybe facing death made her realize feelings that were already there, but that doesn’t quite work for me.
I’ll do my final thoughts tomorrow.
Also, things you discover from tumblr:
So this guy
is this guy
and this girl
is this girl
Mr Bennet sent his own daughter to The Hunger Games.
Twice.
This was put together by returnmysanity on tumblr.
The Hunger Games Chapters 22-24
I’m writing this while I’m cooking dinner. I feel kind of like a terrible person.
Chapter 22
It’s amazing how many people have come up with recipes for this stew. http://www.foodthroughthepages.com/
It’s nice that, at least in her own thoughts, Katniss can admit that she has some affection for her mother.
Peeta is good at being a caregiver. But, in a sense, that’s what he’s always tried to do with Katniss.
Did Peeta just admit that he’s had a crush on Katniss since she was 11?
I feel for Peeta if the crush is genuine. He’s got to be thinking that she’s actually got feelings for him, but she’s still trying to map all the angles.
“Because when he sings… even the birds stop to listen.” – reminding me again of The Hum and the Shiver. It’s also making me miss my dad, although, he couldn’t sing. Well, he could, but it was more of a kindness if he didn’t.
There are worse reasons to fall in love than a singing voice. At five, I was in love with a pair of grey eyes surrounded by the thickest black eyelashes you’d ever see.
Poor Peeta…. He just doesn’t get it. That’s going to be a painful realization.
I already associate food with love, this situation would seriously mess with my head.
Chapter 23
306 pages in and I’m excited to see my own speculations about Haymitch’s drunkenness repeated in Katniss’s internal monologue.
Speaking of which, I still don’t really like her. I mean, I want her to win because I don’t really want anyone else to win. Thresh seems ok, but I’ve gotten five seconds of him not killing Katniss, so I don’t really have a ton to go on there. But if book two were about someone else, I wouldn’t cry about it at this point. According to my boy-nugget (yes, I make up ridiculous names for him, it keeps me amused), Katniss is fairly likable in the movie, but that may just be because he has a huge crush on Jennifer Lawrence and had just seen her in Winter’s Bone, so his affection for her in that carried over.
Thresh is gone. 4 tributes left.
I want the other side of things. I want to know what he was doing in the field, what his background was. I want to know what kind of woman Rue would have grown into. I want those two. But I also want Foxface. What’s she thinking when she dances into the Career’s camp and steals their food? I don’t think I want to get into Cato or Clove’s mind though.
She’s just thought of Thresh’s death as a murder. I wonder why that one and not Rue? Maybe because she could avenge Rue immediately?
Oh Katniss, you still don’t get that he actually likes you.
Why, I wonder, did we need her to be partially deaf? Because I’ve got to think there’s a long game being played on that one.
Foxface is gone. 3 tributes left. And Peeta has made an unintentional kill. I’m assuming at this point that he hasn’t actually killed anyone yet.
Also, are we ever going to find out how/why he teamed up with the Careers?
Chapter 24
Yay! Katniss retrieves the arrow from the tree. It’s been bothering me that we were given a precise count of arrows at the beginning (12), and then she used three to blow up the food leaving nine. Ok, fine. But, at no point during the rest of the games did she ever lose another arrow? Really? because those things break. And the fletching gets bent making the arrow unusable. But, we just got a line about how she’s very carefully pulling it out of a tree. And maybe they’re fancy futuristic arrows that don’t break. So, I’m going to shut up about it now.
She wonders now if Cato might not be entirely sane? Because I’ve pretty much answered that question for myself a long, long time ago. He’s not. Not at all. Nope, nope, nope.
And, I’m stopping on another cliff hanger… Except, I actually know what’s coming out of the woods at them.
Just three chapters left to go.
The Hunger Games Chapters 19-21
I’m in Part 3 now. It’s amazing how conveniently all the section breaks have fallen just at my pre-determined stopping points. I got a dinner invitation last night because one of my friends wanted to talk about The Hunger Games after reading my posts. So, yay for free food! I’m having a very different reading experience than he did since I’m spacing things out and analyzing all the chapters for things to say. He, like most readers, whipped through the entire trilogy pretty fast, so things that are kind of nagging me got resolved for him within a day or two. I’m enjoying myself though, taking my time and looking at everything closely.
Chapter 19
The actual rock camo from the movie was pretty goofy looking
Ok, dealing with the aftermath of the Gamekeepers’ announcement. I find it interesting that there aren’t any other tributes looking for her right now. Does that seem reasonable? I mean, the Careers are already teamed up, although that alliance may fracture now that it can be two on one.
“You here to finish me off, sweetheart?” Interesting that Peeta is reverting to sarcasm and Haymitch’s term of “endearment.”
I kind of love that she nearly stepped on him.
The scene with the medical care was… not pretty.
One kiss = a pot of soup. Gee, thanks Haymitch.
Does Peeta think the affection is real?
Chapter 20
Peeta grabbing her hand and kissing it… That’s a really intimate gesture. I don’t necessarily mean in the book, just, in general. It’s one of those things that’s always gotten to me.
She keeps referring to her “loaded bow.” Um… I’m really not sure how that works. Does she have an arrow nocked all the time? Because that’s pretty awkward and also hard to grab from the floor and pull up to fire quickly.
I’ve made sun tea before but never sun stew.
nanny goat by batswirl
I like the story about the goat. But it also shows that Katniss doesn’t have an entirely clear view of her family. She still hates her mother for the depression she shook off years ago. She thinks of her mother and sister as desperately needing her. And they do, but they’ve also got skills and resources of their own now. Yes, Katniss made those possible, but they’re stronger than she thinks they are. (Side note – I really want a pygmy goat, but the bylaws of the city I live in don’t allow them.)
Drugging your ally? I suppose it really is the only solution, but still…
Chapter 21
So, I’m confused about how the cameras work apparently. I guess I’ll just assume that there are cameras everywhere, except earlier Katniss said something about the trees giving her enough cover, so how are the cameras seeing inside the cave?
I kind of like Foxface at this point. I’m hoping Cato or Thrash get her so I don’t have to watch Katniss kill her.
Clove, it never pays to be all crazypants when you’ve finally gone in for the kill. Haven’t you read the Evil Overlord List? I’m pretty sure there’s a point about excessive monologuing.
And then there were five.
So, even though we never saw them interact, Thrash seems to have cared at least a little about Rue. That makes me happy, but also sad. And I’m still saying a story where Thrash and Rue survived would be awesome!
Cato seems to have actually cared about Clove too. Hmm.
Not sure what the moth is, but it sounds pretty. I’ve decided it’s a luna moth.
The Hunger Games Chapters 16-18
So, I didn’t go to AnachroCon. Anxiety won out, but now I’ve got lots more time to work on my blog and my costumes for other conventions, so I guess it all works out.
Chapter 16
One more gone off screen. Nine tributes to go.
Ok, the “Rue is the Mockingjay” comments on Tumblr make more sense now. The hug is slightly heartbreaking.
Peeta is severely hurt. Ok. I kind of don’t care right now. Is that bad? He’s nice, he’s sweet, he’s helped her. He’s out of sight for two minutes and I’m a little bit like, “Peeta who?”
The tribute from District 3 knows explosives? That’s kind of cool.
Katniss’s trick with the apples is kind of awesome, although, I was screaming at her to hit the ground after loosing that third arrow. Quietly screaming. In my head. Because screaming out loud would be weird.
Chapter 17
If the mines are that powerful wouldn’t they have set each other off anyway? But then, I know next to nothing about explosives.
And the boy from District 3 is gone. Eight tributes left. Cato and the two other Careers. Katniss, Rue, Peta, Thrash, and the fox-faced girl.
“Something is keeping her up a tree.
I think I’ll go hunt it down.” – Good for you Katniss. I really hope Rue is ok, even though I know, eventually, she won’t be.
Yeah… that hope didn’t go well.
It’s funny. I’ve been telling myself that she was going to die the whole time and I’m still just gutted.
Chapter 18
Artemis
I’m crying.
The fact that Katniss is singing and that she’s from Appalachia reminds me of the Tufa from The Hum and the Shiver. They know the song of your life and sing it at your passing. They’re sort of celtic-inspiried Appalachian faeries. If you know the song of someone’s life, you can sing it early and they’ll die. I’ve sort of got this image in my head of Katniss as a coal dusted fairy singing a dirge for all the other tributes now.
The bread is just killing me. I’m sobbing again.
Six left.
It’s interesting that Katniss has some of her mother’s lethargy. She wants to sink into stillness and apathy, but she doesn’t. It’s consistent. If we can overcome a weakness we’re even less tolerant of it in others sometimes. Especially those we really need.
Is this another difference between the movie and the book? That Thresh never took an interest in Rue? Because, in the film clips I’ve seen he seems fond of her. It would be hard not to be.
“Ever since the bloodbath, I’ve been featured on screens more than I care.” How is she sure? I know she thinks that there are moments where they’re probably focusing on her, but outside of the times people actually died, how does she know that the screens were focused on her?
Rule change what now? How does that make sense? I always thought they had pulled a **SPOILERS** Battle Royale and cheated to get Peeta and Katniss out. But it’s coming from the Gamekeepers at a point when Katniss and Peeta haven’t even seen each other for days? WTF?
The Hunger Games Chapters 13-15
Roses are red.
Blood is also red.
Happy Hunger Games!
::thwap:: Now you’re dead!
I wrote you that for Valentine’s Day, which it still is while I’m typing this up.
The cast of Survivor. These people would not survive the Hunger Games
Chapter 13
I totally just realized this was in 1st person present. I’m kind of slow, but the line, “My first impulse is to scramble from the tree, but I’m belted in,” just struck me as odd, so I had to flip back through some of the other chapters. Yep. Present tense. Most of what I read is either 1st or 3rd person past – I felt, I went rather than I feel or I am going.
The Gamekeepers and their fire launchers just seems cheap, but I’m getting Katniss’s perspective, not that of the viewers in the capitol. (Side note – when I first heard about the show Survivor, I thought it would be more like this. Not contestants killing each other, obviously, but a bunch of people dumped in an area with cameras all over it, trying to survive. The last person to tap out won. Yeah. It wasn’t like that at all.)
Oh man, do I feel for her with the burns. When I was… 8 maybe? I was taking my mom coffee on Mother’s Day and I spilled it all over my chest. My Dad had to rush me to the emergency room where I was treated for second degree burns. My nightgown had melted to my skin. It was pretty bad. Until the next day when I got to go to school and show everyone my bandage. It was like a gauze tube top and therefore awesome.
Peeta… you’re confusing me.
Rue is back! Except, I don’t want to see her because I’m pretty sure I’m going to fall in love with her.
Chapter 14
Tracker jackers? Ok. There are zombie wasps and wasps that turn other insects into zombies, so why not?
Two deaths from a nest of wasps… ok. That’s fourteen down and only ten kids left.
Peeta’s back and he was trying to protect her the whole time, which isn’t really a surprise, but is a nice confirmation.
Also, Katniss is seriously tripping.
Chapter 15
These hallucinations are pretty terrible.
Katniss thinking about Peeta and Gale and could we PLEASE let go of the love triangle sub-plots? Because I don’t love them. Sure, it was ok back when I was reading Laurell K. Hamilton in high school, but that’s all anyone seems to do anymore in YA and in urban fantasy (with the exception of Seanan McGuire, thanks Seanan!) and I’m really, really tired of it! Ok, rant over.
I respect that she takes the time to clean her weapons. I may have read too much fantasy literature that hammered home the importance of maintenance.
Yay alliance with Rue! I love Rue.
The bird is called a groosling. Did anyone else think of the Groosalugg from Angel? Oh, was that just me?
It’s probably terrible of be, but I’m glad that Katniss is about to go on the offensive against the Careers. I get that it’s an honor to be the tribute from their district and all and it’s a major advantage to your home district if you win, but… yeah, I kind of hate them.
Also, Cinna and Cato? And gladiatorial games. And I know they release the creepy mutation version of lions at some point. The lapsed Latin scholar in me is digging the Roman references.
As an aside (and shameless plug) I’ve put a custom necklace up for auction over on Con or Bust. If you’re not familiar with them, they’re a great organization that helps fans of color make it to SFF conventions. The auction is running until February 23, so there’s still plenty of time to bid or pass the word on to your friends. I’ll make you a necklace (in the style of the open I made for Mary Robinette Kowal to wear to the Hugo’s) in the colors you pick out! So please, have a look and spread the word! Thanks.
The Hunger Games Chapters 10-12
First of all, Happy Valentine’s Day. Unless you don’t celebrate it. Or hate it. In which case… sorry? I’m not a big fan of the day myself, but it coincides nicely with the chapters I have to go over.
I am (theoretically unless weather or social anxiety prevent me) going to be at Anachrocon this weekend. There will be much lovely alternate history. However, before all that happens, let’s talk about future dystopias!
Also, how convenient was it that I stopped right before Part II started in the book? Totally unplanned.
Valentine from Scholastic
Chapter 10
Katniss’s reaction is entirely in character. I get it, but wow does she have a narrow view of what comprises strength and what comprises weakness. Having someone be in love with you could be a weakness, but that’s not how I see it.
I’m very curious if the injury to Peeta’s hands is going to come back around.
The scene on the roof is interesting. I like that Peeta wants to stay himself.
I teared up a little at the goodbye with Cinna. So, I’m emotionally invested even though I’m still finding Katniss emotionally unavailable.
Hunger Games Valentine by Beth Evans http://butthorn.tumblr.com/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/flowbeee
Chapter 11
First death. I kind of wanted her to scoop up the knife, but I’m glad she got one in her pack. (As a side note, I think I may be overly callous. Because, that first death… I don’t care very much.)
Ok, as morbid as it is, I’m tracking deaths. A dozen tributes are fighting at the Cornucopia. That’s half the total number. And “several” are already dead. So, that’s a pretty big chunk of the player base taken out already.
Eleven. That’s a bunch of kids gone.
Another kid down.
And what the what what? Peeta? What? I’m so confused.
Chapter 12
Dehydration is terrifying for me. I get nervous if I don’t have a drink handy at all times, so this chapter has been really uncomfortable for me because of that.
Iodine purifies water? Did not know that.
Is Katniss about to really become the Girl on Fire? Find out next time! Same Bat-time! Same Bat-channel!
The cliffhanger danger hook is a little less valuable since we know Katniss survives. Granted, we don’t know the how every time, but we know she does. So, the “duh-duh-duuuuh” music that plays after the reveal of danger seems a little overdone.
As a total side note. I saw this amazing alternate universe gif set over on tumbler. What if Rue and Thrash were the ones who survived? It’s kind of amazing. Here is the original post from a year ago.
The Hunger Games Chapters 7-9
We’re having another snowpocalypse in the south right now, but this time, everyone (as far as I know) was home safe before the treacherous, yet beautiful flakes started to fly. I’m still waiting to hear if we’ve got school tomorrow or not. I think it’s supposed to all melt of by 10:00 or so. Yay library day!
In the meantime, have some blurry pictures of my pets in the snow! They have nothing to do with The Hunger Games, but they’re cute.
Chapter 7
Ok… the antagonistic love-fest at the beginning of this chapter is a little weird. Peeta is talking up 
Katniss, who gets mad that he’s not bragging about his own skills? Also, Peeta’s mom sucks.
This is one of those places where I can’t quite keep the ambient knowledge of the movie from sifting into my experience of reading the book. Katniss’s training outfit on the first day is described as “tight black pants, a long-sleeved burgundy tunic, and leather shoes.” Add to that, she and Peeta are the only two tributes dressed alike. That’s a very different vibe from the movie where everyone is wearing identical workout gear.
I’ve just met Rue. This is one of those times where foreknowledge is good, because I know what’s going to happen to her I can start prepping myself for it now. Because otherwise, I don’t think I’d be able to get through the inevitable.
Ok… that was an awesome ending. Although, I kind of wish she’d actually shot one of the gamekeepers, who sound very silly in their purple robes. I’m picturing lots of fat, evil, Albus Dumbledores.
Chapter 8
I like the structure of this chapter, the weird little family being built around District 12 and how they manage to cheer Katniss up. The score wasn’t a particular surprise. I assumed that she’d end up getting a high one after her burst o temper. The story just works better that way.
Then we reflect on Gale and his place in her other family.
The ending of this chapter… I don’t know. It just didn’t have the emotional impact for me I feel like it was supposed to, maybe because I don’t have Katniss’s deep distrust for everyone (except her stylists, apparently). I’m not immediately jumping from Peeta requested to be trained separately to BETRAYAL! I don’t know how much of that is because I know the broad strokes of where this is all going (I’ve seen the trailers for Catching Fire, I know who makes it out) or if it’s just because I find Katniss slightly off-putting.
Chapter 9
Well, I’m glad that Haymitch also thinks Katniss comes across as “sullen and hostile.”
The dress sounds amazing. I went and looked at the youtubes again for the movie version… yeah, I’m not impressed. Or, rather, it’s a beautiful dress with some cool effects, but it’s not as awesome as the one described in the book. Granted, it probably couldn’t be since if you actually put her in a jeweled dress on-screen she’d just look like a Vegas showgirl. The hair was also not as awesome as the version in the book, by maybe I think that since I have long hair and I like braiding things into it.
Ok, I’m actually chuckling during the interview portion when she teases the Gamekeepers. So that’s good. I’m not sure I buy the giggle though.
Peeta’s interview sounds great. And… oh. With the crush. Yeah. So, is that a strategy or is it real? I’m pretty sure Katniss is going to think it’s a ploy, but I’m leaning on the side of truth here. A) because he knows too much about her and B) I know there’s a love triangle, so it just makes sense that he’s being honest.
I will say, this is the first night I’ve actually wanted to keep reading, so good on you Susanne Collins.
Medusa's Library 