I am the Mockingjay.

[rogueslayer452]

I'm planning on seeing The Hunger Games again very soon, since it's that kind of movie that deserves a second viewing in the theaters. For now though, I kinda wanna weigh in my thoughts of the book vs the movie, and my personal opinion on a particular issue that keeps popping up in certain circles.


In terms of the film versus the book, I kinda preferred the film a bit better. The book itself explains a bit more of what is going on through Katniss' narration, but I think the story itself is better translated on the screen rather than in book form, if that makes sense. Rather than going for the first-person descriptions we're seeing the entire world and other perspectives of other characters, which is what I expected but it definitely added more to what was happening that we didn't get in the books. My only nitpick is how they sort of glossed over the horrifying aspects of the Arena and how controlling of a government the Capitol is, something I hope the next film will touch on more.

While I was reading the books I thought they were okay, a decent read with an intriguing story and plot, but the first-person narrative tended to put me off in certain bits. Which is why I was excited to see how the film would do to adapt it onto the big screen, and I was very impressed by what they did and how they did it.

But there is one aspect of the books that I really didn't like.

I would have preferred the books without the romance tied to them, at least in the way it was written, particularly in the last book. I mentioned this before, but after seeing so much within the fandom I just needed to elaborate more on it. I wished that Suzanne Collins had kept her original concept, since that seemed more realistic to what was happening in that world than what was done. Sure, as a YA series the romantic "triangle" probably was more appealing to younger readers, but I just don't like the assumption that if a girl has two guy friends that they can't simply just be friends without adding all this sexual tension between them. There were more important issues to be worrying about, and would have preferred if they had teamed up together fighting side-by-side, without any of that tension or jealousy, and just being friends and comrades in the revolution. Never mind how I kind of always wanted Katniss to not pick anyone and just be by herself, with friends and allies by her side but having no love interest in her life whatsoever. I don't know, I just wish all of that could have been, if not done differently then executed better than how it was done, tbqh.

Comments

[nomorefrostbite.livejournal.com]

I definitely prefer the books to the film, which is pretty obvious on my lj I suppose with all my mega rants lately. I basically just feel like the horror and immediacy of it all was lost in translation, and the film played it SO SO SO SO safe that the entire point of the books didn't come across to me.

That being said, I agree about seeing the entire world being better. I wanted to see MORE of it, ngl, but hopefully in Catching Fire.

IA IA about the love triangleness. Whether I was purposefully ignoring it idek, but in the books I didn't really get that as much. For me it was like... Katniss didn't really give a damn but these guys were on at her all the time and she felt in a way like she ought to feel something even though she didn't, and her feelings for Gale were confused with her deep friendship for him and with Peeta and his devotion and obvious love of her.
What was really telling about Katniss as a character was when they were in the basement of the fur shop and she overhears Gale and Peeta talking about her in a sort of genial way and saying how she'll pick whoever she needs to SURVIVE or whatever it was... not who she needs to live, or loves, or anything like that. I was like..... "OMG FINALLY THEY UNDERSTAND KATNISS."

Unlike most YA romances, and even general romances in fiction, from Katniss I never ever ever saw her being In Love with anyone, even Peeta, and even in the epilogue. I always read it like... she loved him in her own way and had a deep regard for him (rather than IN Love) and needed what he provided to get her through the obvious PTSD of her experiences. She needed the dandelion in the spring and all the bountiful hope Peeta represented.

That is really just my interpretation of it from reading though, and I knoowwww plenty of TEAM fans read it as a straightup love triangle, and tbh after the film (which really really commercially promoted and portrayed this love triangle business) and it's destruction of any complexity within the characters and any more subtle developments it will probably now only ever be seen as a love triangle in the vein of other YA fare. MEH.

Sometimes with the fans I see around, I wonder if I was reading a whole other trilogy and just thought it was THG, cos either i'm doing it wrong, or they are. IDEK.

[effervescent.livejournal.com]

I think for a lot of fans it's Peeta's devotion to Katniss that drives the fangirling of the romance. He's absolutely in love with her, he goes through hell because of his connection to her, he's always by her side... I have to admit, the one thing that I liked about this was that for once the pairing that played out in the end was something other than the male love interest who is dark and brooding. :P

I read Katniss' side of the things the same way that you did, really. On the one hand, it was something I found refreshing about the books, that for once the heroine wasn't gushing over the hero, etc. But on the other hand, I found the epilogue so poorly written that it made it difficult for me to support Katniss/Peeta.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I read Katniss' side of the things the same way that you did, really. On the one hand, it was something I found refreshing about the books, that for once the heroine wasn't gushing over the hero, etc. But on the other hand, I found the epilogue so poorly written that it made it difficult for me to support Katniss/Peeta.

Pretty much my feelings, too. I liked the role reversal, but the way the whole thing was presented in the writing, I didn't like it or feel like it was necessary.

I think you're right about the fans swooning over the romance because of Peeta's devotion to Katniss, however I never got that feeling for Peeta from the books. Perhaps, again, the way it was written because I never particularly liked his character, and while having an unrequited love is painful (and most of us can relate to that in some form or another) I felt that the story didn't need that happening, particularly in the epilogue because, yeah, no.

[carameltrap.livejournal.com]

If they had left the violence and horror of everything in or emphasised on it, I think it would have left a much lasting or stronger impression on the audience instead of just glossing over it. I would rather see it all than have it dumb down because they assume it would be too much for me.

IA with the romance angle. I wish that the girl wouldn't need to pick on which guy she wants but should have be friends. I hate it when they push romance so hard in books or movies/TV to aim at the female audience in hopes that they'll watch it. Sometimes, I would rather have platonic friendships all round instead of budding romances. Not that I'm against it but I do get sick of it shown in my face.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I don't understand why they would dumb things down to begin with, I mean the movie was good and I loved it but I definitely wished there was more emphasis on how horrific and brutal the entire situation on, esp on a political aspect of this world. That was left to be desired which I felt needed to happen in the movie. I'm very much hoping for that to happen in the next film.

Sometimes, I would rather have platonic friendships all round instead of budding romances. Not that I'm against it but I do get sick of it shown in my face.

Agreed. The fact that it's the "have to" thing of these kinds of series really is off-putting, because it's the same story every single time. Although I did appreciate the role reversal of two guys fawning over her instead of her being hopelessly in love with both of them, but at the same time it's the same story we've seen. I understand that it's a YA series but sometimes, a platonic relationships are just as healthy and desired as romantic relationships. In fact, having platonic relationships with plenty of chemistry is something I love because there can be subtext, without it being completely overbearing.

[odysseedesreves.livejournal.com]

I agree with everything! I also liked the movie better than the book. Also, the love triangle. In the first book the romance between Katniss and Peeta (well, the fake romance) was important to the plot and worked. After that it went downhill. I never saw the need for a triangle because I never saw Gale as a real possibility and by the last book I thought the "love" between Katniss and Peeta was pretty much dead. At the end I thought that Collins realized she needed to tie up the love story and just tacked it on. It was never a real focus so...I don't know why it was even included other than to give readers the love story that the masses seem to desire.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

At the end I thought that Collins realized she needed to tie up the love story and just tacked it on. It was never a real focus so...I don't know why it was even included other than to give readers the love story that the masses seem to desire.

Yeah, and I didn't really understand the big deal about it to begin with tbh. Everyone in the fandom is going nuts over it though, more specifically swooning over Peeta in particular, and I'm just sitting here thinking...why? I don't get it. Obviously it was done in a rush without much thought into it, but everyone is making it seem like the books are all about that which, no. It's something that happens, something that I am not a fan of, but that's not all that happens. I just felt like Collins shouldn't have gone in that direction, that Katniss should have support of Gale and Peeta but not automatically get with one of them for the "just because" factor of having a romance in the series. That was overkill and I just didn't feel it at all while reading it.

[stillglows.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen the movie yet, I'll probably wait until it comes out on DVD or something saving my movie money for Men in Black III!.

I find I like the story much more then I like the book, which may be due to stylistic reasons. I'm happy you say the movie focuses on other characters. I think that is what the novel was lacking in the most. I wished we were able to have more of the other tributes fleshed out, and see the world through their eyes, so we can truly grasp how horrible their world is. They did that a little bit with Rue, but it would have been so gripping to have more of it. ...but then I suppose that might be to much for a YA book? I honestly have no grasp on age levels, I started reading horror and gory murders when I was twelve.

The whole love triangle thing is honestly one of the major reasons I have no interest in reading the other books (which I'll get to eventually, I know, but I'm in no rush. It also could be I find the two male leads to be very boring, but that might just be me). I hate this need for everyone, everywhere to need to be in love with someone.

apologies if none of the above makes sense i've barely slept the last few days.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I'm happy you say the movie focuses on other characters. I think that is what the novel was lacking in the most. I wished we were able to have more of the other tributes fleshed out, and see the world through their eyes, so we can truly grasp how horrible their world is.

The movie is still very much focusing on Katniss and what her character goes through, but they did take time to expand more on certain other characters. Not everyone mind you, but I liked the added scenes and moments that we didn't get in the book. Like, there's a surprising moment from District 11 that is by far one of the most powerful scenes of the entire movie, imho, because it really foreshadows what is to come.

but then I suppose that might be to much for a YA book? I honestly have no grasp on age levels, I started reading horror and gory murders when I was twelve.

lol, same here. I think the age level thing is kind of iffy and depends, because some of the books we were required to read for school had more violent and grotesque content in them. Some of them weren't necessarily classified as YA but adult classics, but we read them in middle school and high school. Some of them were meant to be read by children, but had very questionable things in them. It ranges quite a bit what what should be classified as YA and what shouldn't. There are quite complicated and well-written YA series and books, while others are rather mediocre and good in concept, not good in the delivery. That is how I felt about this trilogy. It's not bad, but it's not exactly great either. It's more of the in-between, at least for me.

The whole love triangle thing is honestly one of the major reasons I have no interest in reading the other books (which I'll get to eventually, I know, but I'm in no rush. It also could be I find the two male leads to be very boring, but that might just be me). I hate this need for everyone, everywhere to need to be in love with someone.

I hate how it's become the only thing the fandom cares about. I like shipping, but everyone now is going for the "TEAM" whoever, usually between the two guys, which is a trend started by Twilight -- and that constant comparison makes me want to puke because they are not the same thing, not even in terms of a "triangle" because that barely happens, it's more of two guys pursuing Katniss and Katniss being confused and not knowing where to go with that because there are more urgent matters at hand -- and it's just ugh.

I mean, there are other characters and their relationships that I enjoyed, but as far with Katniss, I would have liked there to be a platonic relationship with both Peeta and Gale without any need to be in a romantic situation at all. Perhaps I'm just weird like that.