esrosedotblog

I got this book because it was the first title I recognized in the Kindle Lending Library which I joined on a thirty day trial.

That said, I have to admit that I liked some parts of this future fantasy science fiction piece. It is, for the most part, a tour de force.

The Hunger Games (2008)

I had, of course, seen it before and was aware of the film. I was certainly aware of Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutchinson, both young actors I admire a great deal.

But I had not put the film in my queue.

It seemed too squirelly for me. Nasty, somehow.

I am an old fan of fantasy fiction usually of the sword and sandal variety. Other worlds with bending similarity to our own. I liked dragons.

Then I tired of the whole business and "flop", they all passed from my life as suddenly as they came in.

This is an old pattern for me. Get into it as intensely as possible and then burn out and drop the entire thing.

Like my fascination with certain singers or musicians (Rufus Wainright or Van Halen). Buy every song or DVD play them over and over. Suddenly throw up.

This is the backdrop to reading the Games.

First and foremost, I did like it. Clever, fast moving, exciting. A page turner. A great world construct. Sadism and more than a little masochism thrown in. Your fantasy fiction hero/heroines have to suffer and most of them like it. This book is for young adults which is not a bad thing. I enjoy reading a lot of this category. I liked the characters. The villains were unambiguous.

When I got finished I realized this was the first book and there would be another. Too late. Although I think I would have read it even if I knew there would be a sequel or that the books were being published as a series.

This left the ending ambiguous and a bit painful. The two principles are still at odds. The female has doubts. The male does not.

She has another platonic male friend who just might be a romantic friend.

My view is that she is a typical example of the indecisive female which is not a good message. On the other hand she is a strong decisive young woman. Emotionally insecure? Just another cock tease?

I read that this is typical of young adult fiction. Female with two boyfriends trying to decide something other than the immediate choices.

That is one view. It is her not him.

Or is he a male dupe. The usual sappy sex driven guy who just thinks he loves the girl. What he really wants is to get into her pants.

I hate this kind of thing. It is a lousy and unrealistic message to young people to say nothing of mature adults. Particularly homosexual ones. I want my straight people to be happy and well adjusted.

In other words, liked the adventure, hated the love story. Unrequited love story.

Two things.

I do not plan to read the next book. No more of this back and forth.

I am not into it.

I am glad that I read it, I enjoyed it. It was free because I got it from the Lending Library deal so that gave it a more positive spin. Not enough.

The second decision is that I am opting out of the 70 dollar a year lending library because it seems to me that most if not all of the books are of this middle brow variety and I actually can't find one I haven't read or never heard of.

I already cancelled.

Labels: books, kindle