2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss The Hunger Games, the first book in the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.

Pages: 374 pages

Length: 1 month (July)

Participants: Cordelia, Dominique, LinaVer, D.L.

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Here are some questions to help get the conversation started! Feel free to look up discussion questions specific to this book or come up with your own. Just make sure any questions that contain spoilers are under spoiler tags.
Discussion questions are not required but may be a fun way to talk about the book and get to know each other!

Prior to starting:
What prompted you to join this buddy read?
Have you read this author before? What do you think of their other books?

Mid-read:
What character or ideas do you relate to the most and why?
Do you have any favorite quotes or scenes?

After reading:
What was enjoyable or not-so-enjoyable about this book?
Did this book change your perception about anything, either within the book (character development) or in real life?

This has been moved to the August folder

Thank you for moving it! I didn't get to it in July :)

Hey everyone, I'm starting today. I've read it before, two years ago I think. I really loved it and remember being very moved emotionally. At this point I have read all of this series, including the prequels. To me, the original trilogy is the best, so I am quite excited about reading it with everyone.

I’m not that far into the book yet as I’m reading another book at the same time but I have some random thoughts. So I’ll use this comment for them.

• It’s a good book to check one’s privilege against. (view spoiler)[Life in the 12th district is impoverished and difficult. It hit me full force when she gets on the train and takes a shower and says she’s never had a shower before and it feels like summer rain. Even though I come from a low-income family, there are still so many things in life that I now take for granted, but they are not a given. And it was a good reminder for me. (hide spoiler)]
• Also, I remember this book breaking my heart but (view spoiler)[I am already crying while reading the first pages, especially at the scene where she was at the reaping and thinking “I’m feeling nauseous and so desperately hoping that it's not me, that it's not me, that it's not me. (…) It’s Primrose Everdeen.” 😭 (hide spoiler)]
• I’ve had an interesting discussion with one of my GR friends recently about the fact that a lot of people use the term “YA literature” derogatory as if to say it’s all just badly written books if they’re meant for younger audiences, and how wrong that is. I guess these people have never read The Hunger Games, lol.

LinaVer wrote: "I’m not that far into the book yet as I’m reading another book at the same time but I have some random thoughts. So I’ll use this comment for them.

• It’s a good book to check one’s privilege agai..."

I agree with your last point. Just like adult books, there are many that aren't stellar, but some are excellent.

I've read the book at least five times, once via audiobook before the movie, which means that the first time I saw the first film the actress's voice sounded "wrong." By the time I saw it twice (I saw the first film once with each of my kids--long story behind that as it wasn't planned that way.)

I read the series once each time one of my kids read it (plus the first book before my eldest was ready, so that one at least 6 times), then listened to it, then reread them as the movies were coming out.

Suffice it to say I know the books well, but I'm also finished reading them.

Wow!! What a great read. I had forgotten how good this book was. Better than the film.

Karin wrote: "LinaVer wrote: "I’m not that far into the book yet as I’m reading another book at the same time but I have some random thoughts. So I’ll use this comment for them.

• It’s a good book to check one’..."

Wow, that's a lot of re-reads for this book, I can see how it can get repetitive/too much after a while.

Cordelia wrote: "Wow!! What a great read. I had forgotten how good this book was. Better than the film."

To me, both the book and the movie are almost as equally good. The movies got me to read the books and then I loved the books just as much. :) And the movies are to this day a sort of "comfort watch" for me, for lack of a better word. How comfortable is it to watch kids killing each other really though, lol. No, but just in a sense that if I know I'm in need of watching something good, I turn to these films.

LinaVer wrote: "Cordelia wrote: "Wow!! What a great read. I had forgotten how good this book was. Better than the film."

To me, both the book and the movie are almost as equally good. The movies got me to read th..."

The movies are well done, but since I read the books so many times first, I was put off at first due to important things being omitted and some of the film stars looking completely wrong (Haymitch in the film looked far to good for such a hard-core alcoholic plus based on description, plus others looked wrong as well.)

Hey everyone, how's it going with the book for those who are reading it this month?
I am now about 3/4 in, (view spoiler)[Rue just died. The scene where Katniss decorates her dead body with wildflowers to show the Capitol they are humans and not just pieces in their games, is always so sad. I think it is also a transformational point for Katniss because that's when she thinks she understands what Peeta meant when he said he does not want to let the games change hin. And I think this is the moment that the first spark of resistance grows in Katniss, that will later build into a big fire and inspire revolution. (hide spoiler)] I've had a busy month so far and I almost wish I hadn't because I feel like I'm not giving my full attention to this book, like it needs. But it's such a good book.

My second time reading it.

(view spoiler)[ Reading Sunrise on the Reaping makes you realize that Haymitch wasn't the ass that we thought he was and why Snow hates District 12.
Rue's death still got to me. That little girl was smart and brave and she had 2 people looking after her Thresh and Katniss.

Totally forgot about the mutts being the dead players, just plain evil. (hide spoiler)]

Dominique wrote: "My second time reading it..."

Yes, (view spoiler)[the mutts being the dead kids (hide spoiler)] is really evil and I hated that for Katniss and Peeta! Also, (view spoiler)[what a gruesome and cruel way Cato died. I didn't care that he's a "career", I felt so sad for him at the end, and I'm happy Katniss shot him at the end to finish his suffering. (hide spoiler)]
I've already finished this book (and started Catching Fire immediately after that).

LinaVer wrote: "Dominique wrote: "My second time reading it..."

Yes, [spoilers removed] is really evil and I hated that for Katniss and Peeta! Also, [spoilers removed]
I've already finished this book (and started..."

Agreed (view spoiler)[ Cato begging to die was just heartbreaking (hide spoiler)]