14 hours ago
Last week I finished The Hunger Games.
Before I get too far into this review, let me just say that I think there are two types of stories, whether in movies or books – stories that have some sort of driving point (whether inspirational, educational, political, etc.), and then there are stories that are mainly for entertainment, with no clear point. And I think that’s just fine. I can really appreciate both types.
When I decided to go ahead and read The Hunger Games, I was under the impression that it was of the first variety – a story with a point behind it. I heard from multiple sources, people and articles, that The Hunger Games was meant as a “cautionary tale” of what could happen when government or the media get out of control, or of what may happen if we lose our sensitivity to violence as a society.
And I just have to say, having read the book now, I didn’t get any of that.
I see no real point against letting government or media get out of control in the book. Sure, the government and media are out of control in Panem, but I think they have to be to make the plot work. Though I obviously don’t know exactly what the author was trying to portray, as I was reading I didn’t get the feeling the author wrote this book trying to make a point about either media or governmental control. They just seemed like necessary plot elements.
As for the idea that she’s trying to send a message about not losing our sensitivity to violence, if that is so then I think the content of the book is rather counter-productive. Deaths are described in detail, and it’s one of the more violent books I’ve read. Generally speaking, the more violence we are exposed to in books and movies the more danger we are in of becoming insensitive to it, so I can’t say I think this book is all that helpful on that point.
If a book is going to have a message behind it, there has to be some dialogue or scenes in the book that really drive the point home – and I kept waiting for it, but it never came. There were vague stirrings of a point here and there, and I kept thinking that maybe this is where “cautionary” message I expected to read would be addressed, but nothing that I would consider solid was ever said.
If there was a point that the author was trying to make, it was weakly portrayed. Strictly judging from content, I wouldn’t see any particular intended message behind this book without also reading a commentary on it. All of those suggested points I mentioned before came from commentators, not from the actual book itself.
I have no problem if commentators or parents want to use the story to help make their own point about out-of-control government or media, or about being insensitive to violence. But the book itself is pretty neutral and doesn’t exactly say anything against either – the reader is left to draw their own conclusions, if any are to be drawn.
So if this isn’t a book with a particular point (and I just don’t think it is, in and of itself), then it’s main value would lie in entertainment. Which is absolutely fine. I’m not one of those people who thinks everything has to have a purpose, and I love a good, entertaining story.
If I’m looking at the book from a strict “entertainment-value” standpoint, then I do have to say that the book is very entertaining. It’s exciting and suspenseful. Every time I finished a chapter I had a hard time not starting the next one. There’s no doubt that it’s well-written.
However, I kept feeling like there was something that was just off. And I wish I could put my finger on it better.
Maybe it was the fact that I thought Katniss was almost disturbingly good at playing “the game”, and everything she did seemed to be for the camera - we are left to applaud her for her cleverness throughout the story, even though doing things only for the camera shouldn't necessarily be something to aspire to (I don’t think so, anyway).
Maybe it was the plain old reason that this entertaining story was, in fact, about children being forced to kill other children.
Maybe it was because I felt that even though the violence in the book wasn’t condoned, it almost seemed to be accepted because that’s “the way things are” in Panem.
Whatever it was, something just didn’t sit right.
I agree with the mom who petitioned to get The Hunger Games off her middle schooler’s reading list from her school - I don’t think this book is appropriate for younger preteens/teens. Kids that age are so impressionable, and they are still forming their worldviews. I don’t think it would be beneficial for a child that age to be reading about a world where kids do whatever it takes to survive. In my opinion, it would be wise to wait until they were a little older and had a bit more practice at thinking critically about this sort of thing before reading this book, if it is indeed a book the parent decides is okay.
I’m not trying to pick on the book or be overly-critical, and I can’t say I thought the book was “bad” . . . but I also can’t say I thought the book was good. It just was . . . and for a book that just is, I have my doubts. Though it was hard to put down, and I was dying to find out what happened between Katniss and Peeta, I can’t say I’m really a fan for that reason.
Thankfully there are lots of reviews with spoilers out there, so I know what happens with Peeta and Katniss without having to read the next books.
Okay, I’m prepared to be pelted with rotten tomatoes now, but that’s my opinion. Take it or leave it.
Laura – DO NOT READ THIS!
I’m posting about the gift I’m giving to Jack and I don’t want you to see this before I have a chance to give it to you!
Anyone else who is not Laura . . . read on.
Last week my friend Laura had her baby - a boy!
One of the projects I have been working on lately was a “happy birthday” gift for her baby – and I knew I wanted to make a tag toy, because that’s what I have made for friend’s babies in the past.
However, I wanted to try something different, instead of doing a regular square tag toy, and I saw an idea on Pinterest for a turtle-shaped tag toy, originally from this Etsy shop (in case you want to buy one). I thought it was so cute, so I thought I’d try to make my own!
Here is the result:
I love the way it turned out! It wasn’t too hard to make, and I think it’s pretty cute!
I’m giving it with a lullaby CD (have you seen these lullaby renditions CD’s? We have the Third Day one for Wyatt and he loves it), and a cute little romper. I can’t wait to meet the little guy! It’ll be fun to snuggle a little newborn again for a few minutes . . .
P.S. Check out my poll in the sidebar if you haven't already . . .
I wrote this post a couple months ago, and I just wasn’t ready to share it then – but I wanted to share it now. Hopefully someone out there finds it helpful.
I’m just going to say it.
The last couple of months I have not been where I need to be as far as my relationship with Jesus goes.
Part of it is due to busyness, part of it is due to just me being lazy. But there has been long gaps between prayers, hurried Bible readings at night . . . and I could feel it. I could feel that it was missing. And I knew what it was. But still I let the time pass on by.
Then a couple weeks ago I had one of those frustrating days – a day full of disappointment, and difficulty, and situations in my life not working out right.
These weren’t just little things (though I suppose they are little in the grand scheme of things) – they were important things to me. All the little stresses culminated into these bigger stresses, all on the same day. It got to the point where I was a little upset with the Lord for “putting me through all that” at once.
Then as I broke down and cried to my mom over the phone that night, she once again gave me a little nugget of wisdom when I needed to hear it (what would I do without my mom?). She set me straight on something that I had forgotten. She reminded me that it’s not God “putting me through” those things. Rather, sometimes He allows those things to happen so that we will turn to Him.
Turn to Him like I had not been doing for a couple months.
When will I learn that I just shouldn’t try to do things by myself?
I’m ashamed to say it still took me a couple weeks to get myself off of my spiritual “couch”. I think it was because I was almost embarrassed, and ashamed of myself for letting myself get upset at God over my difficulties. Because that’s just not me. I’m usually a little more level-headed than that.
That’s what happens when I let things go so long. I get out of practice, and all of a sudden one rough day is enough to make me waver in my trust.
But that should never happen. Because even when things aren’t going my way, even when rough days (or weeks, or months) strike and bad things happen, God is always good. And He always has my good in mind. And He always deserves my trust.
I’ve never stopped believing that. I know it too deeply, I have too many personal experiences of His faithfulness for me to ever truly doubt that.
But it’s easy to not feel it sometimes. It’s easy to let my heart forget. The heart is deceitful above all else, and mine is no exception.
Which is why it’s so important to guard my heart – against the world and what it says is important , against circumstances, because circumstances are fickle, against even my own plans.
I need to keep my heart focused on Him. And that only comes from spending actual time with Him, and putting energy into my relationship with God.
When I try to handle everything myself and let my relationship with Jesus fall to the wayside, it’s easy for my heart to be discouraged, because I’m placing my hope in the wrong things. When my heart is fully focused on His goodness, and fully relying on His power to get me through, nothing in this life can take away that joy.
Not dashed hopes or ruined plans. And definitely not bad days.
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