The Hunger Games Leaves Me…Well, Hungry for More – Book, Movie, Audiobook Review

Since I missed The Hunger Games in the theater, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the movie release on disc.  Now that I’ve read all three books/audiobooks in the series AND seen the first movie, I can offer a summary review.

Books

First the good part – the author, Suzanne Collins is a master of suspense and engaging the reader.  Each book in the series, especially the first one, is one of those you just don’t want to put down.  You REALLY want to see where all of this is going.

Now, the bad – Collins stinks at closure/denouement.  I really thought this was just a normal “rope us in” thing at the ends of books 1 and 2…making us want more, but the end of the third and final book in the trilogy was almost as bad as the first two.  She does wrap things up a bit at the end of the third book, and most folks I’ve talked to don’t seem to mind, but there are a few nagging unanswered questions.  …and I just don’t like leaving a book/series asking “Really?  REALLY???  That’s REALLY how you want to leave this?”

Again, I want to emphasize that the author is absolutely amazing crafting each story and keeping readers eager to turn pages.  I just don’t think the urge should continue at the end of the trilogy.  …how about an enhanced epilogue or a complementary short story to tie it all up?

BUT, that could just be my opinion.  As I’ve said, other readers don’t seem to have as much of an issue or demand for tidy closure.

Movie

The first movie just came out on disc today, so I had to get it immediately and catch the flick I’d missed in the theater.  …not bad.  …not great, but not bad. 

Lionsgate / Press Kit

Honestly, I guess the hype had me expecting more, but it was pretty much the same as most movie adaptations of novels…a good, abridged, visual version of the story.  It just can’t be helped.  Novels are, by nature, rather in-depth, and producers can only include so much in a short period of time. 

The movie leaves a lot out, but I can promise that folks leaving the movie wondering exactly what was going on in certain scenes or wanting more back-story – you can read all the details in the books.  The author is very good at details and expressing motivation.

Audiobooks

I know.  If the audiobook is unabridged, is there really any difference or reason to review the audiobook version rather than just reviewing the book?  In this case, yes. 

The unabridged audiobooks published by Scholastic Audio are truly exceptional, and the narrator, Carolyn McCormick is just as talented as the author in pulling the reader into the story.  Instead of not wanting to put the book down, you never want to press pause.  There are many reasons that The Hunger Games is still one of audible.com’s best sellers.  

The stories are compelling.  The narrator is amazing, and enough folks have read, watched, or listened to engage in some fascinating discussions.

Review Summary

So, do I recommend reading, watching, or listening to The Hunger Games series?  Yes.  Unless you are particularly annoyed with lackluster closure (may just be a personal annoyance), the pros far outweigh the cons.