The Hunger Games

I don't like bandwagon reading. I wasn't part of the Harry Potter craze, I don't know the order of the Twilight series and certainly won't be part of the crush of women making 50 Shades of Grey account for 20% of all book sales.

However, a good book is a good book and I don't like to miss out. With The Hunger Games movie already out, I figured I could now safely read Suzanne Collins' novel without feeling like I would have to discuss it with every third person on the lightrail.

I am assuming most of you don't have the same strong feelings about popular fiction and have already read it - [ so good, right?!] - negating the need for this review. For those out there like me, however - here are the things I wish I had known before cracking it open:

• Oops, that was fast. Don't take The Hunger Games on vacation. Between the 14 point font and double line spacing it will be finished before you even have time to care. ;)
• Remember that this is a Y-A novel. Despite the hoards of real live adults who have been extolling it's virtues, The Hunger games was written for teens and pre-teens. Do not expect big words or complex sentence structure.

The Hunger Games is an excellent piece of writing. Perfect for it's audience - unpretentious in structure and writing style but with such interesting plot twists that I soon forgot my annoyance at the simplicity of it all and got swept up in the adventure. I highly recommend it!

Bonus thoughts -

There as been a lot of comparison of The Hunger Games to Shirley Jackson's 1948 story The Lottery. If you have never read it, or haven't for a long time - Here's a great audio recording of the creepy short story from The New Yorker online.

Is it possible that the widespread acceptance of Grey's adults-only erotica is actually the antidote to what was becoming an overdose of kiddie - lit? If so - E.L. James - I salute you! It's about time that grown ups return to grown up reading.