Let me count the ways.
1) Whilst reading the books crazily fast and loving every second (I don't recall pausing to shower or eat or converse with others the whole time I was reading them), I felt bereft when I came to the end of the last book. Not necessarily cause I wanted more- I felt Suzanne Collins ended the books in a timely fashion, I just kind of wished I could go back and start again having not read them...and these are in the Young Adult genre for God's sake!! In the same genre are the Twilight books, which I read and while vaguely entertaining, I also found them pretty much instantly forgettable. In fact, watching the Twilight films as they come out now I find myself going- "What? That happened? In which book? This one? Who is that? Are these my feet?" etc. The Twilight trilogy just don't pack the same punch (figuratively or literally speaking). So basically, THG are just really well written, highly entertaining fiction, is what I'm trying (badly) to say there.
2) Katniss. That is all.
No seriously though, what an amazing character. I've been on a bit of a crazed feminist tirade of late about how women are portrayed in the media (I'm looking at you, Tallafornia, or not as the case may be) and the complete lack of strong female role models on our screens for young girls. Not to keep referring to Twilight but Bella is easily literatures most insipid female character ever. She spends her time daydreaming about her boyfriend who she will happily lose her soul for...whereas Katniss is strong and independent, she has survival skills and although she fights for not only her own but for her loved ones lives, she still remains maintains what it is that makes her a feeling, human being....all while wearing really unattractive raingear, showing no flesh, wearing no make up and covered in dirt and blood. She's like Buffy for today's youths. Thats right, I said youths, I'm old.
3) Theres a love triangle, and God knows we all love an auld love triangle. Although originally unsure about the casting for the film-(Gale is hot in real life, Peeta less so) the actors actually seemed perfect in the roles when I saw it so looks like I was proved good and wrong.
4) The whole premise of the books are just brilliant. I love anything set in a not too far off dystopian future anyway (see 1984, Brave New World, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, The Road etc) so this was just my cup of Earl Grey. I have found it amusing that there has been a certain amount of pearl clutching and "won't someone think of the children" about the themes in the books, that somehow young adults won't be able to handle the notion of children being forced to fight each other to the death. Personally, I find the concept of a life of boredom, reading the Twilight novels and hoping to meet your very own sparkly vampire some day is far more damaging to the minds of societies' young adults.
But thats just me.
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