Catching Fire has been sitting in my to-read stack for almost a year. This summer, I finally got around to reading the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy. When I first began reading the book, I was sorely disappointed. It didn’t begin with the spark that I had come to expect from Collins. I almost put the book away in order to move on to something else. I suppose I was picking up on the feelings that my youngest niece had expressed about the book. As I continued to read, I found extremely thought-provoking writing about revolution and rebellion that fascinated me. When the twist of the games finally appeared, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. I’m anxious to read the final volume of the trilogy to learn how the story ends. I’ll pick up the book next week and add it to my bedside collection in order to guarantee that I return to the adventures of Katniss, Gale, and Peeta before the summer is over.
#21: Between the Lines (Jodi Picoult & Samantha Van Leer)
My favorite author is Jodi Picoult. Every year, I anticipate the release of her latest book and rush to the store on the day of its release to add it to my growing collection. When I saw that she and her daughter had written a young adult novel, I must admit that I was rather skeptical. Part of Picoult’s appeal is her willingness to tackle controversial contemporary topics while allowing her characters to grapple with the moral issues that arise as a result. I knew that many of her topics would not be considered appropriate for a young audience and I wasn’t sure how her writing would translate into the YA genre.
Imagine my surprise when I was transported inside a fairy tale in which the handsome prince desperately wants to escape his life in the book. As Prince Oliver dreams of escape, his cry of help is finally heard by Delilah, a teen reader who has become obsessed with the child’s fairy tale. Picoult and Van Leer proceed to weave a masterful tale combining two conflicting worlds united by the growing love of Oliver and Delilah. I thoroughly enjoyed getting a look “behind the curtain” as the characters in the fairy tale lived life while the book was closed. The idea of not judging a book by its cover suddenly took on an entirely new meaning.
Thematically, Between the Lines addresses pertinent contemporary issues admirably; the power of love, the impact of a parent’s death, and the search for self-identity are clearly explored in a meaningful way for teen readers. I anticipate that many junior high and high school classes will find the work a compelling story to consider along standards of the American literary canon. Until that time, Between the Lines will be a wonderful book for mothers and daughters to enjoy together that will open doors for communication between parent and child.
4 out of 5 stars!
#10: The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)
Things were too relaxing to update my blog last week while I was on vacation. This week has been insanely busy dealing with demands that I ignored while away, so I’ve got a few novels to catch you up on.
Just before heading to Biloxi, Mississippi for a few days, I decided to give in to peer pressure (primarily coming from my niece) and read the first volume of Suzanne Collin’s Hunger Games trilogy. The timing was also rather intentional as the movie was also scheduled to premiere at the end of the week.
I went into my reading expecting to have a negative impression of the book. After all, the central plot is based upon a fight-to-the-death competition pitting teen against teen. Imagine my surprise when I dove into the story and discovered that the competition serves as a backdrop for a remarkable story of love, courage, strength, and moral fortitude. Rather than spoiling the work for anyone that has not read the work yet, I’ll simply say that it comes with a high recommendation from me.
Additionally, I would encourage parents to read the novel themselves. While there is a sizeable amount of violence in the novel (which is thankfully not depicted graphically in the movie, garnering it an appropriate rating of PG), the deaths are treated with dignity and respect for human life from the heroine, Katniss. There are numerous opportunities for parents to dialogue with their teen regarding important issues such as peer pressure and how to respond when your moral code conflicts with a government’s demands. While I do not consider any of the characters to be a Christ figure in the novel, there are several incidents that do display characteristics beneficial to a Christian teen.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed The Hunger Games. I look forward to reading the remaining novels in the trilogy and hope that the dignity and virtues found in book one continue throughout the series.
4.5 of 5 stars!
Reading for Me 