I wasn't particularly interested in reading this book. I don't read young adult (YA) that often and the synopsis didn't exactly thrill me. I read the book because my Book Club (the one in which we DON'T all read the same book) decided to switch things up a bit and have a Hunger Games party before our summer break. Part of that party was to discuss "this great book" that a few members had read.
Like I said, I didn't like it. Without going into details and revealing spoilers, I'll just say that I found parts of the story to be unbelievable and other parts to be downright silly. There were a few things I liked, but those were in the minority. Before anyone says "you have to take into account that it's YA fantasy", I already took that into account and still didn't enjoy the book.
I won't go into how my book club discussion went. Let just say I felt battered and bruised afterwards because I was the only one (out of 15) who disliked the book. With so many voices in favour of the book, I didn't really get my points across as I would have liked. C'est la vie. I did learn something, though, and I'll be a little leery of any book recommendations I receive from them from now on.
I'm a little peeved at myself for buying the box set at Costco only to find out that I really don't want to read the following two books. I've heard that they aren't as good as the first anyway, so I'd probably be wasting my time if I did.
By the way, I saw the movie, too. Contrary to what some of my fellow book clubbers said, it didn't help me understand/appreciate parts better. In fact, I disliked the movie and the book more afterwards. They also suggested that I read the other two books...yep, well, that ain't gonna happen. ;)
Anyway, I'll leave it at that.
Well, Marie, you have a friend in me here! My son actually won a box set and offered to let me read them. I got through the first 100 or so pages and then quit. It just wasn't for me (although I will still watch the movie. Who knows??)
ReplyDeleteI found the same thing with the "Shades of Grey" trilogy. So many people were peeved because I hated the books, but I just thought that the writing was amateurish at best and that there are so many gifted writers out there writing so much better stuff! I am certainly in the minority there too, LOL, and some people have told me so in no uncertain terms!!
Sorry you didn't like the book. Put me in the loved it category. Mind you, I was raised on the young adult novels of Robert Heinlein and The Hunger Games reminded me a lot of them. Except of course that Katniss is more kickass than any of Heinlein's heroines. Oh well, not everyone is going to love every book. One of the people in my book club didn't care for it either.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I loved this book, I admire you for standing up and saying "It's not my thing." So many reviewers either gush over every book so as not to offend - which makes me not trust their opinion - or they run down everyone who liked a book that they didn't - which makes me stop reading their reviews all-together.
ReplyDeleteNice job of reviewing a book you didn't care for without being fake or lecturing.