* At the end of the trilogy, it’s clear that this is an anti-war story. The girl ends up broken, physically and emotionally, and never fully heals. The noble war for freedom turns out to be a sham. War is ugly, always will be.
* In fact, the girl turns out to be less a heroine and more a victim.
* One point is kind of Battlestar-esque in terms of theme with the idea that this has happened and this will happen again. There’s not much hope, though, in Hunger Games that people will learn. They’ll forget and do it again. I guess the book wants the reader to learn from it, but there it is implied that viciousness is an escapable part of human nature.
* Despite being anti-war, the best parts of the books are the violent parts. Ironic in a way.
* The main character becomes increasingly whiny in the third book, which is understandable given that she’s a teenager and under a lot of emotional distress, but it makes the book a less compelling read. Although in retrospect, I think it’s less the whinyness and more the disjointedness that makes the book less enjoyable. She’s repeatedly knocked unconscious, which gets kind of repetitive. Each part doesn’t feel very connected. The violent part is the longest narrative thread.
* Poor Peeta. I would never wait that long for a girl to put out. #TastelessJoke
* Overall, it’s a fun read. I enjoyed the first two books, but the third is necessary to get the theme. I guess skim the first half of the third.
* Given that the drumbeats of war are sounding again (some people want us whipped into a fury to attack Iran), this kind of anti-war narrative is refreshing and necessary.