Sunday 13 May 2012

Step AWAY from the computer (The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins)

I had the luxury of an extremely long, child-free train journey today, and made the most of it by reading for the entire journey (apart from the section somewhere along the Borders where I dropped off for a while).  I read some Game of Thrones, but I wasn't quite awake enough for one of the boring bits in the Dorne, and so I decided to make a start on the first book in The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  Lots of people have recommended this to me, which always serves to put me off, in a totally and utterly peverse way.  However, I decided it would be a good one to read, since there is now a film version, and I am looking around for a book to appeal to next years Year 10s.  Books with a film are always more popular, because the film can be the reward for reading the entire book.

I grudgingly read the first few pages.  After I'd read about 9% I abandoned my packet of Cadbury's Chocos (this is quite unprecendented).  After 15% I ceased any attempts at conversing with my husband, who was working, and so was probably quite relieved.  After 20% I forgot I even had a husband.  This book is seriously, seriously compelling. 

I was so tense towards the end (because obviously I couldn't stand not to read the whole thing today) that I was actually shaking.  At various points I had wept copiously (although silently to avoid frightening people on the quite packed train) and also almost shouted exclamations of fear. 

Suffice to say I would wholeheartedly recommend this book for readers aged 12+ (using your discretion, as it is quite gruesome in parts).  I am now going to step away from the computer.  I am most definitely NOT going to download the next book in the trilogy and read it until I am so ridiculously worked up that I can't sleep.  Because that would be a very silly thing to do after a fun-packed weekend which has left me completely exhausted.  So I certainly won't be heading from this browser page straight to Amazon...

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