The Hunger Games

Our future or a present we must escape from?

"Hope is the only thing stronger than fear. A little hope is effective, a lot of hope is dangerous." -President Snow, The Hunger Games 

In 2008, Suzanne Collins published "The Hunger Games", the first book of a trilogy that would later receive many awards and be praised by critics. Soon, the movie adaptations would change the movie industry too. 

The main topic is survival in a world of oppression, poverty, and injustice. The rich become richer, and the poor are forced to send their kids to brutal games of death to please the "Capitol" and pay for a rebellion that took place years ago. The regime creates fear, and controls and distracts the "Districts" with "bread and circuses". Katniss, a young female, is forced to participate in the Games to save her sister from certain death. The girl with the bow sparks hope and becomes the symbol of rebellion. 

I've mentioned in a previous post that books let us daydream, and travel to magical worlds, however, I doubt anyone would want to travel there. This is the kind of book that is enjoyable, yes, but, also, a message to all of us; our present and future selves. 

Even though it's a work of fiction, one can notice the similarities with our modern world. Unequal distribution of power, money, and food is apparent in both worlds (Panem, and our world), while the media and the governments try to distract from what's important. Sometimes, they give us glimpses of hope, but, mostly, we watch and read about destruction, wars, famine, death. And that's only the tip of the iceberg. 

In the books, Katniss's actions sparked a rebellion. Is this happening in our world already or do we have a lot of work before we open our minds? 

Relevant or not, the Hunger Games have marked a new generation of science fiction and dystopian novels. Whether you like the writing style or not, whether you think that Katniss could act smarter in some instances or not, whether you're team Peeta or team Gale, "fire is catching", and let's hope, that the world won't burn. 

P.S. If you haven't read the books, I, totally, recommend them. The author published "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes", the prequel of the trilogy, in 2020, and the film will be released on November 2023. I've yet to read this book, but I'll do it soon, and I'll be back with a new post. 

Until then, stay safe, and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Welcome

Books have always been my way out of reality. Through reading, I could travel to magical places and be someone else. I could be the person I always wished I was and the person I could be in an alternate reality. 

Reading, soon, became a habit, but I always saw it as a gift. I've met people who cannot stay still for hours reading descriptions of people and places they don't care about. But I've also met people who understand the power of words and the pleasure of hiding between the pages.

This blog is an attempt to express my thoughts about books I've read and shows I've watched. And that brings me to the second topic of the blog: Tv Shows. I'm no expert, and I haven't studied anything related to filming, but I've watched many shows and still do whenever I have free time. By watching, people can also travel to other worlds and forget their problems and worries. 

Sometimes we need an excuse or a reason to "pause" our lives. Let's not waste those precious moments of daydreaming and let's share our thoughts about them. Because in this blog, I'm not the protagonist. The books, the tv shows, and the brave people who will share their thoughts by commenting will be the soul of this blog. 

I'm Cassie; a nurse, a writer, a reader, a dreamer, and this is my blog.

Welcome!