| Title | : | The Girl Who Was on Fire: Your Favorite Authors on Suzanne Collins Hunger Games Trilogy |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1935618040 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781935618041 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 210 |
| Publication | : | First published April 5, 2011 |
In The Girl Who Was on Fire, thirteen YA authors take you back to Panem with moving, dark, and funny pieces on Katniss, the Games, Gale and Peeta, reality TV, survival, and more. From the trilogy's darker themes of violence and social control to fashion and weaponry, the collection's exploration of the Hunger Games reveals exactly how rich, and how perilous, protagonist Katniss' world really is.
• How does the way the Games affect the brain explain Haymitch's drinking, Annie's distraction, and Wiress' speech problems?
• What does the rebellion have in common with the War on Terror?
• Why isn't the answer to "Peeta or Gale?" as interesting as the question itself?
• What should Panem have learned from the fates of other hedonistic societies throughout history and what can we?
The Girl Who Was On Fire covers all three books in the Hunger Games trilogy.
The Girl Who Was on Fire: Your Favorite Authors on Suzanne Collins Hunger Games Trilogy Reviews
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I have a great love for the Hunger Games series, but what I loved most about these essays wasn’t the walk down memory lane, it was the focus on the downsides of Panem’s government. Many essays touched on government overreach, Big Brother surveillance, propaganda, and genetic modification. These issues seem like they should only exist in a fictional, dystopian novel, but we see all too much of it in our everyday lives.
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There are some books that are just fun to read, an enjoyable ride that you are happy you took. Other books, are not only enjoyable, but make you think (and think...and think...) even after multiple readings. The Hunger Games Trilogy for me (Admin T), can definitely be counted among the latter. So, when I heard that Smart Pop Books was publishing an anthology about the series, I have no shame in admitting I contacted the publisher right away, almost begging for an ARC to read and review
The Girl Who Was on Fire is a collection of thirteen essays discussing various aspects of The Hunger Games trilogy. The publisher describes the book as follows:
The Girl Who Was On Fire offers even more to think about for ... readers already engrossed by the Hunger Games. From the trilogy's darker themes of violence and social control to reality television, fashion, and weaponry, the collection's exploration of the Hunger Games by other YA writers reveals exactly how rich, and how perilous, protagonist Katniss’ world really is.
And they are right. Each essay included in the book gives the reader something new to think about in regards to the trilogy. From the first essay, editor Leah Wilson and her contributors shine light on details that you might not have even thought much about while reading the series. And guaranteed they'll be thoughts you'll want to come back to again and again. I went through three packages of highlighter strips on my copy of this book, marking quotes and sometimes entire sections of text. Some of the pages now look like a rainbow of colors.
I have read similar anthologies for other books, but I can honestly say none of them have affected the way I see the source material, as The Girl Who was on Fire has. I all ready loved each book in The Hunger Games trilogy, but if it's possible the essays put forth by the writers here, have made me appreciate the series even more.
Sometimes bringing me to tears, each selection challenged me to look at the details of the books in a new way. The essays do have some similar themes, but each also has a unique perspective to share as well. One overwhelming fact that can be found in many of the essays, as well as the introduction, is that we the readers of the Hunger Games are the Capitol audience.
This fact, actually struck me very hard. When I read through the series, I always felt very present in the arena with Katniss. I didn't feel as if I was watching the happenings from afar, but that I was journeying alongside her. I was shocked at what occurred, and openly cried many times while reading each of the books. I cared so much for the characters how could I ever consider that I was actually a part of the audience that revels in the Games? But as Carrie Ryan says in her essay Panem et Circenses:
In the end, if there is one truth that can be taken away from the Hunger Games it is this: we, the reader tuned in and boosted its rating. Even while Katniss rails against the Games as disgusting and barbaric, we the readers turn the pages in order to watch them. We become the citizens of the Capitol, glued to the televisions ensuring there will be another Game the following year. Thanks to us, the ratings are just to high to cancel the show.
A pretty heavy message to take in, but a true one at that. And certainly an aspect that I didn't recognize until now.
Who we are as readers is not the only topic up for discussion in the anthology, there are essays on how love is used as a weapon, how fashion was the true catalyst of the rebellion, the realities of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder on the characters, and how the politics we see in Mockingjay actually reflect recent political occurrences. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Some of the most thought provoking essays to me focused on realism in the series. These included Carrie Ryan's, essay Panem et Circenses, showcasing how the media can manipulate even the smallest detail, making the line between what is real and not real blur and Elizabeth M. Rees contribution, Smoke and Mirrors which discusses the people Katniss encounters and how even those closest to her are sometimes marred in the haze of truth and deception.
However, the essay that I would probably classify as my favorite, is Jennifer Lynn Barnes piece Team Katniss. I have to admit, I love Peeta, he is my favorite character in the series, but Jennifer's discussion on who Katniss really is as a character is an eyeopener. She digs down deep below all of the masks that Katniss hides behind to reveal the true person underneath. After all sometimes it's not all about the boys or the romance, sometimes it is a about the girl. The character who believes love and survival go hand and hand and who would "throw herself in front of bullets as often as she dodges them -- because she would rather die for the people she loves than see them hurt." So, despite the fact that I love Peeta, I'm firmly on Team Katniss now.
So, how do I sum up this book? To me, The Girl Who was on Fire is a "MUST" read for any Hunger Games fan. This anthology is as touching and thought provoking as the series itself. The essays included will challenge you to think of aspects of the trilogy in a new and deeper way. And I would bet that each of the author's thoughts on Mockingjay are bound to change some minds about the series ender as well.
The Hunger Games may be over, but thanks to The Girl Who was on Fire, the discussion continues. -
Remember when you finished THE HUNGER GAMES and you desperately wanted to talk to someone about it. And that desperation only got worse after you read CATCHING FIRE, and by the time you finished MOCKINGJAY you were practically frothing at the mouth - stopping random strangers on the street and forcing them to listen to your HUNGER GAMES trilogy babble!
As book bloggers we had an outlet for discussion with each other. But wouldn't it have been grand to talk to some of your favorite YA authors about it? YEEESSS!
THE GIRL WHO WAS ON FIRE is like having a book club discussion of this fantastic trilogy with authors like Carrie Ryan, Sarah Rees Brennan, Bree Despain and Jennifer Lynn Barnes, to name just a few.
They give their opinions on the politics, the people, and the world that Collins created. There's lots of comparisons to society's current obsession with Reality TV. Elizabeth M. Rees in Smoke and Mirrors discusses how so much in the books is not what it seems. Mary Borsellino talks about how love is used as a weapon. Ned Vizzini gives insight into real media training. Cara Lockwood explores the science. Teri Clark focuses on how fashion played such a huge part in the story. I could go on and on.
Okay so the authors don't talk back but it's almost like having them in your living room. I loved their insights into so many aspects of THE HUNGER GAMES. It will give you even more to think about and discuss with your HUNGER GAMES buddies. Jake, Gregory and I all read THE GIRL WHO WAS ON FIRE and we agree, it's an utter treat! (But no guarantee that you won't still be stopping those strangers.) -
The Girl Who Was on Fire is such a good book to refresh my memory and really, seriously take my love for The Hunger Games Series to the next level. Having read the trilogy before all the hype about the movie and before there was even news there was going to be a movie, the beauty of the series stayed but then of course, I also read great books after that but this in a way rekindled by passion for the trilogy.
My feelings about reading the trilogy and The Girl Who Was on Fire can be expressed with a quote Peeta said.
[image error] -
3.5 stars
I received a free digital copy from the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest feedback.
I actually didn't know this was a selection of essays discussing different themes in The Hunger Games. For some reason I always thought it was a selection of fan fiction written by other YA authors about THG. While I would have definitely loved some fan fiction, I did mostly enjoy reading other author's thoughts on the trilogy. I loved some more than others, in particular Sarah Rees Brennan's Why So Hungry for The Hunger Games?, Mary Borsellino's Your Heart Is a Weapon the Size of Your Fist which looks at how love is used as a political weapon throughout the series and also Gale: Knight, Cowboy, Badass by Jackson Pearce.
Not So Weird Science by Cara Lockwood and Bent, Shattered and Mended by Blythe Woolston were both interesting in the fact they were more studies into the realities of genetic engineering in our world today and then the real symptoms of PTSD and how it's portrayed in the book and which characters show the classic signs. Others like Ned Vizzini's Reality Hunger didn't click with me because, particularly with this one, the author ended up talking about stuff in their own life and I didn't really care. I think Vizzini could have talked about Katniss's media training without constantly mentioning his own experience of being through it.
Overall, it was an interesting read for the most part. I just felt a bit drawn out in some parts when some of the essays started mirroring each other slightly but it was a fantastic insight into how other authors can look and dissect a trilogy that became a phenomenon. -
The only problem with this book is that some of the essays have actually very little about "The Hunger Games". And some focus too much on topics like genetics and Reatity TV, while it could be discussing the actual story.
The book started really good. With amazing essays and beautiful profiles of the characters. Summing everything you had in your mind when you finished reading the series and putting it into words.
Then, it got a bit tiring when authors stirred too far away from the actual "Hunger Games" and just essyaed extensively about Reality Tv (which just seemed like reviews of seasons of Survivor and The Real World) and their actual lives (trying not to come off too egotistical though; ironically).
I have to say Cara Lockwood's essay "Not too weird science" is pretty much the worst one. It's quite a big stretch to compare lizard-men mutts to rice that contains more Vitamin A. I find this essay sort of childish. Not every scientist is Frankenstein. Not every mutation is creepy and evil. 95% of the mutations nowadays are made to help humanity, to the advantage of the world, some even to help the environment. Suzanne Collins' idea about portraying the mutts as something terrifying and bad is more like a warning. About how genetic engeneering can derail, and come to an ugly ending. Of course there are evil people in the world, and some may even eventually use genetics in a bad way. However, I am baffled that in this essay science is portrayed as a curse, as something bad and something to be feared. This is not 1500 anymore. Science is what keeps us going! Science is what's beautiful in life. She writes:"Sometimes science just creates new problems." Examples? Can't really think of any right now. And if there are, the good that sciece has provided can certainly make up for it. This essay is more sci-fi than actual sci-fi. But so far, Cara, everything is swell. There are no tracker jackers roaming around. (Cara's books are actually interesting though - they have nothing to do with genetics - I might just read them).
From there to the end, it gets better, though. It becomes a "Hunger Games" book again, and, therefore, quite enjoyable.
There are only 3 essays that I found undeserving of 4 stars, but the rest of the book made up for those.
The best essays are:
Why So Hungry for the Hunger Games by Sarah Rees Brennan
Team Katniss by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Your Heart Is A Weapon The Size of Your Fist by Mary Borsellind
Smoke and Mirrors by Elizabeth M. Rees
Crime of Fashion by Terri Clark
Bent, Shattered and Mended by Blythe Woolston
The Politics of Mockingjay by Sarah Darer Littman
The Inevitable Decline of Decadence by Adrienne Kress
Community in the Face of Tyranny by Bree Despain -
Wow! All right NCCLers, I just might have to buy one more book. Then I'll stop; I really mean it this time! This book was just posted to a reading teacher's site I belong to. those of you who have read the Hunger Games Trilogy, we'll have to check out this book of essays. Below is the review of the book:
I’m such a nerd, so needless to say I was thrilled when the ARC of The Girl Who Was on Fire: Your Favorite Authors on Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games Trilogy arrived. I immediately dove in and was not disappointed. This is a collection of essays that examine the deeper issues within and without the Hunger Games trilogy. I actually used a few of the essays with my classes already, as examples of well-written literary analyses.
Some of the authors included: Sarah Rees Brennan, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Mary Borsellino, Elizabeth M. Rees, Lili Wilkinson, Ned Vizzini, Carrie Ryan, Cara Lockwood, Terri Clark, Blythe Woolston, Sarah Darer Littman, Adrienne Kress, and Bree Despain.
Some of the essay titles?
Your Heart is a Weapon the Size of Your Fist
Panem et Circenses
The Politics of Mockingjay
The Inevitable Decline of Decadence (I used this one as an example in my classes!)
Community in the Face of Tyranny
All of the essays are excellent. You can read them straight through, or pick and choose the essays for you. Each one is a fantastic example of analysis and will make you think deeply about the series as a whole.
Plus, this is a fantastic book to give to those who say the Hunger Games trilogy is nothing more than child’s play, a silly young adult book. ;)
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I have very mixed emotions about this book. It's an unauthorized collection of analytical essays about various aspects of the Hunger Games trilogy by different YA authors (some more famous than others). A couple of these essays are gems for content, like Sarah Darer Littman's "The Politics of Mockingjay" in which she asserts that maybe the methods of torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners are not so far off from what happened at Abu Ghraib (waterboarding, anyone?). Blythe Woolston's essay on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (which, although never called that, is pretty accurately portrayed in the Hunger Games trilogy) is pretty good also. But by and large this collection is pretty poorly edited, and sources not always properly cited. Not to mention, where in the books is Katniss called "Kat"? I know Gale's nickname for her is "Catnip," but I don't remember Kat anywhere. An interesting read, but also skipable.
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I reviewed this book on April 2011, when it was first brought into my attention. Recently though I received the new movie edition which includes 3 new essays that pretty much rocked my world. Here is my original review, along with the new paragraphs on the new content.
April, 2011:
These kinds of books are awesome, and specifically this one is amazing! The essays are so good! There are 13 essays (for 13 districts?) in total, some have to do with fashion, psychology, PSTD among the winners of The Hunger Games, Team Katniss, and so much more. Theres something for everybody.
When the people at Smart Pop contacted me about reviewing this one I was so psyched!!! Any fan of The Hunger Games would be. I first learned about Smart Pop when I bought their essays on A New Dawn, I was soo into Twilight and this book was a life saver. I read it before I got Breaking Dawn because it wasn't out yet. Anyways this book is as good as A New Dawn was, if not better (let me think about it... definitely better). The authors talk about various parts of The Hunger Games with such insight that it make you think "holly crap how did I not see it? Why wasn't this clear to me from the get go?"
After I reads this book I immediately picked up The Hunger Games and started re reading it. Cinna is by far one of my favorite characters in the book, before reading The Girl Who Was on Fire I didn't paid much attention to him, but after reading the essay on fashion I got to say that he is one of the bravest most creative characters ever. Also after re reading The Hunger Games (and reading an essay that talked about the love triangle thing in The Girl Who Was on Fire) is hard to see where anyone got the idea that Katniss could ever end up with Gale, Peeta is such a sweet heart and clearly the right choice. Oh and also, I'm Team Katniss, she is the best. You will understand if you read The Girl Who Was on Fire, it really is an eye opener. Not to say that that all the essays will appeal to just everybody, there was one heavily on the science part that didn't interest me at all, but for the most part is so good.
January 2012:
All that I have said above? Completely true. Nonetheless, I have to add a bit more due to the new essays that the Movie Edition brings.
The essays are written by Diana Peterfreud (author of the killer unicorn series
Rampant), Brent Hartinger (author of
Geography Club) and Jackson Pearce (author of
Sisters Red,
Sweetly and
Purity).
The one written by Diana is about Game Theory, and how it applies to The Hunger Games. It is very informative and interesting that is for sure. Maybe if my teachers taught me about the Game Theory with Hunger Games examples I would have learned a bit more about it, or been more interested.
"Game Theory is not about games. It's about politics and psychology, war and strategy. For Katniss Everdeen, it is life and death, and in the end, everyone in Panem comes to learn that the only way to truly win the game is not to play at all."
Brent Hartinger's essay is basically on "does the Mockingjay book suck or not?". It is his personal belief that the book wasn't as good as the others, it is my personal belief that I loved it. So it was interesting reading the other side of the coin. Brent does a very fine job indeed. He not only puts forward why he beliefs the book sucked and where he thinks things could have been done better, but he also speaks up for the people who loved the book and gives various reasons on why he would understand why the book would be loved (something about cynicism in his essay struck a cord with me).
"...there are two sides to the question of whether or not the book sucks. But there's also a third point of view to be considered: that there is some truth to both arguments. That Mockingjay might be flawed in some respects, but it's a bold and challenging work of fiction in others, specially the ending."
Last but not least is Jackson Pearce's essay. Her essay has to do with Gale, surprisingly. It has to do with how Gale is the knight, or cowboy if you prefer the men with boots and hats, of the series. He is willing to do whatever is necessary for the greater good, even if it interferes with what he wants the most as an individual (in this case this would be Katniss' love). To some degree I would agree with Jackson. Gale was never going to end with Katniss, we all knew that deep inside. Why? Well, you will have to read the essay to figure that out.
"All this time, Gale has been fighting not just for Katniss' heart, but for her safety, to create a world in which she and everyone else can be happy. And he wins -only he can't live in that world with her, because she can't forgive him for what he has done, things she has deemed to be evil."
This book is as close to the Hunger Games inner workings as you are going to get. It's like getting together with your friends and discussing the Hunger Games in great detail- only your friends in this case are inside the pages. You will enjoy every single second of the conversation, and after it is finished you will ask for seconds. That's when you get up, go to your best friend, and put this book in their hands. Only then will they be able to understand this love we have deep inside for The Hunger Games and why we keep trying to keep the world alive even though the series as long ended.
Long live The Hunger Games. -
Pretty much everyone has heard of The Hunger Games, and most have their own opinions about the series. What we rarely get to see, is an author share their thoughts about a book or series. The Girl Who Was On Fire gives us that chance. Each author focuses on a certain topic, or issue, in the book and they explain their thoughts on the trilogy.
I had several sections of this book that stood out as favorites. Each author brought humor and fascinating theories to support their outlook. Sarah Rees Brennan had some very funny comments regarding the love and sexy-times in the series. She admits she's "a filthy-minded creature from the gutter". It's so nice to see authors open up and show that they are just like us! *wink*
Cara Lockwood focused on the science behind some of the creatures we see in The Hunger Games; tracker jackers, and mutts. I was shocked to read about some of the scientific experiments that have been conducted by researchers, in real life. Scary stuff! It proved that maybe tracker jackers may not be far from our future.
For me, I really loved how each section brought back memories from reading the book. It gave me a lot to think about and pointed out things I had missed along the way. As readers, we often focus on different things we notice in the book but The Girl Who Was On Fire lets us have time to slow down and concentrate on each individual issue.
Other stories discuss the fashion, politics, media, and of course, the relationships we all come to enjoy during the trilogy. If you enjoyed The Hunger Games series, and would like to see how authors feel about the story, you gotta read this book. Each story is interesting in its own way and helps the reader look back at these books that have been embraced so much by teens and adults. -
this was a pretty awesome collection of essays. i particularly liked the essays on game theory, team katniss, PTSD, cinna and whether or not you liked
Mockingjay. it makes me happy, and the essays were perfect to read before bed.
highly recommend it.
jennifer lynn barnes kicks some serious ass. my admiration for these authors keeps growing - including
carrie ryan and
diana peterfreund. if you liked the hunger games, you should pick this up and enjoy it.
*
i was all ready to pass on this until i saw
Diana Peterfreund is a contributor . . . her essay on shay in
Mind-Rain: Your Favorite Authors on Scott Westerfeld's Uglies Series was my favorite.
::shakes fist:: darn you, diana!
::adds to pre-order list for 2011:: -
It's like a very long review of The Hunger Games trilogy. It makes you see the books in a whole new way. It makes you see how really really brilliant of an author Suzanne Collins is. I've never really thought that there might be a deeper reason for Haymitch's drunkenness. That Katniss may be the fire but Cinna is the torch. And I strongly agree that the Hunger Games is more than just Team Peeta or Team Gale. It also made me realize that some programs today, though not brutal and bloody, are not that far off from The Hunger Games.
However, some essays are redundant and a little boring. Another thing, I think we should not call Katniss as Kat. Seems like a little disrespectful to a great heroine who has carved herself in the minds of the readers and who took the YA Dystopia up another notch. -
Meh. Started off interesting....then got boring and stated the obvious too much! A bit disappointed if I'm honest. All the best parts of the book were quoted on the Goodreads sidebar (which is what originally made me want to pick this up), good advertising guys, it totally reeled me in.
Not worth a full review. -
All I have to say was that I hated Mockingjay; that was the first actual time I felt depressed, I can't even stand reading twice or more... That's how much I hate it I even threw it across my bedroom!
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I read a handful of essays and scanned the rest, and opted not to finish with any more thoroughness. While the various writers had a few worthwhile points to bring up, overall I felt that their pieces lacked depth, instead ringing with more of a AP English timed write/guided prompt note.
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The Girl Who Was On Fire-Movie Edition contains all the awesomeness of the first edition of The Girl Who Was On Fire, plus three brand new essays from Brent Hartinger, Jackson Pearce, and Diana Peterfreund, which I will discuss separately.
Brent Hartinger: Did the third book suck?
Brent talks about his disappointment in the last book of the series, Mockingjay, but also tries to support people who liked it.
I agree with Brent's opinion, more or less. I am one of the many (few?) who didn't like the Hunger Games ending. For completely different reasons that anyone else it seems, but I was disappointed nonetheless.
"There's apparently a fine line between "reluctant hero" and "cliche angst-y teen"
Agree 100%. That's why I think Katniss's reactions, emotions and behavior became so over the top, so melodramatic if you will, in the last book. Everyone is obsessed over her, and she can't help but think that she is indeed the centre and cause of everything. Yes, she is important to the world of Panem, no question about it. However, not THAT important that would justify her thinking that everything that happens in her dystopia world happens because of her.
I also agree about Brent's take on the love triangle. If you're looking for tormented lovers, pick another YA book, there're a lot of them about with that particular theme. Agreed, the Hunger Games trilogy is not at all about Katniss's love life, far from it actually. Or...at least it shouldn't have been. I've said this a million times: if you don't want readers, especially YA readers, to have romance-centered expectations, DO NOT ADD AN ANGSTY LOVE TRIANGLE. It's that simple. "Cheap" tricks like that are so beyond Hunger Games. Its amazing story spoke for itself, it didn't need anything else. If you want to add some romance to lighten the mood, sure, by all means. But choose a guy for Katniss to love and find comfort in. Not two guys. If you chose the latter, you have to prepare for the backlash, which is unfortunately unavoidable. When you add a love triangle in a book, you automatically split your fan-base into two sides. That means that in the end, you can only fully satisfy the one side, if that. If you want to talk numbers, that's approximately 50% of the readers. Why go through that? Why not target at 100%? I just don't get it.
Finally, the one thing that I don't agree with Brent is that The Hunger Games world is not morally grey. There is nothing grey and in-between about it. It's pitch black and corrupt to the core, and if that makes me a cynic, so be it.
Jackson Pearce: Gale: Knight, Cowboy, Badass
"Katniss wants to run away with those she loves, because her family, her inner circle, is more important to her that the general populace" Gale flatly tells Katniss " Don't you see? It can't be about just saving "us" anymore. Not if the rebellion's begun!"
Yes! Finally! Jackson very accurately compares the altruism and selflessness that describes a knight's, a hero's life, to Katniss's who from the very beginning declares that her family is her first priority. Gale does love his family obviously, but he loves the cause more.
I couldn't agree more. I don't know if that makes one character more likable than the other, what I do know however, is that visionaries and people who want to change the world have to put the greater good before themselves and their families and the people they love. If you want to lead a revolution, you have to put the populace's interests before yours. It doesn't work any other way. If your plan is to fight to save your ass, you're gonna fail and fail and fail. Or you're gonna succeed but you'll be no hero. There's this scene in Mockingjay I will never forget. The bombing in destrict 13 had started and everyone had rushed to the shelter except for Prim, who was not far behind. They had to close the door however, because they couldn't risk getting hit. Katnisss ordered for the door to stay open until Prim came, jeopardizing the life of everyone that was in the shelter. Did she care? Not in the least. Would she had done it for anyone else? Absolutely not. So, you realise, you cannot possibly do that, and still call yourself a hero. Cruel but true. For me, and for Jackson apparently, Gale is the real hero in the Hunger Games series. The leader of the revolution, willing to put his life on the line to save others. Finally, again, couldn't agree more when Jackson says that without Gale there would be no meadow for Katniss and Peeta's children to play at the end of Mockingjay:
"He's the reason the series had a happy ending".
"Peeta, with all his domesticated ador- ableness, is a man, whereas Gale is an archetype—someone pos- sible to lust over, possible to care for, possible to love, but fundamentally impossible to settle down with."
How right you are, Jackson. How right you are.
Diana Peterfreund: Hunger Game Theory
Diana writes a very illuminating essay about game strategy, its origins and its various sides and uses. Playing a game of two players entails a certain amount of thinking and strategizing if you want to win, or at least accomplish the best outcome for you. That's what Diana's essay is about, how two people's game strategies are connected and how one cannot possibly exist without the other.
She refers to Harry Potter's Quidditch and Ender's Game Battle School game. What first came to my mind when reading the Hunger Games is Battle Royale. For those of you who haven't heard of it, Battle Royale is a novel by Koushun Takami. It takes place in Japan, in an alternate timeline. Under the guise of a "study trip", a group of students are gassed on a bus, and then wake up in an evacuated school in a deserted island. They learn that they have been placed in an event called the Program. Officially a military research project, it is a means of terrorizing the population, of creating such paranoia as to make organized insurgency impossible. According to the rules, every year since 1947, 42 third-year high school students are isolated, and each student is required to fight to the death until one student remains. Their movements are tracked by metal collars, which contain tracking and listening devices. If any student should attempt to escape the Program, or enter declared forbidden zones, a bomb will be detonated in the collar, killing the wearer. If no one dies in a 24 hour time period, there will be no winner and all collars will be detonated simultaneously. After being briefed about the Program, the students are issued survival packs that include a map, compass, flashlight, food and water, and a random weapon or other item, which may be anything from a gun to a paper fan(summary mostly taken from Wiki).
Many argue that Battle Royale is more violent and bloody than the Hunger Games. Is it though?
"Win or lose. Kill or be killed. Every man for himself."
I think Diana answered my question.
"The only way to win the game is not to play at all"
I think the above phrase pretty much sums up the whole series. Diana reminds us what Haymitch told Katniss in Mockingjay, that they were all "still in the game". Whatever they do, it doesn't stop. It just goes around and around and around and for what? People never win, districts never win, it's always the Capitol. So the best strategy is to not have one, meaning not to play at all. I think that's what Katniss and Peeta realised when they thought about eating the berries, shaking the system to its core.
Great analytical essay on game theory based on psychological examples and politics. -
3.5 Stars, rounded down.
Perhaps this book should have been called, "Women Write About 'The Hunger Games.'" Maybe it sounds sexist and trite, but of the 13 authors contributing to this book, one is male. ...Check that, it doesn't sound trite - it is trite, because the essays are all well written, and I enjoyed them. Double check that. It isn't trite, because I was just wondering what a male perspective would have brought. TRIPLE check that... it IS trite... I'm a male, so I'm bringing a male perspective. ...But not an OUTSIDE male perspective.
Whatever. Youprobably don'tget my point.
So, if I liked the essays, what's the problem? They were insightful. They clarified my thoughts on the books, and many even brought out/up aspects of the trilogy that I hadn't thought about. But several were redundant. It made me wonder if the editors solicited topics from authors, or just said, "Write about whatever you want. Approach this from any angle," and then had several approach it from the same angle.
That said, I was hooked from page one. It's hard putting up with all the idiots in the world. A few years back I got in a fairly heated discussion about The Hunger Games and Battle Royale. (Die-hard Battle Royale fans/ holier-than-thou readers/ people-who-heard-about-Battle-Royale-after-The-Hunger-Games-but-still-wanted-to-be-righteously-angry-about-something-and-finally-had-their-lame-cause argue that
Suzanne Collins stole the idea for Hunger Games from Royale... ...Oh grow up. Battle Royale stole it from Lord of the Flies or Stephen King's The Long Walk...*note sarcasm*)
Sarah Rees Brennan addresses this head on in the first essay.
You know,
I taught The Hunger Games this year. Just thought I'd throw that in there... The essay "Someone to Watch Over Me" by
Lili Wilkinson was especially poignant. Although I think Lili was wrong on some of her points - on page 72, under the section "The Watchers" she claims that nobody in all of Panem turns off their tv because, "The viewers at home are just as bloodthirsty and eager for drama as we are when watching an episode of The Bachelorette or The Amazing Race. What does that say about the people of Panem? The people in Panem were living under a politic of fear. We are not. The quote at the beginning of her essay, "It must be very fragile if a handful of berries can bring it down," speaks to this. If more people realized how fragile the structure of tyranny actually is, more people would stand up for themselves. As Katniss took on the Capitol with a handful of berries, Gandhi took on the British Empire with a, "pinch of salt." As I'm writing this (6-1-12),President"President" Assad of Syria claims that the massacre in Houla last week was carried out by the rebels. The rebels say it was Assad. Sound familiar? I don't think Panem knew they could shut down the Capitol by shutting off their TVs, but Wilkinson is right to point out that they could have.
A lot of the essays dealt with reality - and the ambiguity in the book. The characters are always under surveillance, therefore they can't be real. The characters are put into a position where they can't trust each other, therefore they can't be real. The characters are given drugs or stung by tracker jackers that cause them to question reality... Definitely a theme in the book that was also brought out in the essays.
"Bent, Shattered, and Mended" by
Blythe Woolston was an interesting look at the mental toll of the games on those participating as well as their society as a whole. I especially like the section on the development of a baby's brain.
The essay that I was most excited about seemed to be a bit of lefty propaganda. Don't get me wrong, I'm cool with propaganda... I watch the Super-bowl just for the ads. But man, do you have to be so overt? Bush didn't start extraordinary rendition, Clinton was using it before him, and Obama is still using it. Furthermore, Obama has targeted U.S. citizens - something Bush never did. I think the tipping point for me was when
Sarah Darer Littman equated Saddam Hussein and George W. Bush. (Full disclosure, I voted for Bush twice and Obama once.) I'm not excusing Bush's use of extreme methods of interrogation. Part of the reason I voted for Obama is that I'm against torture. BUT to equate him with Saddam Hussein is inexcusable as well.
Other essays I liked were "The Inevitable Decline of Decadence" by
Adrienne Kress as well as Community in the Face of Tyranny by
Bree Despain.
If you are considering teaching The Hunger Games, you may want to check out this book as it illuminates many aspects, metaphors, applications, that could possibly go unnoticed on the first... dozen... readings. (I wish I could remember which author said that the avoxes are the perfect metaphor for the districts...)
Or, even if you're not teaching it... if you've read the trilogy a dozen times, it's probably time to pick up this book. -
It feels unfair to rate the collection and not individual essays. Some were brilliant and thought-provoking (Mary Borsellino, Terri Clark, Sarah Darer Littman, Bree Despain). Others were off-topic or just bad (I'm looking at you, Ned Vizzini). Sometimes it felt like Leah Wilson didn't communicate clearly enough what kind of collection she had in mind. But I can't say I regret the time I've spent reading it. Three stars seems fair.
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Leuk als soort van nabeschouwing maar niet helemaal waar ik op gehoopt had. Had gehoopt op verhalen maar misschien moet ik gewoon accepteren dat de serie afgelopen is :’). Alsnog vermakelijk en zeker een toffe kringloop vondst
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More reviews at
Boricuan Bookworms
eARC Provided by Publisher via Netgalley
For all The Hunger Games fans, this is a book made specially for you. And for those too that didn't seem to find anything relevant in them, that hated how superficial they were, any type of person that wants to know more of these books by Suzanne Collins, this is for you. This book is an anthology, a collection, of essays written by various authors that give you a deeper insight of the games, the characters, and most probably things that never crossed your mind and leave you shocked at how much you and I are like the Capitol and it's citizens rather than being the Districts like Katniss and Co.
I was one of those weird people who were, by some reason, proud of not having read The Hunger Games, even less watch the movie or know what the heck it was about. I know, how horrible of me. But I'm glad, in a way, because when I got to read the books, it was in a perfect moment of sorts. We read each book neither late nor early, we read them just when we're meant to (I might have made that quote-ish from what Gandalf says about Wizards... haha). Anyways, I read them, got extremely hooked, watched The Hunger Games and fangirled a bit too much while watching Catching Fire in the theater last year when it came out.
Suzanne Collins introduced us into this strange and yet so realistic world after the USA got destroyed and reshaped into what Katniss knows. This was my third dystopian book after having read Matched, then Divergent, then this. I was still fresh on that theme and setting of a future post-apocalyptic world. After reading the books I would get to think of the important themes these books prevented, about being brave in the face of danger, defending what you believe in and the ones you love, that a single person is enough to start a rebellion, those things. I got my gears going at the wee hours of the night. But my mind was opened with this book, The Girl Who Was On Fire, like never before.
Through the series of essays, each author makes a different point directly related to the books or some of its themes. It was like having a book scientists undressing the whole book bare until we could see it's core, it's raw inside for what it really is and stands for. There were things in the book, like how Gale was related to Prim's death that I didn't understand to a 100%, there were also character traits that I didn't think much either. Like Peeta. He's quite the talker and can have the audience become putty in his hands. I saw that as a kind of gift for speech, but never as a manipulator. Never a liar who could get whatever he wanted by just saying it. I saw him as the lovely bread boy who had an unconditional love for Katniss that would go to the end of the world, beyond the stars, and survive against all odds. I was the Capitol audience. I was so many things while reading the books, the characters became so many others, it was astounding, really. I'm not able to write all of what I read because I wouldn't do justice to how marvelously each author made their point that really got into me.
Buy the book, read it, have your mind being blown away by the small but big things you didn't notice the first time you read The Hunger Games Series. This will definitely make you want to read them again and analyze every single detail and have your mind running wild on a knowledge rush.
Rating: 4 stars -
Seen at Scott Reads It!
I have been a Hunger Games fan ever since 2008 and I remember when THG wasn't the global phenomenon it is today. In fact I remember recommending THG to a few of my classmates and I remember them telling me it sounded stupid and ridiculous. **Fast Forward 4 Years** The same people who told me that THG was stupid, went to the movie on opening day and claimed that they were huge fans of the trilogy. Just because you saw the movie doesn't mean you are a huge fan of THG trilogy. Many of these self-proclaimed die hard Hunger Games fans that I know haven't even finished the entire trilogy. Sorry for completely digressing but I just had to unwind about the fake THG junkies I know. There will be spoilers for Suzanne Collin's Hunger Games Trilogy.
I have read numerous anthologies in my life. What do all of these anthologies have in common? Every single time I read an anthology the essays or stories are either extremely entertaining or extremely dreadful. The Girl Who Was On Fire also seems to suffer from this common issue. Some of the essays in this anthology seemed like they would never end and I felt so tempted to skim or skip these essays. I wasn't really interested in reading about the political values displayed in The Hunger Games at all and the essay on politics was extremely tedious. Another essay which I disliked was "The Game Theory" by Diana Peterfreund because this essay felt very extraneous. I didn't not enjoy reading about the mathematics of games and how rules affect game play. The only part of Peterfreund's essay that I enjoyed was the allusion to Quidditch.
The rest of the essays were much more entertaining to read especially the essays written by Carrie Ryan, Ned Vizzini, and Terri Clark. It was not a surprise that I really enjoyed the essays by Ryan and Vizzini. Ryan's essay on "Panem et Circuses" was extremely thought provoking and provided a meaningful analysis of Panem. "Panem et Circuses" provided a powerful view on how the media controls society. Is the reader any better than the people of Panem? The people of Panem tune in to watch all of the Hunger Games, if they didn't watch THG the Capital would have a considerable less power. The people of Panem give the Capital more power by watching kids fight to the death. Is someone who read The Hunger Games any better than a viewer from the Capital? Afterall both the reader and the Capital citizen are interested in The Hunger Games for similar reasons. Vizzini's essay was a true eye opener and revealed the connection between Kurt Cobain and Katniss. Who would have ever thought Cobain and Katniss were so closely linked? Other memorable essays include "Did The Third Book Suck?" and "Gale: Knight. Cowboy. Badass." which were extremely fun to read.
The Girl Is On Fire isn't exactly a must-read but it is an entertaining book. I really enjoyed a vast majority of the essays and I'm glad that the essays were more than just "Team Gale" or "Team Peeta". If you're looking for a thought-provoking book that goes beyond the mindless THG Teams than this is the book for you. It is a bit disappointing and ironic that the "Movie Edition" lacks any essays regarding the movie. Even though I haven't heard of a majority of the authors in this anthology, I do look forward to looking into reading books by some of the authors featured in this anthology. -
If there is a book that deserves to have an anthology filled with authors' thoughts written for it, then that book is definitely the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. The Girl Who Was One Fire is exactly that: authors' take on the YA phenomenon that is the Hunger Games and what, according to them, made it such a huge success.
Personally I liked all the essays. Some were longer than others and they dragged just a little bit, giving me the impression that they were more of an analysis on the books rather than an expression of opinion on them.
Apart from that though, I was thrilled to see(it really showed)that the authors chosen are indeed huge fans of the HG and were not just doing it because they "had to", because it was just another job. I liked that they were very opinionated and passionate about the books. Sometimes I found myself thinking "Oh yeah.Hm I haven't thought of that, she's right!", and I was affected by what I read, discovering new perspectives on the matter I never thought about. There were times that I disagreed of course, because that's just me! I objected to the love triangle right from the start because I think that it's completely unnecessary to books like the HG which has such an important and deep story to tell. Also, I have my objections about Katniss's absolute selflessness but I'm not gonna dwell on this now. This book doesn't have a story so I can express my opinion about, it's a bundle of opinions ON a story. So judging other people's opinion is not the purpose of this review.
Each essay had a different "subject". There are essays on how love was used as a weapon, on specific characters (Katniss), on how media affected the games, on how Panem may seem fictional but with the progress of science everything is possible etc.
If I had to choose a favourite, it will have to be Carrie Ryan's essay(I kinda love Carrie Ryan so it's only natural) in which she makes an eye-opening connection between the HG and reality television. She claims that reality TV exists basically because of us, the viewers, because we're watching and by doing so we "increase the ratings, and as our interest wanes the shows must become "more" to recapture our attention-". She compares Survivor to Hunger Games and how the former became more brutal along the years. Since I'm a huge Survivor fan and have watched every season I have to say the comparison is perfectly accurate but in all honesty, I have never thought about it that way till Ryan pointed it out.
She concluded her essay with something sad but also very true:
"In the end, if there is one truth that can be taken away from the Hunger Games it is this: we, the reader tuned in and boosted its rating. Even while Katniss rails against the Games as disgusting and barbaric, we the readers turn the pages in order to watch them. We become the citizens in the Capitol, glued to the television, ensuring there will be another Game the following year. Thanks to us, the ratings are just too high to cancel the show."
This also goes hand in hand with what Sarah Rees Brennan says about the Romans "liking for bread and circuses-for instant gratification that would distract them from the harsher realities of life."
Overall, I liked The Girl Who Was On Fire and felt like I was discussing the Hunger Games with friends all over again. The moving and thought-provoking essays are a definite must-read for every Hunger Games fan! -
There is too much fake and not enough real. Paradoxical message from a Hollywood movie.
The Hunger Games are set in a dystopian future. I’m afraid we’re already living it to some degree, we’re just not ready to admit it.
1. Each country already has their own Capitol, their seat of power.
2. The rich and powerful control the media who tell people what to think, feel, buy, worry about…go buy more while we ruin, er, run your country. Corporations post record profits selling us mostly junk.
Don’t look at the man behind the curtain.
3. Rich Hollywood people make these films to tell us extravagance is wrong…what designer was JLaw wearing to the Oscars? Hypocrisy, how yummy.
4. Don’t approve of governments and corporations? Reward them.
5. Resistance is met with disdain or force or the most insidious trick, mockery. When people protest they’re surveilled, beaten, pepper-sprayed, jailed, threatened, mocked, but banks and companies steal billions of dollars and they get rewarded.
After Harry Potter became a marketing phenom, Hollywood got serious about picking books to turn into more phenoms. Then more merchandise. And books about the books and movies like The Girl Who Was On Fire (Smart Pop Books/BenBella Books), which is actually a cool collection of authors discussing The Hunger Games in some insightful and highly amusing ways. For fans or those bewildered by the extreme obsessiveness of fans this may help. Edited by Leah Wilson, this offers perceptive essays from Sarah Rees Brennan, Blythe Woolston, Ned Vizzini, Jackson Pearce, Diana Peterfreund, and more.
Catching Fire was awesome, I can’t believe how much better the movies are than the books and I say this almost never.
Jennifer Lawrence was great. Love Woody Harrelson in like, everything. Philip Seymour Hoffman was riveting.
Donald Sutherland exudes malicious political monster appeal. The cast is fun to watch.
As much as I enjoyed The Hunger Games the sequel outshines it. I hope the Mockingjay movies are even better.
The Hunger Games is a love story, but not Katniss and Peeta (Peeniss or Katpee, ummm, clearly Collins wasn’t thinking of celebrity couple names when she wrote this). No, not Katniss and Gale either; more Katniss and Prim, and Katniss and Katniss.
Katniss was an ordinary person put into an extraordinary position. She reluctantly became a heroine, with hope as her greatest weapon in The Arena and outside it. Yes, in the end she triumphed, the day was won, but at what cost? Everything has a price, often by the time we find out what that price is, it’s too late.
These books/movies are about sacrifice, choices, loss, and power.
These books aren’t so much fantasy as horror.
About people’s gullibility – just how much you can sell them, figuratively and literally.
A scary bedtime story about giving up control to those who don’t care about you except as a worker and consumer.
A Battle Royale (wink, wink) between the classes where sometimes there’s virtually no reality.
I’m always fascinated by our disconnect.
How can people, especially young people watch and read these and then not vote?
Not protest?
Put down their smartphones long enough to say, no, it’s our present and our future you’re destroying, we care!
Real or not real? All choices must be made.
“Things are seldom what they seem, skim milk masquerades as cream.” ~W.S. Gilbert
http://yadadarcyyada.com/2014/08/07/t... -
Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy is a literary firestorm that swept many young adult readers into its addictive heat. It may have ended in Mockingjay, but Katniss’ unforgettable story is blazing in the readers’ hearts up to this day. The flames are further fanned by the buzz about the first book’s big screen adaptation in 2012, keeping the fandom more alive than ever.
I’ve read so many books after finishing the trilogy, but no other dystopian-themed book is able to dislodge it from its special position in my bookworm heart. So when—by sweet serendipity—I stumbled upon a copy of The Girl Who Was on Fire, I had to clamp down the excited giggle that bubbled up my throat. Three words after I finished it: a phenomenal read.
The Girl Who Was on Fire is a compilation of essays by thirteen YA lit authors that express their commentaries, explanations, and analysis of the said trilogy. I can’t pick a favorite because all of them are very well-written and thought-provoking. A lot of them made me laugh, some almost moved me to tears, but the common denominator is that every piece taught me something new about the series—and I have to admit that it actually prompted me to reread the books.
I learned why Katniss Everdeen is such a hard person to know, how the Games made Haymitch a clownish boozehound or how it affected speech problems of Wiress and Annie, and why the majority of the fandom is more focused on the Team Peeta vs Team Gale when in fact romance is a subplot of the series. A popular topic among the essays is Reality vs Illusions as a thematic device of the books, as well as how Collins brought our obsessions with Reality TV into her books and made not-so-subtle commentaries about it. The long-term effects of war, the power of mass media, fashion as a weapon and a medium of expression, the science fiction elements that reflects our modern scientific explorations, even the parallels of the politics in Mockingjay and that of the G.W. Bush administration—almost everything was touched by the authors. The series was dissected and studied carefully, and in the process, the readers are egged on to debate and raise questions about the series.
For me, this book is a kaleidoscope that offers new perspectives about things I knew about the Hunger Games. It is very refreshing, and it made me love the trilogy more. The closest person I ever have that I can talk to about the series is reachable only through the info superhighway, so this book in my hand created an instant companion that I can gush with about HG. Highly recommended! -
In Het meisje dat in vuur en vlam stond ga je dieper in op het verhaal van The Hunger Games. Zestien auteurs hebben papers geschreven over The Hunger Games. Vele aspecten van deze trilogie worden benoemd, zoals de personages, relaties, de samenleving, de corruptie, de oorlog, schoonheidsidealen, reality-tv, mentale stoornissen en nog veel meer. Elke schrijver heeft een bepaald onderwerp wat hij/zij nader toelicht.
Aangezien ik al een ruime collectie aan boeken over The Hunger Games heb, kon dit boek natuurlijk niet ontbreken. De flaptekst voorspelde dat je genoeg achtergrondinformatie te lezen krijgt over The Hunger Games.
Nou en of krijg je veel achtergrondinformatie! Dit boek bekijkt vele kanten van de trilogie van Suzanne Collins. Elke auteur heeft een unieke bijdrage geleverd aan dit boek en in elk hoofdstuk krijg je weer genoeg te weten over The Hunger Games.
Mijn verwachting was dat er eerst lovende recensies kwamen over de boeken zelf, en daarna de bevindingen van de auteur, wat hij/zij nog achter het verhaal zag. Maar ik had het aardig mis. De nadruk wordt niet gelegd op The Hunger Games zelf, maar meer op de diversiteit aan onderwerpen die The Hunger Games met zich mee brengt. Ik was verrast toen ik las over onderwerpen zoals verschillende posttraumatische stoornissen die de personages hebben opgelopen in de boeken door de Hongerspelen en de oorlog. De schrijver vertelt daarnaast nog uitgebreid hoe de hersenen werken en hoe die op heftige gebeurtenissen reageren. Hierdoor worden de personages niet alleen belicht, maar ook de wetenschap en de logica achter het verhaal.
Het gaat dus niet alleen om het verhaal of de personages, maar ook andere aspecten, zoals de maatschappij en hoe de tirannie van het Capitool uiteindelijk de bevolking tot een opstand zet. Er is zelfs een hoofdstuk waarin genetische manipulatie wordt beschreven en dat we nog maar even hoeven te wachten totdat de mens inderdaad in staat is om gemanipuleerde dieren zoals snatergaaien te maken.
Het meisje dat in vuur en vlam stond is een must voor diehard-fans van The Hunger Games die hun visie op deze boeken drastisch willen uitbreiden. Door dit boek te lezen kan je een grote indruk maken als mensen het over The Hunger Games hebben, aangezien je onwijs veel over de boeken komt te weten. Dankzij dit boek blijft Katniss Everdeen voor eeuwig in je hart!
http://nerdygeekyfanboy.blogspot.nl/2... -
The purpose of this collection of essays was to get fans of the series thinking, to expand their thoughts and ideas, and to explore the many concepts found in The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. Here are the essays:
Sarah Rees Brennan on what makes this series so appealing and good. Jennifer Lyn Barnes on understanding the character that is Katniss Everdeen. Mary Borsellino on how the concept of love played a huge part in the story. Elizabeth M. Rees on the fact that we cannot trust anything or anyone in these books. Lili Wilkinson on the power of surveillance in the Hunger Games. Ned Vizzini and Carrie Ryan on the roles media and reality TV have in the books. Cara Lockwood on the monster-esque creatures and science found in the story. Terri Clark on the crucial role of fashion and appearance in the series. Blythe Woolston on the mental problems the characters face. Sarah Darer Littman on the politics of Mockingjay. Adrienne Kress on the element of decadence in Panem. Bree Despain on community in the face of tyranny.
I found a lot of these extremely well done. There was a good variety of ground covered. Some essays were very light and humorous, others were rather serious. All of these writers had their own unique view points on the philosophy of this thought-provoking series. Even though I felt that some of them were a little long and/or dull at some points, it felt good to read what people who have pondered the Hunger Games inside and out had to say. Each reflection comes from the writer's point of expertise. Political journalist Sarah Darer Littman's essay was one I enjoyed, it talked about the political attitudes of the characters and examined them well. Cara Lockwood's essay about how the science fiction-like creatures in the books was one that was also well done. And of course, Terri Clark and her write-up on style and fashion was also a blast to read. The ones that discuss how the reality TV obsession that both we in the world today and the citizens of Panem share were good too. Essays that talked about the heavier topics are contained in the book as well, and most of these were enjoyably insightful. -
The Girl Who Was on Fire: Your Favorite Authors on Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games Trilogy
Leah Wilson
this book surpized me due to the fact that i was not intrested in survior tv show and thought that a childrens book could not have any intrest. but this book had more information and story then i would have supposed. i liked the dramatic reaping and the heroic love of the older sister toward her younger sister. they dynaics and difficulties that Katniss faced in her childhood are inspireing and very dramatic. they idea of the book is new and exciting and the idea of the rebellion being suddle and subversive.
powerful and moving showing how a person attempting to do the best they can in a hard situation finds out that nothing was under their control and that everyone is at risk for their mistakes, Katniss finds herself again on the feild of the hunger games and finds that she has no control of the situation even though she has promisses that everyone wil tr to keep peeta alive, peeta is doing everything he can to keep her alive, only to find out she really loves him and needs him .
a spoiler wow when you find that all your choices seem to be guided by others that may not be looking at the improtant things in life the same way as you do. Katniss has survived her second session of the hunger games to find herself in the restricted enviornment of area 13 with just her family, gale and few others from her home in 12 since the captial has distroyed all life and people there. but her new allies may not look at the worlf as she does, and finds that they are willing to turn against her and her dreams at the turn of a hat. She finds that Gale is not the innocent boy she loves, and to save peeta she must go
