In the nineteenth chapter of The Hunger Games, the weight of the news of the rule change in the Games motivates her to take a new direction in the competition, seeking out Peeta in order to win with him along her side. That proves easier said than done. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read The Hunger Games.
Well, this is not what I expected.
I thought this entire story was building up to a moment where Katniss would watch Peeta die or be forced to kill him herself. That discerning moment would be something to frame the rest of the series, or at least the rest of the next book. Like Rue, Peeta seemed destined for death. It was too good to be true to have him end up alive after all this, but now the Game has changed in a way I would never, ever have considered. Peeta can survive??? Oh, now a new thought just popped into my head: what if he makes it to the near end AND GETS KILLED ANYWAY. Oh god, this is actually kind of exciting.
The star-crossed lovers…Peeta must have been playing that angle all along. Why else would the Gamemakers have made this unprecedented change in the rules? For two tributes have a shot at winning, our “romance†must be so popular with the audience that condemning it would jeopardize the success of the Games.
I don’t know what the insinuation is here, but is there a hint that somehow Peeta knew there might be a chance this rule could have even been a possibility? I don’t know…why else would Peeta play up the star-crossed lovers role?
I am intrigued.
This leaves a few key people: Foxface, who is a sneaky badass and I wish she wouldn’t die so she can continue to hide in the bushes and laugh at everyone. Thresh is still around but WHERE THE HELL HAS HE BEEN. No, really, is he also hiding in the bushes behind Foxface. Like what on earth has he been doing for hundreds of pages. Secret weapon maybe? Or maybe he’s waiting until the last minute and he’ll kill Katniss and book two will suddenly switch to his point of view. HOW EDGY WOULD THAT BE.
I shouldn’t write words.
Moving on. The only other two people left are Cato and the girl from District 2, who will inevitably work together to OPPRESS EVERYONE ELSE. I don’t like Cato. He’ll hopefully get beheaded. Right??? That would be pretty awesome, I think. Maybe the Gamemakers have a special weapon that allows the earth to open up and eat people? Look, I don’t think you guys understand my deep desire to see this happen in some form of fiction of film. Way to disappointment me, Suzanne Collins.
The next day (HOW DOES KATNISS SLEEP AT ALL DURING THIS), she heads off to find Peeta. Realizing that his injuries must be serious from Cato’s sword and the tracker jackers, Katniss heads to find a water source. It’s the only way he could have survived all this time alone. The lake is not a good choice, the pools are too stagnant, so she knows the stream is the only place he can be. There, she finds evidence that he was there: blood stains on the rocks alongside the stream.
And then JESUS CHRIST THIS IS KIND OF AMAZING:
“You here to finish me off, sweetheart?â€
I whip around. It’s come from the left, so I can’t pick it up very well. And the voice was hoarse and weak. Still, it must have been Peeta. Who else in the arena would call me sweetheart? My eyes peruse the bank, but there’s nothing. Just mud, the plants, the base of the rocks.
“Peeta?†I whisper. “Where are you?†There’s no answer. Could I just have imagined it? No, I’m certain it was real and very close at hand, too. “Peeta?†I creep along the bank.
“Well, don’t step on me.â€
WHAT THE FUCK.
I jump back. His voice was right under my feel. Still there’s nothing. Then his eyes open, unmistakably blue in the brown mud and green leaves. I gasp and am rewarded with a hint of white teeth as he laughs.
It’s the final word in camouflage. Forget chucking weights around. Peeta should have gone into his private session with the Gamemakers and painted himself into a tree. Or a boulder. Or a muddy bank full of weeds.
THIS IS SERIOUSLY FANTASTIC. Possibly the best thing in the entire book. Oh my god, Peeta is AMAZING. And get this: he learned all this from decorating cakes. Like, it’s so absurd and sensational and I don’t even care. It is goddamn wonderful.
Peeta smiles. “Yes, frosting. The final defense of the dying.â€
Collins high-fived Jesus after writing this line and he most certainly high-fived back.
Katniss goes about helping Peeta out of the mud and cleaning him and his…wound. Oh, his wound. He’s caked thick in mud, so badly that getting his clothes off is an exercise in and of itself. But she does manage to do what she can and then she slides his pants off in the least romantic way possible and OH GOD WHAT.
I can see the tear Cato’s sword made in the fabric over his thigh, but it in no way prepares me for what lies underneath. The deep inflamed gash oozing both blood and pus. The swelling of the leg. And worst of all, the smell of festering flesh.
YEAH, NO THANK YOU. Like, how is she going to heal this, if at all? The burn medicine isn’t going to work and neither are the leaves Rue gave her. (They do end up helping with some of the pus, but it’s still not going to heal the leg.)
I do like the interplay between the two characters, who realize they don’t need to kill each other anymore. And even if they jokes are particularly fantastic, it’s nice to have SOME dialogue. Like…Rue was the first bit of actual speech we’d read in a good while.
Katniss keeps Peeta talking to distract him from the gravity of the situation: he’s malnourished and his leg is, for lack of a better phrase, fucked up. She can’t even get him far down the stream to find a good place to hide. They duck into an outcropping of rocks that form a sort of cave. But the situation is far more grim than she expected.
His forehead’s burning up. Like the medicine’s having no effect at all. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I’m scared he’s going to die.
Actually…I get what Collins means, but isn’t that the exact opposite meaning of “out of nowhere� Like…he has a high fever from the infection. Logically, the fear of death seems pretty reasonable, so it doesn’t come out of nowhere. Right?
Still, it’s an unsettling thought for Katniss, who is woefully ignorant in this area. And Peeta knows she feels this way and tries to tell her about what she should do if he dies.
Impulsively, I lean forward and kiss him, stopping his words. This is probably overdue since he’s right, we are supposed to be madly in love. It’s the first time I’ve ever kissed a boy, which should make some sort of impression I guess, but all I can register is how unnaturally hot his lips are from the fever.
Well, that’s certainly the worst first kiss story of all time, right? I’m sure it’s worse than yours. BRING IT IF IT’S NOT.
Romance bores me. Is it ok if I say that? I generally don’t really care about it, so I do like that this isn’t really played up as this huge emotional moment. (Well, for Katniss. I feel like Peeta was totally stoked.)
I step out in the cool evening air just as the parachute floats down from the sky. My fingers quickly undo the tie, hoping for some real medicine to treat Peeta’s leg. Instead I find a pot of hot broth.
REALLY HAYMITCH. What the hell are they supposed to do with that?
Haymitch couldn’t be sending me a clearer message. One kiss equals one pot of broth. I can almost hear his snarl. “You’re supposed to be in love, sweetheart. The boy’s dying. Give me something I can work with!â€
Haymitch, you are so charming.
“Peeta†I say, trying for the special tone that my mother used only with my father. He’s dozed off again, but I kiss him awake, which seems to startle him. Then he smiles as if he’d be happy to lie there gazing at me forever. He’s great at this stuff.
Because he’s not faking it?
I am not too excited to spend chapters with Peeta hitting on Katniss and meaning it while she proves to be completely oblivious to it all. Oh well. Can we get back to Murder Fest 2057?
Just gotta say that Katniss + Peeta = Best Portmanteau Couple Name ever…. Peeniss lol
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I laughed at Peeniss. I swear I'm an adult.
Love that picture
Peeniss = win. I want a "Team Peeniss" shirt.
Sign me up for one of those shirts as well! Too funny!
haha greatest couple name EVER.
Don´t forget about Katpee!
HAhahaha, that is hilarious. And the picture is gorgeous.
I think the Detractor Nickname "Katpiss" wins.
Funnily enough, every time I see her name it does register in my brain as "Katpiss".
or Keeta, which essentially means penis in Croatian.
Peeta smiles. "Yes, frosting. The final defense of the dying."
Well, someone needs a sense of humor in this mess.
The deep inflamed gash oozing both blood and pus.
Ugh. 'Pus' is the WORST word in the English language.
Think about it – pus.
*shudders*
Collins is way too good a writer. I'm so grossd out over Peeta's leg. She does not skimp on the EWWW.
I try to capture the calm demeanor my mother assumes when handling particularly bad cases.
Again, I love that Katniss draws strength from thinking about her mom and Prim.
Peeta is trying to MACK HARD, you guys!
Is it sad that the second Katniss kissed Peeta I thought, "Oh no! Gale is probably watching!"?
"You're supposed to be in love, sweetheart. Give me something I can work with!"
Oh, goodness, is she going to have sex with him in the cave? This is supposed to be YA, Collins!
Argh, stupid cliffhangers!
"I am not too excited to spend chapters with Peeta hitting on Katniss and meaning it while she proves to be completely oblivious to it all."
I am in complete agreement with you here. I love Katniss, but her seeming inability to imagine that the motives of others could be anything but self-interest grates on me. I suppose it's because of her upbringing (or lack thereof) or … something psychological like that. =/
Same here. And I know it will happen. It's already started.
Then he smiles as if he’d be happy to lie there gazing at me forever. He’s great at this stuff.
Because he’s not faking it?
Seriously, everyone in this book except Katniss knows he's not faking it, and has known he's not faking it. For a long while now. Sure, maybe he's being wily playing it up for the cameras, but it's not fake.
Ugh thinking about Peeta's leg just makes me want to gag. I don't handle wounds well and just imaging this swollen oozy gash just HFJDGHKGHDKJ gross.
Personally, I'm surprised he's not already dead. It must have missed the artery, or he'd already be bled out…but yes, I am truly worried. Katniss isn't a healer and it sounds like even a true healer wouldn't be enough in this case! What will happen to Peeta? He just got back in the game. Collins sure did a good job with her description, though, I was appropriately disgusted.
Actually…I get what Collins means, but isn’t that the exact opposite meaning of “out of nowhere”? Like…he has a high fever from the infection. Logically, the fear of death seems pretty reasonable, so it doesn’t come out of nowhere. Right?
Yeah, but she has been resigned to (if not actively planning) Peeta's death, so I think it's reasonable for her concern that he might die to be a radical shift of thought for her.
Hm, that does make more sense. So it wasn't actually the thought that he might die that was "out of nowhere" but the FEAR that he might die.
I think it is more a surprise because she let herself believe that they could both live, and now she has to accept that Peeta will probably die anyways. Just because the rules changed isn't a guarantee that they will both make it and she has to not only accept that, but understand that she can't save him. His wounds are beyond her skill and resources.
Right, that was what my interpretation was. The feeling of fear came out of nowhere for Katniss, because up until that point, she'd kind of wanted him dead herself and/or expected him to die. Then she suddenly found herself sort of attached…
“You’re supposed to be in love, sweetheart. The boy’s dying. Give me something I can work with!”
That would be the moment I fell in love with Haymitch. And he's not even really there!
"Or maybe he’s waiting until the last minute and he’ll kill Katniss and book two will suddenly switch to his point of view. HOW EDGY WOULD THAT BE."
Not gonna lie, that would actually be so cool. I wish there was a series like that. Is there?
Peeta smiles. "Yes, frosting. The final defense of the dying."
"Collins high-fived Jesus after writing this line and he most certainly high-fived back."
LMAO LMAO LMAO
Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman. Amazing (although I was probably about 12 when I read them). Read them all now.
I also recommend this series for consideration as a future Mark Reads 🙂
I just googled it and it looks interesting. I WILL READ. Thanks!
It was originally a trilogy and when she announced the fourth I was like "Woah woah woah, cashing in are we?" But, the fourth book was so brilliant in tying up all the loose ends and making the other three feel worthwhile.
There's a movie I've seen that does that, called Martyrs, that's good through the first character, but once it shifts to character two, it turns into MISOGYNY BEATDOWN 101 and it's really disturbing and uncomfortable. I wouldn't watch it.
Anyone know of anything else?
If I recall correctly Brave New World goes through a major perspective flip part of the way through, but that's not due to death…*wants to say more, but does not want to spoil because it's a good book*
Oh that book. That shift always bothered me in the same way as the ending of 1984 did because of the "resolution" of it. But it is hard to explain without spoilers.
Breaking Dawn switches to Jacob after Bella gets knocked up, because pregnant Bella is even more boring than usual. Once the little parasite is gone, her thoughts and opinions are apparently worth sharing again.
Oh, Martyrs. Pretty much the definition of torture porn, because I don't know what else you're supposed to get from that (torturing people into dissociative states is good for the soul?).
I'm against burning books, but Breaking Dawn makes me question that belief. There may not be a book I want destroyed more than Breaking Dawn in this world. It's existence makes me angry.
Sorry, I just had to sit through a lunch where, yet again, my friends tried to convince me that Bella belongs with Jacob and neither of them should just fall off a cliff, which was my suggestion.
Jacob, was, in my humble opinion, the only worthwhile character in the book. I mean, he stayed pretty much in character the whole time. (stupidly in love with Bella.) Of course, that was until Renesmee *gags*
argh renesmee
If we don't include the part where he rape-kisses Bella for no particular reason.
After Eclipse ruined Jacob for me, though, I actually fell in love with Leah as a character. She had so much potential and in the end nothing came of it. WHY IS SMEYER ONLY CAPABLE OF CREATING INTERESTING CHARACTERS BY ACCIDENT. And then she doesn't do anything with them!?! Ugh! Excuse me while I go bash my head against the wall in frustration.
Meh. It was still in character. Cause Jacob's not supposed to be bright, just wonderfully good-looking. -_-
Leah annoyed me, buy you're right, she was interesting.
Please don't bash your head against a wall because of Twilight. There are far more reasonable reasons.
Let us pretend that the first three books made sense, before the werewolf falls in love with a baby, would you really subject Jacob to Bella? Personally I think *my* life would be better if it had never been subjected to Bella, but can you ever really respect someone who is in love with a terrible person? Even if I liked Jacob, his obsession with Bella would have killed it for me.
I don't think Jacob could help falling in love with Bella. She's just so irresistible.
[but then again, that's SMeyer's fault, not Jacobs, falling in love with Bella wasn't his choice (that it became his lifetime ambition has to do with his stubbornness)]
I can't believe this is the 2nd time in 2 weeks that I'm defending Twilight. Something's obviously wrong with me. (and I've already defended Voldy earlier this week. Next, I'll be calling for a Hunger Games)
Disclaimer: Bits of this are supposed to be sarcastic, I'm not entirely sure which ones are such myself…
Well done for getting to Breaking Dawn, I only managed the 1st book because I felt I couldn't mock otherwise… even then I wanted brain bleach.
Jacob seemed like an alright character to me until I read somewhere that he was based on SMeyer's brother who she had confusing feelings about. I already read her wet dream about sparkly Edward but that was a little too icky.
Look, I am one of those idiots who dares herself to do stupid shit and will not back down until finishing. It is not my best quality.
How is it possible for books to get worse AFTER reading them?? Her brother? Eww.
there's a Thea Beckman book that has one char as the lead in the first half, and switches over to said character's fosterson's perspective in the second half.
'The Demon's Lexicon' trilogy by Sarah Rees Brennan! Each book is from the point of view of a different character but the plot still advances so it's not like a 'Rashomon' / 'Vantage Point' type deal. It's also hilariously good and has fully realised male and female characters. And it deals with ableism and homophobia! And has magicians and demons!
I did read a book this year, the first in a trilogy, which was told in first-person past tense…and the main character died. Completely took me by surprise. (So, unfortunately, I can't tell you what book it was. But it does happen!)
I, too, was wondering whether Collins was so sadistic and ballsy as to kill off Katniss and switch narrators. Especially since it's PRESENT tense. She can totally die, and we can be right there with her! And then suddenly we get Haymitch, who's all "I don't shed a tear for the girl on fire. There's drinking to be done."
this is everything i wanted to put into a comment and you beat me to it. well done.
also, i really like your username too.
Not sure about the book, but the BBC movie "Fingersmith" (I think it's a mini-series actually, has two parts, quite good) is WHAT YOU SHOULD WATCH IF YOU WANT THE PERSPECTIVE SWITCH.
It's a good story, too.
The book is EXCELLENT. I strongly reccommend Sarah Waters as a writer.
OMG This!
Fingersmith is my favorite Victorian lebian romance thriller novel ever.
Have you read "A song of Ice and fire" series? George R R Martin is not afraid to kill off main characters, even THE main character. And basically every couple of chapters there is a change in POV.
Through Violet Eyes by Stephen Woodworth– to say more would be pretty spoilery, but suffice to say the narrator changes between the first two books, stays the same for second and third books, and bounces around in the fourth book. They're really good books, too.
BRACES. Enough said.
If Peeta wasn't already the most endearing character in the book, this chapter seals the deal. Team Peeta.
YAY PEETA IS BACK! Oh wait, he's fucking dying from an infected leg THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING. I do not like infections. Blood I can deal with. Infected, pus-filled flesh is too much for me. This is even worse than the burns.
But let's focus on the good bits, like Peeta's awesome camouflaging skills. Katniss is right, if he had shown the Gamemakers what he could do with a bit of mud and leaves he'd have got at least a 10. And in case you haven't noticed, I am deeply in love with this boy.
I like how the romance is not real for Katniss, while we can totally tell that for Peeta it is. Man, Katniss is really clueless.
I love how the roles are switched around. Katniss behaves pretty much like the male protagonist would in most books, and Peeta gets the role of the female love interest. It's an interesting role reversal which is the point where I really fell for the book.
YES. I love that about this book. Katniss is the stoic, emotionally detached one.
Sorry, I love Haymitch. All imagined conversations with him are A+. I wonder how similar the Capitol's reaction is to romance detracting from Murder Fest (YES). Focus group from hell. But I also prefer the action chapters, so I've really got no room to talk.
I shouldn’t write words.
Ok, cool, we can work with this. I'm thinking 'Mark reads The Hunger Games: presented via the medium of interpretive dance'. Y/y/y? 😀
From what she has presented so far in this book, Im not keen on Collins writing ~romance~ type stuff. It's so…awkward. She should stick to the blood and death. That being said, Peeta being around again brings all the joy. Heart Peeta. And clearly he should win because he can frosting all the other tributes to death. Katniss' bow and arrows? Umm no, he has mad pastry skillz tyvm.
"Suddenly, out of nowhere, I’m scared he’s going to die."
When I read that, I thought that the suddenness of it was brought about by the reality of knowing that Peeta might actually die and that realisation brought more fear to her than she thought it would – given the nature of the games, not that she loves him.
"I am not too excited to spend chapters with Peeta hitting on Katniss and meaning it while she proves to be completely oblivious to it all."
I hear what you say here, and it's sorta surprising to me that Katniss seems to clueless. There is just something wrong with this picture.
Sadly, 16 year olds are often completely clueless. Its a condition.
I'm not sure her being 16 is THE reason for the cluelessness. She seems smarter than that, I mean, she can figure out what Haymitch wants by the things he sends/doesn't send, so she seems to have a good head on her shoulder.
Not all teenage girls are intuitive about peoples feelings. That's a stereotype.
sorry, but for some reason i can't imagine peeta.. hitting.. on katniss. xD
he just isn't that type of guy.
gale, on the other hand . .
TEAM PEETA FTW. 8D
I don't mind the romance angle– I thought it was interestingly done, because at least she's not fawning over him in a sickening way. I was more enraged at the whole sexual-exploitation-equals-survival. Haymitch grosses me the fuck out forever, though I guess it can be argued that he's just playing the game the way it needs to be played. But still. Blech.
I agree with this comment.
I just think it's such a problematic thing to include. I've thought about it a lot, and I really can't determine if it was unintentional on Collins' part, or if it's leading back to her whole social commentary on the barbaric nature of the Games and the Capitol, etc. etc. etc.
Yeah, I didn't mind it either. I mean, we knew it was going to come up (twss), the audience has been craving it, and to put you at ease, if you hate all of the romantic stuff, there is a wounded, grossed out, infected leg for you.
So win/win everywhere, I guess.
Man, I sure was looking forward to some infected lovin'.
Dude, if Hunger Games-rock ever becomes a thing, I totally call dibs on Infected Lovin' for an album title.
That is an AWESOME title. Gross, but AWESOME.
Win/win/win for EVERYONE.
Also, 'Hunger Games-rock'….
BRILLIANT.
It needs to happen. That's all I'm saying.
Song and video contain spoilers for the third book, but yes, it does exist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MC2iiRp0I8
I'm like 10 seconds in and I CANNOT STOP LAUGHING AT THE GIRL supposed to be playing Katniss. I think I have to not watch the actual video in order to enjoy this but THANK YOU for sharing, I can already tell by the title that it's going to be MEGA-DORABLE
If you'd like something less spoileriffic (OHAI MARK, I'M LOOKING AT YOU.) here is Hey Soul Sister done up Hunger Games style. There's pretty much no video, but the song is fun. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXLlcFoe4bk
Also, Armoured Bearcub's song We're On Fire. Yes, that is The Moaning Myrtles and The Whomping Willows (Lauren Fairweather, Matt Maggiacomo), and yes, they're getting married next fall. I think we should celebrate that I managed to speak of both of them in a sentence without dissolving into ALL CAPS love and excitement. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SNhdiwGS3M
It's kind of unsettling, what Haymitch does, but he's only trying to keep Katniss and Peeta alive.
Oh, I get that for sure. But I just have issues with Haymitch in general, and this doesn't help his case much. :/
I think Haymitch himself has issues in general.
I get the feeling that he is not hip to my jive.
I don’t know if this is just wishful thinking on my part, but is this a Shoebox Project reference, perchance? 🙂
You know it!
I got the feeling that he probably has PTSD or something 😐
I get the feeling that any victor who doesn't have PTSD is either really good at hiding it, or severely messed up in other ways.
I was more enraged at the whole sexual-exploitation-equals-survival. Haymitch grosses me the fuck out forever, though I guess it can be argued that he's just playing the game the way it needs to be played.
I don't think Haymitch is sitting up in Mentor Land perving over this. I think he just sees this as the most effective way of manipulating the Capitol to gain more sponsors. I definitely think that he's just playing the Game. The Capitol is the one with all the power. All that anybody can do is try to work the game to your best advantage.
Katniss playing house and trying to be all lovey-dovey is creepy, but it isn't like Haymitch sent a note telling her to do this. If there had been a note saying "MOAR UNDRAGE SEXY TIMES PLEEZ" I would consider it Haymitch's idea, but this is ALL Katniss. Being creepy. Making out with pus-y people.
I desperately want the above quote to be one of Marie_Goos's comics.
Anyway, I dunno, I think it's the only avenue that Haymitch has explored, which is problematic to me. I think he saw one thing that would work, and because he's not used to do ANY work for his tributes, he seized the opportunity to call it a day and drink until his liver explodes. But I am WELL AWARE that this is my prejudice for Haymitch doing most of the talking and I am probably not giving him enough credit. Alas.
I think this is just another one of the ways that the Hunger Games sucks. I'm just glad Katniss isn't all swoony about the situation like Bella Swan.
Yes, exactly! That's what I was referring to in my original comment when I said something about "at least it isn't sickeningly sweet". <3
PEEEEETTAAAAAA! I love this kid. And his mad frosting skills. Best skill in the games y/y?
KATNISS, Y U SO BLIND? Also, Haymitch, never change.
I was going to say, it's nice to have a bit of a break from blood and gore and death, but Peeta's leg. Ugh, NO THANKS.
Edit: Haha, Mark, I just saw your "Foxface 2012, calling it now." I agree!
I dunno, Rue's flying is pretty awesome…
Peeta Mellark. Cake baker and secret badass.
I also dislike gushy romances, and from these scenes, I get the impression that so does Collins. It's funny to read the sort of meta-commentary on them being romantic because they have to, as well as romance often being included in books or movies because it's a "requirement."
Also, don't worry, Mark. This chapter is about as not-real as things get in this book.
Haymitch is, quite possibly, my favorite person in this book. Which is weird, because Katniss doesn't really paint him in a positive light, but he sort of reminds me of a cunning Hagrid…right? RIGHT?
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Thanks, Lauren.
I really hope this book doesn't turn into some bizzarre love story….i mean they haven't brushed their teeth in a couple of weeks, right? EW. can Haymitch send some gum or something??
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OH, and PEEETTTAAAAAAAA
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i mean they haven't brushed their teeth in a couple of weeks, right? EW. can Haymitch send some gum or something??
Oh, no. Worst first kiss just got even worse!
I know, I didn't even think about that. Now I'm just horrified at that kiss in new ways
If there could be romance on LOST, there can be romance in The Hunger Games. I mean, they were on that island for months, with a smoke monster and Ben Linus coming after them.
FYI, LOST is my favorite thing in life ever.
Yeah, but on Lost they also had that magical thing where nobody ever grew a beard longer than a stubble and the women's armpits magically never needed shaving and what did they even do when they had a period, I ASK YOU. Also, Sun knew of that one plant that would brush your teeth, right?
Also didn't all the hair brushes disappear? Wasn't that the basis of a fan theory early on? So how did they not all end up with hair like Claire's Season 6 wig for the whole series?
THESE ARE THE THINGS I STILL WORRY ABOUT
Jacob took care of all these things. That's what I choose to believe.
it's almost like he was making a tv show…!
Haven't brushed their teeth in a couple of weeks? Somehow I get the impression that Katniss doesn't even know what toothpaste is. She enters her name in for the Hunger Games every year to get enough grain to make bread and goes hunting illegally to get enough food to survive. Things like soap and toothbrushes are unaffordable luxuries
She does mention that she needs to trade the food that her family doesn't eat for things like oil and soap.
And she mentions cleaning her teeth once.
You have to wonder what she's cleaning them with though…
Ah, I'd forgotten about that.
Friction is the important element. People used to chew on sticks and use the rough end to clean things before they had brushes. It's kind of like giving your dog rawhides or greenies to keep their teeth healthy. And her mom can probably whip up some paste when they're at home.
Also she says that they drink mint tea after dinner, so that has to help.
In fact, they still do in some places. 🙂
You're right! That was pretty ethnocentric of me. I'm gonna keep working on that!
Yeah you could probably use a brush with no toothpaste and that'd be better than nothing, right?
Greenies are awesome. My parents' dog loves them and so does my cat (different kinds, obviously).
My dad used to brush his teeth with baking soda and water, I think. Colgate even makes toothpaste that advertises with Arm&Hammer. Not that hard.
The red-haired girl in that last GIF reminded me of Lily Evans.
She's Karen Gillan, she plays Amy in the last season of Doctor Who and she's awesome.
Well, there's my new dream-casting of Lily. (Darren Criss is my young!James, fyi.)
Oh my god yes. But I imagine James to look like a mix between Chad Michael Murray, Tom Welling and Robbie Jarvis… so yeah.
Also, I imagined Sirius to look like this: http://www.deviantart.com/download/129275828/Siri…
I have nothing intelligent to say other than the gif of Karen Gillian and Matt Smith dancing like idiots is amazing.
i love when people post gifs/pictures of anything Doctor Who or with Matt Smith. BECAUSE I LOVE THEM BOTH.
So watching the supermegafoxyawesomehot Lauren/Draco made me think of A Very Potter Musical and…what my weird brain wondered what a Hunger Games musical would be like. But, it would probably all messed up and have musical numbers called "I Just Wanna Kill You" and "Oh Shit, I Almost Died". BUT PEETA WOULD TOTALLY BE AWESOME IN IT! 😀 😀 😀 Oh God, why did I put this in writing?
haha omg best thing everr. i feel like it would probably be as bad as the new julie taymore spiderman musical, though.
however, a musical just devoted to Peeta and his cake baking would be wonderful. "A Very Peeta Musical"
… I need this in my life. RIGHT NOW. I will finish the series and begin writing it. After I go pick up my musical talent in aisle Z of Walmart…
Every time I go back and read your musical number suggestions I start crying from laughter. Especially the "Oh Shit, I Almost Died." It would be the recurring Katniss theme. Cliffhanger! THANK YOU for this.
"Oh God, why did I put this in writing?"
Oh, I don't know? Because it would be THE BEST THING EVER Y/Y/Y?
"Gotta Get Back to District 12", "Katniss freakin' Everdeen", "The Capitol is Going Down", "Guys like Gale", "Haymitch Can't Walk", to name a few
LOL, AVPM/AVPS always seem to be appropriate for everything, no? xD
And "Haymitch Can't Walk" is a win.
Seeing as "Guys Like Potter" is amazing already, and I assume that the HG version would be sung by Peeta….
…I need this in my life.
Haymitch can't walk! Haymitch can't walk! Haymitch cannot walk!
He only drinks booze and he cannot walk!
Even if he's walking to get some more booze!
You don't even have to change some of the names! "Let the Games Begin", I mean come on!
AVPM and Lauren Lopez FTW!!!!!
Charlie and Hurely LOST GIF is also amazing!
Dude that Hurley/Charlie gif is hot. Dominic Monaghan <3
May I just say that this is wonderful?
I read the series earlier in the year and LOVED it, and now I've been following Mark's recap and it's superb. It's basically exactly what I was thinking when I read through for the first time, only much cooler and more infinitely packed with concentrated awesome.
Srsly, this is great.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, I’m scared he’s going to die.
I *think* the "out of nowhere" is the "scared" part, not the "he's going to die" part. This is the first time she's considered seriously wanting him to live.
It's a good thing there's Magic Leaves in the future. I'm pretty sure if a wound gets to the point that the flesh is actually rotting, then you'd at least lose the leg, and probably die. (Any doctors around that can tell me if this is true or not?)
Delirious, dying Peeta is so endearing and I want him to live. I sort of hate that Katniss hasn't even remembered that his wounds were basically because of her. She dropped the tracker jackers on top of him. The blade to his leg was sustained because he tried to warn her off. I was uneasy about Katniss having no guilt about killing a few people. I'm a bit more uneasy that she doesn't even feel any guilt about Peeta's predicament.
I'm pretty sure if a wound gets to the point that the flesh is actually rotting, then you'd at least lose the leg, and probably die. (Any doctors around that can tell me if this is true or not?)
Not-that-type-of-doctor Mill at your service ;D I work in hospitals and know a fair bit about biology and first-aidy-things, so…
Depends a lot on the type of infection, the depth/breadth of the cut, and the location. Upper leg is bad because if it's deep enough the infection is going to get into the femoral artery and then you've got fairly immediate and awful septicaemia as well, which would be awful. On the other hand, if it hit the big pad of muscle on the top/outside of the thigh, the odds are somewhat better. That particular muscle is fairly strong and can take a lot of abuse (people have known to take gunshot wounds there and–ocasionally–walk away. xD)
It also depends on whether or not "the smell of festering flesh" meant actual festering flesh, or just the awful smell that even minor infections produce. If it's the latter prognosis is much better. xD
At that stage of infection, though, with pus 'n' all, and in the arena? Unless the sponsors send down some kind of magical future antibiotics, and/or provide magical future field-surgery to remove a substantial chunk of thigh ala House? The odds are not so good. If Katniss cauterised the wound or similar it would help in the short-term, and probably allow her burns ointment to help him more, but Peeta would still be sick with infection and still need magical future antibiotics.
Of course this is fairly optimistic. If the infection has progressed to the bone, he's gonna need immediate amputation, or he'll be developing a nasty case of "death" soon. In the mean time attempting to immobilise and compress as much of the limb as possible, maybe even tourniquet it so that tissue death occur, might be the only option as far as field first aid goes.
-shrug- I don't think Peeta's gonna die in such an anti-climactic way, I'm calling optimistic prognosis and sponsor intervention. Or that Collins doesn't know very much about medicine and engineers an unrealistic recovery of some kind. Either way. xD
I hope this was helpful!
I don’t know, my first kiss was pretty bad. I had a crush on this guy for a year, and he ended up giving me my first kiss in front of a group of people, all of whom knew that he was doing it only because HE FELT SORRY for me, because he didn’t like me back. I only discovered this because the next day I found him MAKING OUT WITH MY BEST FRIEND. So that was fun.
My first kiss, technically, was with a girl who was the female lead opposite me in a musical. So yeah. My first kiss wasn't gay, but it was during a musical, so that makes it extra gay.
My first kiss was the second day of my senior year in a bus enclave because I was walking home with the guy. He only kissed me because he saw me crying at a party because no one ~lurved~ me (I wasn't fully in control of myself at the time) and he thought he could get it in, once I made it clear I wasn't going to swipe meh V card with a guy I'd known a week we stopped talking. Oh! And he was still in love with his last girlfriend who had just left for college. And I was shaking, so that's just embarrassing. I mean, not worse then Katniss' but still pretty bad.
My first kiss was the tender age of eight. That was great. My first same-sex kiss was at twelve (yep, I've known I was Bi for a loooong time) was less great- the kiss itself was nice, but the first thing she said after was 'you must never tell anyone and I'm not going to speak to you at school'.
I love Peeta! That is all.
You think that kiss is bad? Ooooh no, that's sweet in comparision to some. I like the whole with Peeta hiding, and them hiding together. It was nice to have some non-hostile conversation with someone Katniss actually thought could live and win with her…
As for a worse first kiss? Try a guy walking up to you at a party, dances up to you then TURNS YOU TO HIM (and you're being all wtf about that), shoves his tounge in your mouth, practically shoves your whole mouth inside there, with people walking by commenting things like "oh my god, he's eating her up!".
I brought it 😛
Peeta smiles. “Yes, frosting. The final defense of the dying.”
Dear Peeta,
[youtube H9nPf7w7pDI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9nPf7w7pDI youtube]
Seriously though I just love how Peeta's skill as a baker (particularly in decorating cakes) enabled him to survive. Going off of that, I love that Peeta is associated with characteristic and roles that are typically assigned to female characters. He's the romantic, the moral compass, and he's good at baking and artistically decorating cakes. But in spite of that he's never emasculated and his manhood is never called into question. I think it's a pretty brilliant way for Collins to subvert gender roles. I LOVE YOU, PEETA.
I think that Katniss has been so intent on survival and taking care of her family that she's never really considered romance. She doesn't really want a family because who would want to bring a child into a world like that. She doesn't see the point. So she REALLY doesn't get this whole romance thing. lol. Oh Katniss. Peeta on the other hand, pretty obviously to my mind, sincerely has feelings for Katniss. THIS WILL TURN OUT WELL.
It was this chapter that finally settled the matter for me: I am now 100% Team Peeta.
We should make T-shirts or something. Who says Twilight fans get to have all the fun?
I'll join Teem Peeta myself.
Teem. heheh.
I have seen jersey style tshirts with the last name and district number on the back… A craft store raid is planned.
I have been saying this for the past 10 or so chapters. WHERE WERE YOU THERE OH AWESOME PERSON, YOU? BEST.IDEA.EVER *totally fangirls forever*
I've been here all this time, just really quiet. Not that it would have mattered, I only got the idea this morning.
I'm still making a Team Rue shirt. Damnit.
Peeta's still too good for Katniss. She's not a very nice person and Peeta's full of goodness.
I'll only buy a Team Peeta t-shirt if somewhere on it it says "Frosting. The final defense of the dying." on it.
But, seriously, Mark. I think it's time for T-Shirts. AMIRITE!?!
Yes please!!! I'll wear it with great pride 🙂
TEAM PEETA!!! I am with you!
Peeta camoflauged in the stream has to be one of my favorite moments from this book. And how long has he been camoflauged? Days? Can you imagine that? Craazy. I would like to mention the fact that I *think* this is the first chapter since the games started that didn't end on a cliffhanger. I mean, sure, Peeta's sick and could be dying… but we know that throughout the entire chapter and not a sudden *Bam!* *Wow!* moment like the others. No fire, no stabbing, no wasps. Just infection, pus, and love.
Maybe the Gamemakers have a special weapon that allows the earth to open up and eat people? Look, I don’t think you guys understand my deep desire to see this happen in some form of fiction of film.
Mark, it is my new goal in life to find something to fulfill this wish of yours. Bring it.
And, finally, I would like to take this moment to celebrate the name "Foxface" to the chart. I guess Katniss has used it so many times to reference the girl from 5 that it's finally become oficial 🙂
Does the movie Tremors count? No? I guess technically it was giant earth worms underground eating people so no. Going to think about it some more.
Tremors doesn't count only because it wins all things ever, so I have to disqualify it in order to give other things a chance.
Damn, because that is all I can come up with. I feel like I have failed the mission. =p
On a side note my son is finally old enough to watch Tremors with me so when it came on the random cable channel recently I got to add another fan. He loved it!
Then why don't Kevin Bacon's cavernous nostrils count? PRETTY SURE THEY COULD SWALLOW SOME THINGS UP IF HE LET THEM.
I misread your "cavernous" as "carnivorous." Which is strangely appropriate.
Your wisdom astounds me.
How about the end of 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade?' When the earth is cracking open and God is like "STOP STEALING MY CUPS!"
I'm writing a book full of da magiks and things like that, and now I decided I will write something like that in your honor.
I loved this chapter but I am a sucker for a good romance. Katniss being oblivious- makes it that much more hysterical.
"Can we get back to Murderfest 2057" (or whatever you said)
LOVE IT!
Katniss doesn’t seem very effected by Rue’s death. Damn this character is callus.
well, she's got to move on – fast. Rue's dead, yes, but she could be in a couple of seconds; and Peeta's dying. She gets no emotional rest….
I always took this as Katniss being like me in cirsis-mode – I survive, I deal, I do what I have to do to get myself and the people I'm responsible for through whatever's happening.
It's afterwards, when I'm not under constant stress, when the pain of this sort of thing hits me and THAT is when I break down, cry, mourn losses, and feel the effects of trauma.
I do think it should be clarified a bit (if that's what Collins is going for), OR she should react more (if that wasn't what Collins was going for), but that's always how I saw Katniss; she's the kind of person who deals with the physical survival first, then gets hit with the emotional baggage later.
i'm loving this story. I'm not loving the characters. they're pretty one-dimensional. I had never even heard of these books until I saw that Mark was reading them, and since we had agreed on both Twilight (I would truly love to bill SMeyer for the hours of my life that she stole and then pissed away), and HP (devoted fan for almost 11 years), I decided to go ahead and give these a shot.
I love the direction that this book is taking. The hatred for the oppressors. And maybe it's because of the situation that the characters can't have that much emotional depth. I just find it hard to believe that Katniss has spent four yrs hunting with Gale almost every day, and she's never addressed the possibility of being with him. Unless it was just some foregone conclusion that they had been together this long, and it would continue to be that way ad infinitum? IDK. All of the characters feel false to me.
That being said, i stayed up REALLY late a few nights running to be able to finish these. LOVED the story. And i'm digging the reviews. pretty much spot on with what i'm thinking as i read.
I always read Katniss' character as being very self repressed. I think that there is more going on inside her than she will acknowledge. She pushes against feelings which she feels are useless and what not. So she chooses instead to focus on what she considers is absolutely real or important. Romance for her leads to nothing but another mouth to feed.
'Romance for her leads to nothing but another mouth to feed.'
Sigh. This makes me super-sad, as I can definitely see how she'd come around to this way of thinking. And it's not just another mouth to feed – it's another mouth that will some day be a name going into that glass ball full of potential Tribute's names.
I love Haymitch. He's the best character in the entire series.
Haymitch is my favorite character in the series, too!
He's third in my list. First/Second is a tie between Cinna and a character who hasn't been introduced yet.
"Or maybe he’s waiting until the last minute and he’ll kill Katniss and book two will suddenly switch to his point of view."
I LOL'd 🙂
Yes Peeta!!! Oh chiz, his leg! At least Collins doesn't die down the detail of his pusy leg…ew.
'Romance bores me. Is it ok if I say that? I generally don’t really care about it, so I do like that this isn’t really played up as this huge emotional moment. (Well, for Katniss. I feel like Peeta was totally stoked.)'
Yeah during this first book, the romance bored me…then I became a hopeless romantic during the next book. I do love Katniss being oblivious about love…sort of like me when I was her age. 😀
With frosting and everything!
<img width=600 src="http://www.thechicagoloop.net/tzikeh/ontd/ht9s9i.jpg">
Haha, omg, epic hiding by Peeta. XD I feel so bad for him though. Your comment before about Katniss having the emotional depth of a spoon is pretty much correct. How can she honestly think that he is faking all of this? >>; Poor guy. Can't wait to see what happens next! <3
Thresh is sitting under a tree somewhere, playing solitaire and eating rocks to gain their strength and courage. Eventually Katniss will probably trip over him.
I actually laughed out loud.
Though we've seen nothing of Thresh the entire Games, and we know Foxface is on her own, and it makes me wonder if part of the struggle for some of the tributes isn't plain old boredom.
She's not Bella.
My favorite part of this chapter is when Katniss rolls Peeta around and at the end, Peeta just asks "No more rolling?" Imagining the scene in my head really made me laugh. (I just imagined Peeta saying "Whee, I'm rolling! Oh nose, it's over…)
HAHAHAHAA now I can't help but laugh too.
Hahahahaha oh thank you for that excellent mental image XD
There are about six days between the tracker jacker incident and Katniss going to find him. We don't know what time Peeta got slashed by Cato, but it was sometime on the first day, after they ran to the lake and ran back to get Katniss. So he's been aching from the stings for about six days, bleeding for about five days, and hiding in the mud for somewhere around three and a half to four days, depending on how fast he got to the stream after being cut (probably he was running, since Cato didn't manage to kill him).
Katniss says that the most people can only handle a few stings. Peeta gets four. Then he douses himself in water for a while, runs back to the nest site, saves Katniss, gets chopped up by Cato, and then runs to the stream to hide. All under the influence of four tracker jacker stings. How does that work? Oh, wait…
<img src="http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b265/ktk_bhgl/FOR%20KATE/Macro-Adrenaline.jpg">
don't forget, the last time she saw Peeta HE WAS SPARKLING
Three time's a charm! (And this comment is only getting longer… and longer… and longer….
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TWICE! THIS SITE WON'T SHOW MY COMMENT I AM DISAPPOINT
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Maybe the Gamemakers have a special weapon that allows the earth to open up and eat people?
You know I actually roleplayed something among those lines.
Collins high-fived Jesus after writing this line and he most certainly high-fived back.
<img src="http://www.phuckpolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/high_five_jesus.jpg">
Also, I wanted to post a bunch of Peeta/Katniss (Katpee/Peeniss) fanart… I'm not sure if I've found all of them again.
<img src="http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs44/f/2009/096/c/2/Waiting_Out_The_Rain_by_RohanElf.jpg">
<img src="http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs50/i/2009/323/7/d/Katniss_and_Peeta_by_rainingforest.jpg">
<img src="http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/217/8/d/Peeta_Has_cookies_by_cold_rejection.jpg">
<img src="http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/019/8/e/on_fire_by_burdge_bug.jpg">
<img src="http://th06.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/f/2010/230/7/1/In_the_Cave_by_Ratgirlstudios.jpg">
<img src="http://th01.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/f/2010/199/1/c/In_the_cave_by_hersb.jpg">
<img src="http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/322/3/f/food_for_katniss_and_peeta_by_rainbowunico-d333qum.png">
If my flood of fanart doesn't show AGAIN, I'm gonna Avada Kedavra this site.
These are some great fanarts! I love the:
Come to the dark side…Peeta made cookies.
WordPress did the same thing to me the first time I tried to upload my fanart!
Thanks so much for posting these. What beautiful art. And hilarious jesus pic. Is that you? Where's the statue?
Nope, that's not me. That's the second picture you get when you google 'Jesus high five' 😉
Aw, I like the little parachute gift. Also, the first one of them in the cave.
Oh by the way, about that 'role playing' things- that was on a harry potter post-by-post RPG site, there *suddenly* was a hole in the Quidditch field and all four teams fell inside. on top of a few Devil's Snares, with sharp rocks, underground tunnels… It was awesome.
I'm kinda surprised you didn't compare/contrast Peeta's "You here to finish me off, sweetheart?" to Ron's "Are you mental?!" It's actually the first thing I thought of when I read that line.
Also, Katniss telling Peeta that "you're just like the rest of my family" makes it sound like she thinks of Peeta as part of the family; it's just weird diction to use in this situation. That and the conversational "all right" in the middle of her sentence about not wanting Peeta to take his shorts off when she's cleaning his wound kind of took me out of the story for a while.
PEETA WHY DO YOU HAVE NO FLAWS. 8C
Seriously the thing that kind of irks me about Peeta is that he's just so.. good. I can't get behind it. It's not that I hate him, he's really kind of not on my list of favorite characters in this book.
Still though? Frosting defense IS THE BEST THING EVER. brb baking a cake~
Why does he have to have flaws, though? I'm not saying he's perfect, but it's not like we've known him long enough that his flaws would come out, especially in such a weird situation. Maybe he really is a genuinely nice guy. Doesn't mean he doesn't have flaws, just that it'll take longer to learn what they are.
Srsly. He's like a male Prim, just floating about all half-dead in the woods and being PERFECTLY VIRTUOUS.
I would think his naivety IS his flaw. He is in a (at times literally) dog eat dog world and he likes decorating cakes. And is in love with a girl who's never expected to get anything out of life beyond mere survival. He's too nice for his world.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6r8L7Cf9vbA/Sp6QnTpl-zI…
The speechbubble says "Are you here to finish me off, sweetheart?"
That's fantastic
This chapter's review was great fun. I can't wait for the rest ahhh
<img src="http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/ac156/cetati/GIF/e37gw.gif">
<img src="http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/ac156/cetati/GIF/voldie_dances.gif">
Narnia and AVPM! This comment wins Peeta's baked goods!
Why thank you my dear!
OMG king(s) peter and edmund. edmund = my <3
Peter is my <3 personally but I confess Skandar Keynes also grew up quite nicely.
I was completely in ~love~ with William Moseley until someone on a post-by-post RPG site with him as his 'look' was a total asshole to me. Now, everytime I see a Narnia movie, I hear things in my mind like: "You're annoying. You whine. You're ugly. Can I hex you? I'm gonna hex you." SADFACE.
Collins high-fived Jesus after writing this line and he most certainly high-fived back.
It's been about 15 minutes and I am still having problems breathing after this.
Hahaha, thank you!
I found this a while ago, but now that Peeta is back in the picture I think it applies. Apparently Katniss doesn't understand how likeable(?) she is.
<img src="http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u192/elizwill/Picture017.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
That's fantastic. I love the cupcake.
Fantastic. I love the Sirius pic
::hugs Peeta:: Even with the rule change, Peeta may not survive. If he survives, he may not live much longer.
I've been trying to think of twists. The two co-district tributes can survive, but only as long as they get married so the show can have its happy story? They can survive but they'll get taken out by ninja immediately afterwards? They can both survive but only so long as they have equal kill counts? When it's down to two they'll have to choose between a duel to the death or giving up their district's benefits? There *has* to be something, doesn't there?
When Peeta dies, is Katniss going to cover him with flowers too? MUST SEE THIS. Wait, better. FROSTING FLOWERS.
I love reading people's predictions!
I love experiencing the tone of books and I think this series makes us all do what you're doing. You question everything and don't expect an easy way out. None of us trust the capital
Oh god she decorates him like a cake, except she's really bad at decorating, so it looks like a two year old did it. His parents get his body back and are just like thaaaaaaanks…
We really need a spoiler forum asap, since I cannot flail without spoiling.
I agree, especially since I finished the third book this morning and want to ~discuss~ it with people.
I third this. I find myself making very simplistic/silly/sarcastic comments to avoid saying anything spoilery to Mark and the others here who haven't read the books. I read them all months ago and I love them and am excited that Mark is reading them but….MUST DISCUSS FUTURE EVENTS 😡 must not spoil Mark 😮
I finished the third book this morning too!
I seem to remember someone in an earlier chapter review posting a link to their spoiler discussion page. Pretty sure, though, that it was never posted in any of the other reviews, so I'm thinking it isn't getting used. I think it was another WordPress site.
I'll check the site for the link.
ETA: Aha. Linkage. https://markreadspoilerzone.wordpress.com/
Doesn't look like it's getting much traffic, so it'll need to be plugged more often in these reviews if people want actual discussions there.
Yeah, I forgot about it. Feel free to post it now and again, though! 😀
and I'm working on linking it to my Intensedebate thing, in fact, I might just get ID on it, it may be more convenient (as you have to subscribe to comments to be able to get replies en ce moment…)
EDIT: My luck, intense debate isn't available on wordpress.com. Now, I could get a wordpress.org instead… But seeing as it's not too hard to click subscribe, I'll stick with what I know for now.
EDIT 2.0: Now, instead of going onto my awesomepersonal blog, clicking on my name will direct you to the SPOILERZONE! :O
p.242: "…we'd be pariahs…" and the whole cold-blooded murder aspect isn't appealing either.
p.242: Yeah Kat, keep playing the game (don't you dare try stealing that again BradSmith or I will…YELL AT YOU OVER THE INTERNET! :@
p.243: Even the people in the Capitol know that Kat is Peeta's *~*TWU WUV*~* so how long until she figures it out?
p.243: "Let them come." Can Kat please be this badass for the rest of the book?
p.244: "Sparkling in the sunlight" *snicker*
p.245: "He's very hard to predict…" because he is the master of playing the game (gods I have missed that.)
p.247: Peeta is a gods damned Golem, how the hel did he do that?
p.247: Did Kat and Peeta just banter? I APPROVE.
p.248: Peeta's flirting now too? *fist pump*
p.249: "Naked bodies are no big deal in the arena, right?" By Odin, the sexual tension is palpable.
p.250: Peeta's lack of appetite does not bode well.
p.250: "…and then very slowly in his pants off him" and discover that Peeta apparently chose to go commando.
p.251: "Come to think of it, I don't even much like to be around coughing." …wha? So you're not afraid of murderous psychopaths, but somebody with bronchitis would scare the piss out of you?
p.251: "The idea of him being naked makes me uncomfortable." I'm sure that'll change by the end of the trilogy.
p.252: "how about that kiss?" Peeta you are my favorite.
p.253: "Shut up and eat your pears." This is wonderful
p.254: I am loving their report with each other.
p.255: "Thanks for finding me." all together now: D'AWWWWWWWWW
p.255: This is just plain adorable.
p.256: "He's great at this stuff." Meaning he's great at being genuine and Kat is great at being oblivious to matters of the heart.
Overall, this was a really fun chapter. I was glad to get some extended dialogue between Peeta and Kat, since it had been quite a while since we got much dialogue at all. What they had to say to each other, while not exactly brilliant, was definitely an improvement over just an inner monologue for countless chapters. It really seems like Collins is better at having her characters talk rather than just narrating. It's interesting to see the whole "playing to the audience" thing come back up, and I'm curious as to how far Collins will take it.
Grade: "B+"
I really liked getting to see them talk because this was really the first time they had just TALKED without having the prospect of "O hai I have to kill you or be killed by you" hanging over their heads. They are spectacularly adorable together and it makes me happy :3
Also, I like that we get to see a little more softness from Katniss when she interacts with people (especially now, in the sense that she has to tend to Peeta)
I never comment, but your notations make me LOL a lot.
this
But Lossthief, I have to put on a show for the sponsors! The soup from the sky IS SO GOOD. I guess I'll just have to start planting awkward kisses on people and frosting myself.
Anyway, your notes are dead-on today. Did you see the part where Katniss thought about where Thresh might be? If that canyon IS his domain, what's he up to? Why is Foxface so scared? Mysterious.
When she mentioned that, I immediately pictured a dark cave with two glowing eyes in the center, and a blood-curdling roar erupting from it. Sort of like the ending of the Sonic Sat AM finale.
I'm glad you mentioned "shut up and eat your pears." This is one of my favorite lines!
"By Odin" That was the best part of your notes.
'“You here to finish me off, sweetheart?”'
OMG ILU Peeta. So much.
I absolutely love that line.
I have a worse kissing story:
I've never kissed anyone.
Fuck.
Mean either! We can have a little never been kissed party!
You are not alone in that…
It's not really that exciting. Maybe the first time, but then you get in a committed relationship, and everyone stops bathing, and you don't get to kiss anyone else. The ring is pretty, though.
i do consider myself "team peeta", but i really hope fans don't turn this into the next twilight.
Well, the last book of the series came out this August. So if it were going to happen, I imagine it would've already.
Unlikely. This book has already reached levels of pure gore and nastiness that the Twilight series only hit in the last book. And let's face it, the whole pregnancy/childbirth horror thing in Twilight was incredibly incongruous compared with the rest of the series, which wasn't horror but pure trashy romance. (I know that's an insult to good trashy romance, and I apologize.)
It's not. I mean, first of all the last book is already out so any shipping questions have been resolved. Secondly, unlike Twilight, the romance is not the focus of the story.
dude, I wish it would. I would kill for official Team Peeta merchandise.
Mark, as an aspiring author, I promise to one day pen an epic scene where the earth opens up and swallows a totally oppressive, biggoted douchebag. JUST FOR YOU.
I'll dedicate it to you or something.
Make the character's name "Dolores Umbridge"
SO IT SHALL BE. At the very least, I can use an anagram of "Dolores Umbridge" 😀
It's not mentioned anywhere, but I would put money on Katniss being on the spectrum. Emotional depth of a spoon indeed! She can interpret messages from someone she can't even see by what he sends her, but she doesn't even suspect his feelings when he's right next to her? Plus her troubles with the interviews, her obliviousness to the vast majority of fellow tributes, all the things and people we *don't* see through her eyes throughout the story, her focus on random details such as food and showers and lists of things…
I like Peeta and I want him to win.
Considering Katniss is the narrator, that's not likely to happen, but I do love Peeta.
Come to Team Peeta. We have cookies. And, you know, cake, brownies, and pie. All courtesy of our sponsor, the Bread Boy himself.
Team Peeta would have the best snacks ever at their meetings.
Screw Team Gale, what do they have, dead squirrels?
You just won
We have awesome bake sales.
I had a department store gift voucher and decided to buy the next book in the trilogy. I kid you not, I found it in the PRE- TEENS section!!! Ugh, maybe it's time to have a rating system to help out stupid book shop employees…..
Also, this is why I read the books random relatives buy for my kids before handing them over! Saves on nightmares 🙂
How does a book get to be considered "young adult"? Do they have their own publishers or what? I'd have taken it for just another book if I'd read it without reading these reviews.
It's just a marketing thing. If publishers think it will sell well as a Young Adult book, then that's how it's marketed.
Some books are marketed differently depending on the circumstances. The Book Thief is an adult book in Australia, but it's Young Adult in the US.
No rating systems please. We have enough people trying to censor what kids read.
Most YA books have a protagonist between 13 and 18 years old. At this point it's a specific genre of books, not just a marketing thing (although it is often that). However the US often does some weird things with YA; His Dark Materials was put into YA when it came to the US, even though it was an adult book in the UK (with good reason!)
Hunger Games is in YA because the protagonists are 16, and because if you want cutting-edge social commentary, you write YA. Honestly, adult books sometimes have good concepts, but usually get too derailed by sex to really explore them. :/
I have had such an awful day and the fact that someone likes my nonsensical nicknames makes me hapy. No siriously.
Also, Peenis. LOL.
Damn that was supposed to be a reply for the first post.
Also, I have noticed a disturbing lack of brown pee in these comments. =/
Just so you know, that "relevant to my interests" cat is one of my all-time favorites. It made me happy that you used it. <3
I like this chapter because we see Katniss, who is all badass and murdery and will kill you with arrows, get grossed out by having to treat a leg wound. I like that she thinks of her sister and mother and how they'd do much better but they're not there so she has to do it. I don't know why–it just adds to her character, I guess. She's great at surviving on her own, but not so great at caring for others in a personal, hands-on way.
Also, I love "Can we get back to Murder Fest 2057?" I think that's what Collins should have called the book. Coming this fall to bookstores everywhere: MURDER FEST 2057
OH! And I forgot, Haymitch is awesome, Peeta is not faking it, And Katniss is a total moron. So yeah nothing new. EXCEPT, for the worst kiss of all time. AND Katniss being a moron, oh wait never mind 😉
You know Peeta probably did a happy dance when he heard the tribute-team-up announcement, then promptly fell over due to messed up leg.
I do love his camouflage. And uh, him in general.
For our Katniss/Peeta spam party:
<img src="http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/225/e/3/Together_In_the_Games_by_Samurai_PET.png"alt="katpee"/>
By Samurai_PET
Ooh, I like that one.
Since every post seems more spoilery than the last, the further Mark reads on, why not come discuss your spoilers at the: <a href="http://www.markreadspoilerzone.wordpress.com” target=”_blank”>www.markreadspoilerzone.wordpress.com
; /shameless advertising.
Now for an actual comment: Peeta's first line here, <3
[Warning: clicking on my name will lead you to the spoilerzone. If you wish to be spoiler free, please do not do so. Clicking on my icon, however, will take you to my IntenseDebate profile. Which is spoiler-free.]
It's great that Katniss finds Peeta, but it's not the most exciting chapter of the book, I'm with you there.
Mmm, blood poisoning! 😀 Good job, Peeta. Seriously, your camouflage skills are awesome, but next time you might want to consider oh, I dunno, DRESSING YOUR WOUND before you spend a few days lying in mud. I'm just sayin'.
I'm not terribly enthralled by romance either, but if you're looking at it from the Gamemaker's perspective and the audience's POV, nothing causes more crazy drama (and ratings!) than romance. Especially a romance where one of the people may or may not be dying! And the couple is paired against another couple that hates them!
In other words: Collins has done plenty of physical dangers and drama, now it's time for the emotional scarring. 😀
Hmmm. Peeta seems to be a more attractive character than Katniss. For a guy who killed off someone in cold blood within the first few hours of the games, he seems pretty non-aggressive. (Frosting! I LOL'ed at that.) I totally thought he was going to turn into some monster psycho killer.
Unfortunately, the hallucination with Sparkly!Peeta is making me wonder if Gale is supposed to be the counterpart to pedowolf (childhood playmate, more acceptable to parents, etc). And lots of bleargh will ensue with Katniss trying to decide between the two. But I'm sure Collins' writing is not as bad as Smyers' – it's just a trope.
Pedowolf XD
Next chapter. Calling it now.
<img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/5pr8so.jpg">
But seriously. THIS is REALLY what's happening.
<img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/2vbvhfr.jpg">
Yes, that IS Gale at the end.
Found both of these lovely visuals on DeviantArt.
Both of those win XD I totally lol'ed at the condom. Hey – those parachutes send things they need. I mean, I'm just sayin'…
Haha at Katniss' logic and at grumpy Gale.
A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.
I APPROVE OF THIS COMMENT
HOLY SHIT AMAZING
Yeah, I remember about this was the point I started rolling my eyes every time Katniss thought something really bizarrely oblivious.
My first kiss was pretty awkward. So awkward it's a two-part story.
After the first date, he leaned into kiss me, and because I was totally not used to the idea of kissing a boy I sort of…veered off into a hug at the last second, leaving him kissing half my mouth, half my cheek while we did a one-armed hug thing. Then we both gave these short, awkward laughs before going our separate ways and mentally facepalming.
Second date was a party at his house, and as I was about to leave we were standing in the doorway staring at each other. I was thinking, "If he tries to kiss me this time, I won't dodge." He was thinking, "I want to try kissing her, but if she dodges again my friends will see it." So we stared at each other as my ride walked down the driveway toward her car, until I couldn't justify standing there any longer and blurted, "Bye," and ran off to catch up to her. Which resulted in more mental facepalming all around.
The good news is, we got it right the third time, and now we can laugh about it. : )
"Well, that’s certainly the worst first kiss story of all time, right? I’m sure it’s worse than yours. BRING IT IF IT’S NOT."
umm.
I'd say kissing an attractive boy with a fever who is at least in love with you, despite your lack of romantic feelings towards him, is better than my first kiss.
It was with this asshole who I went on a date with out of pity (I'm not sure if this makes me bitchy or nice, but whatever) and he leaned in to kiss me and smashed my nose. 🙁 plus we both wore glasses, so it was just awkward and painful. meh.
First kisses, huh? I think mine was worse thank Katniss's (other than her "we're all going to die" context, lol). I didn't think 'meh', I thought "Oh my god, WHY are you eating my FACE?" *wants to wash herself for a hundred years*
It was a distinct disappointment.
The second guy I kissed was much better. 😛
And –you did ask!
I am just not that into the whole Peeta – Katniss romance thing!! You know Gale is gonna be mad about the whole love affair thing because he is obviously into her too. This is like Twilight!
Peeta – Edward
Gale – Jacob
Katniss – Bella
Note: the characters in this book are 100% more awesome than the Twilight characters.
Hm, but I don't think any "love" on Katniss' part is indicated in this chapter. If anything, she saw that the impulse in the kiss leads to her getting things that she needs from sponsors. Peeta and Kat's whole "romance" drove the Capitol to change the rules of the game, so if she plays it up a little… What's the harm? 😛
Uh. If we have to make the inevitable comparison, Peeta is Jacob and Gale is Edward. Peeta is not in any way the colossal dick that Edward is. I'm speaking purely for personality here; not suggesting that "Oh she'll end up with Gale because Gale = Edward."
The difference between Twilight and Hunger Games as far as the romance triangle goes is that while in Twilight the romance IS the plot, in Hunger Games so much else is going on that while yes, there is some romance, it's not nearly the focus it could be. In fact if they weren't playing up the 'star-crossed lovers' aspect for rabid Capitol fantards, I don't think the question would really have come up at all.
The first guy I ever kissed was at summer camp, on the bus ride back from the camping/hiking/rafting trip for the older campers. He waited until we were the last ones on the bus (because he was in my WAY), kissed me, then SPRINTED to his cabin. My face was wut.
"…weapon that allows the earth to open up and eat people"
OMG Mark! You should read The Belgariad series by David Eddings! Seriously…They. Are. Amazing.
What you said above just might happen is some way in one of the books!!
If you read those books I'd die of happiness.
About the earth opening up and eating people… read the third book in the series. 😉
I can honestly say that my first kiss was worse than this.
16, shit faced in town, my friends went to buy ciggies and left me with this 20-year-old I'd never met (great friends right) he was stoned, somehow we ended up kissing, after him practically choking me and cutting me with what had to be the worst tongue piecing ever. Went home and thought I could forget about it. Turns out he's my mates drug dealer 😐
Brought it 🙂
Not loving Peeta and Katniss. Absolutely adored Gale 🙂 Bring him back soon Collins or face my wrath!
Yeah, my first kiss can't beat Peeta and Katniss's in terms of awfulness. But I do admit that he was bleeding.
HA! You think that's a bad first kiss? How bout spin the bottle and your first kiss is a peck from my gay friend
>chants< We want t-shirts! We want t-shirts!
I took her sudden fear he will die to mean that up till this point she didn't care that much if he died. She could after all still win without him. But now she suddenly does care.
"Collins high-fived Jesus after writing this line and he most certainly high-fived back."
I will forever be laughing out loud at this. Seriously. Tears. Pain in my cheeks and abs. Don't ever change, Mark.
I think my first kiss was worse. I was dating a guy to get to his best friend (because apparently I was a little 15 year old slut), and we watched Signs, which was, btw, the worst movie ever made (I mean seriously, our atmosphere is like 30% water, HOW DO THE ALIENS NOT DIE.)…and he kissed me during the credits. And by that, I mean he opened his ENTIRE MOUTH (which was enough to cover from my chin to my nose), then closed his mouth while it was ON MY FACE and ended up biting my upper lip, in a totally not-sexy way. I had to WIPE OFF MY FACE because it was covered in his SLOBBER. I didn't kiss anyone for like, two years after that, because I thought "If this is what kissing is like, I don't wanna do it!!" (oh and I was horribly awkward, but we'll ignore that part).
(Then he told me he loved me the next day. We had been dating for less than two weeks.)
I actually welcomed this as a break from OMG DEATH DEATH DEATH, I loved the lines that Collins gave Peeta, in fact I think he became my favorite character. I mean, I actually do like Katniss, though.
Also I kind of like the little pseudo-romance… though the whole time I was reading it, I was all, "Hmm, I wonder what Mark will have to say about this."
When people say "team peeta" thats opposed to what?
Well, my bf smashed his teeth into mine the first time her kissed me. Then, he did it again a couple of months later – and the second time he BROKE PART OF MY LEFT FRONT TOOTH. *Ugh.* It was a tiny slicer for the exact bottom of my tooth, which of course made the rest of the tooth vulnerable to breaking more. I have had it bonded twice, and will probably continue to re-fx it every few years forever. *Ugh* x 2. :/
Oh, and another time he stuck his tongue UP MY NOSE because he though it would be fun. I was not amused.
Nasal sex = really nasty.
We should totally make t-shirts that would be so aweseom!!!
TEAM PEETA FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Well, that’s certainly the worst first kiss story of all time, right?"
Worse than Harry/Cho? "Wet."
I'm really only reading this now, because I've just finished the series.
I TOTALLY strikes me how you would (probably) totally dig A Song of Ice and Fire by George R R Martin. It's the epitome of YOU ARE NOT PREPARED and NO-ONE IS SAFE. I know it's been suggested as a future read – any chance you'll consider it? Because that would be THE MOST AMAZING THING EVER ON THE INTERNETS.
(Also, coming from ASOIAF to this series, the writing is giving me serious whiplash. Because ASOIAF is srs bsnss fantasy and the writing is brilliant, especially in comparison with this :P)
Ok, seriously, her first kiss is definitely more awesome than mine. I wasn't kissed until I was 18. It was not even a year ago, I was pretty drunk, in a club and dancing with this red-haired guy, and all I remember is thinking that he was Ron Weasley, then he tried to kiss me. All I can say is, washing machine syndrome. And to this day, I have never had a kiss that actually means anything, so I'd say Katniss's wasn't too bad!
i <3 peeta x 100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
coz he's soooooo awesome 😀