As most of our followers know, the movie version of Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games opens in theaters today. If you haven't read the book, you are missing out on a helluva roller coaster ride.
My confusion stems from the book’s genre.
In my opinion, the
genre doesn’t fit. Yes, the age of the MC is correct for YA. But the Voice?
IMO, ah, not so much.
Others would say the violence, teens killing teens on ‘reality TV’, is a point against the YA designation. But with so are many
examples of drug use, explicit sex, and murder in other popular tomes, I
don’t see this as an argument.
According to several agents, Voice is the key to whether a book is adult or
YA. The MC in Hunger Games, Katniss,
speaks in adult tone and manner and therefore the book is not YA. What do you think?
I’ll see Hunger Games
next week after the crowds thin out a bit. One thing I’m curious about is how
it made the transition from page to screen. The books were *sigh* fantastic
but after a director gets a hold of a book and the screenwriter and the
producer and the actors, well, boy howdy things can go downhill fast.
Twilight is an excellent example of this kind of face plant. I loved the books. No. That is too ordinary. I lived
and breathed those books. Yes I realize as a debut author, Ms. Meyer’s writing
was not all it could be. Which she acknowledged. But I never skipped pages/paragraphs as I do with nearly all books. I read every word. Several times. Actually double
digits even.
But the movies. *groan* Horrible acting combined with a
stumbling script equals Cee R A Pee.
The Harry Potter movies are the other extreme. Great acting. Excellent direction.
And Holy Cannoli,
could you find anyone other than Alan Rickman to play Snape? I tell ya, he shoulda received an Oscar nomination for his performance.
My question to our followers who have read Hunger Games:
Is it YA? Or adult? Are you going to see it?
