All posts tagged The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games vs. Twilight

I went to see The Hunger Games yesterday. I won’t post another review as I’m a long way behind the rest (although I will say I loved it). Instead, in honour of the film and another favourite of mine Twilight, I thought I’d pitch the YA series’ against each other.

Warning: contains spoilers so don’t read if you don’t know how they end!

Let the battle begin:

The world

Twilight is set in present day Forks – a small town in Washington, which gets a lot of rain. Dark, gloomy and green. This world is inhabited by both humans and supernatural creatures namely vampires and werewolves (no witches or faeries as far as we know). And the supernatural’s live in secret mostly; until a girl called Bella comes along and guesses the truth. Some of the supers are good; others are evil and will drink your blood.

The Hunger Games is set in the future in a country that used to be America and is now called Panem. It’s a pretty bleak place made up of 12 districts ruled over by The Capitol. People in the outer districts are poor and hungry whereas people in The Capitol live in luxury and have really crazy hair. Every year the country watches The Hunger Games – a reality TV show where kids compete to their death.

Verdict: I’d rather live in Twilight’s world – there’s food and the reality TV shows may be depressing but they’re not brutal. Plus I’d have Edward. Just sayin’.

Twilight – 1, HG – 0.

The hero

Bella Swan is a teenage girl who falls for a vampire. She’s’ pretty average looking but pale and uncoordinated. She doesn’t really have a quest – most of her existence is there to be in love with Edward. Then she decides she wants to be immortal so she can love him forever. She finally becomes a vampire, which she is suited to very well.

Katniss Everdeen is a teenage girl who has lived her life fighting for survival. She leads her family, hunting for food and selling it so they can live. She is fiercely protective of her younger sister, volunteering to tale her place in The Hunger Games. Which’s she kicks ass in while staying someone we can root for. Plus she wins.

Verdict: Katniss is scary in the best possible way. I’d probably be the first one to die in the games so I’m pretty impressed by how she handles it.

HG – 1, Twilight – 0.

The love triangle

Bella Swan loves Edward but then he leaves her (it’s for her own good) so she starts hanging out with Jacob, who turns into a werewolf. He loves her a lot but she’s not sure. Then Edward comes back and she runs back into his arms. Jacob kisses her and she decides she loves them both but Edward is her soul mate. Then they have a baby who is Jacob’s soul mate. So everyone is happy.

Katniss Everdeen isn’t sure who she loves. There’s Gale her friend and hunting partner who’s really good looking. And there’s Peeta, her fellow competitor in the HG who says he’s had a crush on her since they were kids. They pretend to be I love for the cameras but I feels quite real. Then Gale comes up with an idea that leads to her sister being killed so she chooses Peeta.

Verdict: For me, I knew who they would both choose in the end but I was more unsure what would happen in The HG so I’ll go with that love triangle. Slightly more believable.

HG- 1, Twilight – 0.

The villains

In Twilight, The Volturi are pretty scary vampires who rule the community and you don’t want to meet them in a dark alley. Like, ever.

In HG, the villain is pinpointed as the President but you could argue the true villain is control. Snow is killed by Katniss in the end and the country takes back some of their freedom.

Verdict: Twilight has a defined group of villains that are creepy and who live on after the books. They’re invincible, which beats Snow who is destroyed.

Twilight – 1, HG – 0.

Final score:

It’s a tie in my battle between Twilight and The Hunger Games.

Who would win for you?

Victoria

xoxo

18 Comments

by Victoria-writes on April 5, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in Books, Films, Fun, Pop culture, Reviews

Tagged books, films, fun, pop culture, Reviews, The Hunger Games, Twilight

Posted by Victoria-writes on April 5, 2012

http://victoria-writes.com/2012/04/05/the-hunger-games-vs-twilight/

Books to films

The Host - an adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s adult sci-fi novel is to hit cinemas in 2013 it’s been announced. Although a while away, I am excited to see what they do with this book but pretty nervous – if you haven’t read it tells the story of an alien invasion of earth where human bodies are taken over by alien souls. The book is really long and most of it is about two minds in one body talking – not sure how they will pull it off but I hope they do.

Movie adaptations of books are always difficult. Fans of the books want the story retold page by page but this is ever possible. What I like to see is a great vision of the characters and the overall arc and tone of the story to be left intact. The Harry Potter films were never going to be able to capture JK Rowling’s incredible detail but they have captured the tone and essence of the novels and brought the characters to life. The Twilight films have also faithfully kept to the tone and arc of the books and managed to sell the romance pretty well. Interestingly I actually prefer the films in one aspect – Bella and Edward’s relationship is more grown up and equal in the films – in the book he often treats her like a child but they toned that down in the film, which improved their relationship for me.

Some of my favourite young adult books will be joining Twilight on screen soon and whilst I’m nervous about how well they will be adapted, I am also looking forward to seeing them and I hope I’ll enjoy them as much as the HP and Twilight films. Here’s my picks to look out for when they hit the cinemas:

- Fallen – based on the books by Lauren Kate and being adapted by Disney. We’re up to book 3 out of 4 and I’m really enjoying this series about a girl called Luce who has been cursed to die when she reaches her 17th birthday preventing her and her angel soul mate Daniel from truly being together. This lifetime though somehow Luce is still alive and she and Daniel must fight heaven and hell for their love.
- The Mortal Instruments - based on the series by Cassandra Clare. The movie is in development with Lily Collins as Clary and Jamie Campbell Bower as Jace. These books have a really detailed world drawn in them and follow the Shadowhunters – a group of demon killers and their fight against evil and the supernaturals on the fringes of society called Downworlders. Jace and Clary are the star-crossed lovers caught up in the war against evil.
- The Hunger Games – The adaptation of Suzanne Colllins is being written by author herself so I’m hoping this will be pretty faithful. The book is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi novel about Katniss, a sixteen year old forced to compete in the TV reality show the Hunger Games where participants have to fight to the death to win. This is coming in 2012.

Are you looking forward to any future book adaptations?

Vix
xx

43 Comments

by Victoria-writes on June 28, 2011 • Permalink

Posted in Books, Films

Tagged adaptations, books, Fallen, films, Harry Potter, The Host, The Hunger Games, The Mortal Instruments, Twilight, young adult

Posted by Victoria-writes on June 28, 2011

http://victoria-writes.com/2011/06/28/books-to-films/

YA films I can’t wait for….

A wealth of films from my fave YA books are on their way and I am really looking forward to seeing them. Twilight has shown that you can really ace an adaptation so I’m hopeful that these will also stick to the source material and not disappoint.

1. Fallen by Lauren Kate

This bewitching story of a girl forced to live countless lives each time tragically dying when she kisses her immortal love Daniel is just right for the big screen – a dark gothic romance with lots of actions and gorgeous angels. The film is being made by Disney, which I’m hoping won’t tone down the romance or action too much.

2. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Currently in development, rumour persist that British actress Kaya Scodelario will take the lead role of Katniss. The book set in a dystopian future where kids have to compete in the reality TV show hunger Games to the death should produce an epic film. There’s a lot of horror and death in the books so I’m not sure how they’ll produce on film and keep a teen friendly certificate but I can’t wait to meet Peeta on screen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaya_Scodelario

3. Shiver – Maggie Stiefvater

This emotional romance about a girl who falls in love with boy who turns into a wolf seems to be a tricky one to film as it’s written from Grace and Sam’s POV and deals with their feelings more than action. They really need to get the two leads right as they need to carry the movie. The author has suggested Alex from Artic Monkeys fits the look of Sam.

4. The Mortal Instruments

This adaption is speeding ahead with the script written, director and lead chosen. The trilogy following Clary discovering a world of Shadowhunters, vampires, werewolves and warlocks is a dense fantasy, which I hope they can portray accurately on screen. Clary has been chosen as Lily Collins, not someone I know much about but she seems to fit the small redhead character well enough, see photo below:

5. and finally…..

Twilight: breaking Dawn

Harry Potter & Deathly Hallow Part 2

Enough said.

http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/harrypotterandthedeathlyhallows/mainsite/index.html

Young adult book faves by a non-young adult

As we come to the end of 2010 I thought I would review all the young adult books I’ve read and list my favourites here:

1. Vampire academy: Last Sacifice

I heart this series and this was a fitting end to Rose’s story. She ended up with who she was supposed to and it left it open enough for the spin-off series coming soon. A must read!

2. The Hunger Games trilogy

I came late to this one but i really enjoyed it. The first book is my favourite and the concept is well thought out. Exciting and thought provoking. Can’t wait for the film!

3. Mortal Instruments

I’ve read the first two and am waiting for the next in the post. It took me a while to get into but the story of Jace and Clary drew me in and i’m looking forward to finding out how that all ends.

4. The House of Night Series: Tempted

I really like this series, this wasn’t the best one as it felt like filler and i liked it best when they were at the school. i’ll keep on reading though to see where it all goes.

5. The Immortals: Dark flame

I went off the series slightly with book 3 which was complicated but they’ve sucked me back in with this one. I really enjoyed it, lots of action and heartbreak and another great cliffhanger. Roll on the next.