I read a lot of popular fiction.  As a writer, I need to know something about books that are extraordinarily successful – i.e., what it is about them that makes millions of readers clamor to buy.  It was on that premise that I read Twilight, and loved it enough to read all four books more than once.  For the same reason, more recently, I read the Fifty Shades trilogy, and you all know how I feel about these.

I initially resisted The Hunger Games.  Actually, that’s not entirely true.  I tried to read it, but stopped soon after Katniss volunteered to take her sister’s place as the Tribute from District 12.  The plotline upset me.  I mean, children fighting to the death?  I have trouble watching reality TV, and this is reality TV taken to extremes.

But my son read all three books and loved them.  And my daughters-in-law read them and loved them.  And my BFF read them and loved them.  And there were all those millions of readers – and then the movie!

So I picked up the book again and pushed through it this time.  I’m not sure if I can say that I loved it.  I’ve never been a big one for dystopia, and violence just isn’t my cuppa, so to speak.  I do think it was very well written, and it certainly has action and drama.

But I’m still unsure.