Media Roll Call

[mindsplinters]

13) The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L Sayers - It's Lord Peter so naturally I'm biased. I love that demmed foolish man and his sensible sidekick (or stabilizing force, you make the call). Strangely, I had seen the BBC adaptation of this ages ago but never got around to actually reading it. I must say the adaptation was very close and very brilliant. Even if Edward Petherbridge looks rather more like Peter should, Ian Carmichael will forever be my favorite for his Silly Elephant's Child ease. Anyway... Good, solid mystery with a varied cast of characters. Rather a product of its time in some ways at how it approaches certain topics. Rich detail like always, a very clever little death based on timing, and a fast read despite/because of Sayers' definite way of writing. Also featuring one of those moments where Peter is true to himself no matter what, proving that there's more to him than meets the eye. PS if he didn't end up with Harriet Vane, I was rooting for Marjorie Phelps. I love that lady.

14) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - I'm not even going to touch on the "did she or didn't she" argument re: Battle Royale (mostly because when I first heard of the series that's the first thing that came to mind) but I will say this - I enjoyed this more than that. Katniss is a remarkably interesting (and flawed) female lead and she is not sugar-coated which makes me extra happy. There is no author slight of hand to excuse her behaviors/thoughts. Girl is fucked-up, yo, and you know why but it's not presented as a preferred status (ahem, Miss Swann). I also like a lot of the other characters and the detail put into the mechanics of surviving were choice. (Yes, I read the Little House books for the details on cooking and foraging. Sue me.) I also might have teared up a bit at one point. Also... points for making me really really enjoy reading a first person POV.

Comments

[prodigy]

Katniss is a good character, isn't she? She really is responsible for the franchise's success, I think -- kids really are hard-up for interesting characters to identify with, and I think that goes for boys as well (girls go without saying there). I'm not surprised now that so many high school boys I tutored were equally into the THG series.

[mindsplinters]

I think you nailed it there. Whether they realize it or not, kids are feeling that lack of interesting characters and it's great to know that both boys and girls are embracing Katniss. She really is head and shoulders above most of the other options out there today.