The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 From book to movie

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Lions Gate. I received a book, products, and a promotional item to thank me for participating. My opinions on The Hunger Games MockingJay are strictly my own. 

It is no secret that I am a bookaholic. I always have a book or 10 on my nightstand, around the house, or in my hands when I have downtime. I love to read. You can also usually find me reading 3 different books at a time. Usually 1 serious book, 1 romantic historical fiction/regency Romance (think Pride and Prejudice – all clean romance) and 1 Dystopian genre. And even sometimes I find those books that resonate with me so well that i end up reading them more than once. Hunger Games trilogy is one of those. And with the new upcoming release of Mockingjay part 1, I figured it was time to reread the book before the Husband and I went to see the movie.

Hunger Games turned movie for the 3rd time

When a book I love gets turned into a movie; I always read the book again before we go see the movie. Sometimes I’m impressed and sometimes I’m disappointed. But always it is fun to see how the movies portray the book I love. There are many movies that totally killed the story for me with the horrible acting and script writing. But I won’t get into that. But others have done a great job following the story I fell in love within the original book.

For me Hunger Games has been one of the better books turned into movie for me. They have done a decent job taking the story into film. It’s a hard job. I know some things have to be changed and left out. Otherwise the movie would be 6 hrs long or longer. They have to condense. I totally get that. So I try not to be too strict in my critic.

What I have loved in the Hunger Games series is the parallel to our world. The constant need for entertainment at extreme costs. For me personally I see a lot of parallels in our need for Reality TV. Because isn’t that what the Hunger Games were for the Capitol (aside from another means of Government keeping citizens impoverished, beaten down and inline)?

I also see a lot of parallels in our Government. The need for power and control. Using others as pawns. Not helping them, but using them. Just like in Mockingjay. We have the Capitol and District 13 Governments. Using Peeta and Katniss as their pawns to move their propaganda ahead. Not with a promise of freedom, but merely a change in power. Each with their own selfish Revengeful wants.

Isn’t that somewhat happening now? Republicans and Democrats using issues and populace as pawns in their ploy to gain power in the Government? And yet how many times do the issues get resolved? Abortion, illegal immigrants, the healthcare system, welfare, National Debt? Are these fixed? Or did just some new faction take over control? But those are their Mockingjays every election to get the next politician into office.

That is one reason why I love Dystopian novels so much. Because of the parallels to our current world. Not exactly the same, but you can see similarities. They seem to point out our societies weaknesses that could be flaunted and capitalized to change the world as we know it.

It is because of these parallels that I think Mockingjay can resonate just as well with adult women as it does with the teenagers. Even though it is targeted towards Young Adult and youth readers. I still find a great level of enjoyment reading the story and relating to the struggles of the characters. Sometimes wondering, what type of character would I have if I were put into a similar circumstance?

There was a lot of great detail that went into writing Mockingjay and I’m quite excited to see how that translates into the screen. I’m quite excited to see a sober Haymitch, a weeping Finnick (oh he’s so dreamy) and a strong grown up Prim.

I want to see how they illustrate the roadblocks, traps and challenges they face in the streets during the assault on the Capitol city.

The husband has been out of town a lot due to business trips for work. Thus giving me ample time to read undisturbed. Haha! So we’ve made a date to go see the The Hunger Games Mockingjay part 1 in theaters when it releases on November 21, 2014. It will be fun for us to get away together and watch a movie we both are excited to see. Yes, he’s read the books too and I’ve dragged him to every Hunger Games movie too. He’s a good sport like that.

Are you excited to see The hunger Games Mockingjay Part 1? Check out the fun teaser trailer to get a sneak peak at what’s to come!

 

 

You can find even more details from the The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 website.

Do you read books before you go see the movie?

Have you read The Hunger Games Mockingjay?

Are you going to go see the movie?

What are you most excited to see in the movie?