Throwback Thursday: Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

Author: Suzanne Collins
First published in 2003 by Scholastic Press

This irresistible first novel tells the story of a quiet boy who embarks on a dangerous quest in order to fulfill his destiny -- and find his father -- in a strange world beneath New York City.

When Gregor falls through a grate in the laundry room of his apartment building, he hurtles into the dark Underland, where spiders, rats, cockroaches coexist uneasily with humans. This world is on the brink of war, and Gregor's arrival is no accident. A prophecy foretells that Gregor has a role to play in the Underland's uncertain future. Gregor wants no part of it -- until he realizes it's the only way to solve the mystery of his father's disappearance. Reluctantly, Gregor embarks on a dangerous adventure that will change both him and the Underland forever.

I wasn't really overly thrilled with The Hunger Games  but I was intrigued to see how this author did writing a middle grade book.  Gregor the Overlander is a story about an 11YO boy and his 2 YO sister who end up on a quest to save the underworld and find their father. 

I thought this was a great middle grade level book.  I know I'll be recommending it to my 5th grader.  Gregor is a great character for kids to relate to, especially boys. While he has to be brave and go on this quest to fulfill a prophecy, the reader is also allowed to see him scared and vulnerable.  There are also great messages about loyalty and family.  

I would recommend this to any middle grade reader who likes adventures.  There are a couple of deaths in the book.  One of them hit me right in the heart.  So, you might want to take that into consideration.  This is the first int he series.  I'd love to check out the other books to see what adventure Gregor gets involved with next.

Mockingjay

By:  Suzanne Collins

I don't really want to get really deep into this because I understand not everyone has read their book all the way through and Amazon has made a little boo boo with their automatics apparently and not every even has their book yet. 

Basically if you've read the first two books you understand that the rebellion is going now.  This is a war book.  The things that happen in war happen in this book.  It's not pretty, it's not happy.

Putting that aside, I don't know that I was particularly thrilled with this book.  I don't know what exactly I was expecting, but I don't think this was it.  However, it is what it is and I can't change that so I'm not going to be a whiner. 

I don't want to give any spoilers either but I thought at the end the part with Buttercup was so heartwrenching!!

Catching Fire

By:  Suzanne Collins

From Goodreads:  Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

I picked up Catching Fire this week in my efforts to get caught up with this series before Mockingjay comes out later this month.  Some of y'all might have heard about that.  Just like with Hunger Games I was immediately caught up in the story.  Thank goodness my kids are old enough to fend for themselves (and my husband took them swimming most of the day) because I read this book cover to cover in one afternoon. 

Katniss continues to frustrate the daylights out of me.  What's wrong with that girl??  At least she understands she doesn't deserve Peeta.  I know there are a lot of people out there picking teams, Team Peeta/Team Gale.  I'm not on either team.  If Katniss hasn't gotten her act together yet, I don't think she will!  I lean towards Peeta though.  Gale had his chance and didn't take it.

Is it just me or do these book make anyone else want to start staging protests and rebelling against the government?  To any shady government agency that might be monitoring my blog:  I'm just kidding!!

Hunger Games

By:  Suzanne Collins

From Goodreads:  In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.


Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

I'm kinda late to the party on this one.  Hopefully, I'll be able to get Catching Fire sometime in the next couple of weeks.  I know I'm going to want to read the next two books ASAP.  I was absolutely sucked right into Hunger Games.  The story was so enthralling, I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen. 

I understand that the the movie rights have been bought and I can see how it would make a really good action/adventure/scifi type movie, but topic is kinda morbid eh?  This is a YA book, aimed towards teens, but it makes you wonder how they'd make the movie so that it wouldn't be rated R.

I've been on a post-apocalyptic kick lately...this, The Passage, and I watched The Book of Eli and The Road.  I need to read something happier.