Some thoughts on the Hunger Games

I am always a bit late to the party. I discovered Adele three months ago, just saw Iron Man for the first time, and didn't realize Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was a trilogy until the shocking similarity on covers smacked me over the head with the fact. Periodically, I discover something new that makes me wish I was more with it!

Several of you bloggers plus a bunch of friends kept nudging me towards The Hunger Games. So over the holidays, I read them. I actually devoured the books, reading the first in six hours.

For the record, if you haven't read The Hunger Games, do it. Do it now! It is an amazing read and you won't regret it. And then... well, you decide if you feel like moving on, because something odd happens in the second two.

One of the things I loved the most about the first book was the main character, Katniss Everdeen. Having read a lot of YA fiction, and living in the era of Bella Swan, I loved Katniss in Book #1, because, quite frankly, she kicks ass. Bold, kind, strong, and fierce, Katniss is an amazing character and a true role model for young girls and grown women everywhere. She takes care of her family, and manages to keep her dignity and humanity in the harshest of circumstances. And then... and then...

In book #2, Katniss is a bit less likeable. I actually 100% buy that she goes through some awful things in book #1, and may be struggling to put her psyche back together. But then, in book #3, Katniss turns into a stereotypical angsty teen. She is moody and rebelious and angry. Though she remains strong, the strength is accompanied by what can only be described as whiney.

I've got to say, thank goodness for Libba Bray and the Gemma Doyle series, because the young women of YA are taking too many hits in the most popular books of the day!

What other books do you think have (and maintain) a powerful and kind female voice? What am I missing?