The Hunger Games: Districts 1 & 2

District 1 is one of the wealthiest districts of Panem. Its primary industry is manufacturing luxury items for the Capitol. Some of them include diamonds and most likely other precious gems. It seems that names in this district are names of precious items, which may be a reflection on their "glamorous" nature and demeanor. Children in District 1 seem to take pride in competing in the Games, and are among the group of tributes that band together to pick off the weak, called the Careers.

Katniss described Glimmer to be tall, with flowing blonde hair and emerald eyes. She was described as beautiful or downright sexy. Katniss described her interview dress as gold and provocative. Katniss thought that even though Glimmer was smart, she was incompetent with a bow and arrow. However, it is very likely that Glimmer excelled in another weapon, and simply chose to use the bow and arrows at that moment because of Katniss being high up in a tree (as weapons such as swords would not help much in that matter). Katniss also thought that Glimmer was an extremely stupid name, as most names from District One tend to be a little over the top. She is described as being 5'7" tall.

Marvel was the male tribute from District 1 in the the 74th Hunger Games. As a Career Tribute, Marvel was strong and ruthless. It is unknown if he volunteered for the Games or was reaped. He presumably trained for a lot of his pre-Games life like most tributes from his district. During the opening ceremonies, he and his district partner, Glimmer were spray painted silver and were wearing tunics. Katniss points out that they both looked gorgeous. During training, he showed great skill at spear throwing, that made him deadly at a distance. He, along with the other Careers, recieved a training score somewhere between 8 and 10. 

District 2 is one of the districts of Panem. It is the place where most of the Peacekeepers are trained, and where the weapons are manufactured, but originally specialized only in mining and stone cutting. Publicly it's presented as the nation's stone quarries, just like District 13 was known for graphite mining. District 2 children are raised with a warrior mind-set and most of the Peacekeepers are from District 2. This district was the only one not on the side of the first rebellion, and after the attempt failed, were rewarded by better treatment from the Capitol, and better living conditions for their citizens. District 2 is in the Rocky Mountains, near the Capitol itself. The district is made up of many small villages, each based around a mine. Although the district is allied with the Capitol, due to their preferential treatment, the quarry workers suffer as much as any other district, not being excluded from the annual Hunger Games that take place.

This huge, strong, brutal male tribute from District 2 was Katniss's main enemy in the 74th Hunger Games. He was probably seen as the most dangerous threat to all the tributes, aside from dehydration or starvation, including all of the other Careers. Obscene, vulgar, and relentless, Cato used brute strength for almost everything and fought hard to win. He was a Career tribute and for all of his life, had trained for the Hunger Games. During the reapings, after Clove was chosen for the female tribute for District 2, Cato lunged forward and volunteered to be the male tribute since he had confidence in his abilities and believed he could win.  Described as a "ruthless killing machine", he is extremely strong and was the most likely choice of a winner.

Clove was the female tribute from District 2, and an expert in knife throwing, as she was the one who killed the male tribute from District 9. She was the fifth from the last person to die and went to the "feast" (where she was killed) having Cato guarding her. Killed by a large rock, thrown by Thresh, she seemed to have a connection to Cato due to the rule change. After admitting she had some involvement in the killing of Thresh's district partner, Rue, he dented her skull with a rock "the size of a small loaf of bread". She dies in Cato's arms, as Katniss flees for her life.

 "We're going to kill you. Just like we did with your pathetic little ally... what was her name? Rue? Well first Rue, then you, and I think we'll let nature take care of Lover Boy. How does that sound?"

―Clove

Information obtained from:

Goddess Interrupted

Title: Goddess Interrupted

Author: Aimée Carter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publish Date: 27 March 2012
Pages: 304
ISBN: 978-0-373-21045-9
Source: Netgalley
Genre: Young Adult, Mythology
Series: Goddess Test
Other books in series: The Goddess Test, The Goddess Hunt

Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

Now that Kate Winters has won immortality, what happens next?  The story begins when Kate returns from spending the summer in Greece with James.  He shows her how to get to the Underworld so that she can fulfill her part in staying with Henry six months out of the year.  When she arrives in the Underworld, instead of being greeted by Henry, she gets a vision… a scary one.  She doesn’t understand why she is suddenly getting these visions.  Her mom explains to her that it is one of her gifts and she will learn to control it over time.

Things in the Underworld are not what Kate expected.  She expected Henry to be there with open arms when she returned.  He doesn’t show up because he is in a meeting and it is upsetting to Kate.  She wonders if she and Henry made a mistake and if she’ll be happy with him.  Assurances from everyone say that she is wrong and Henry loves her.  Why can she not believe them?

When Kate finally does see Henry, he has been hurt.  Things have changed in the Underworld.  Calliope is finally extracting her revenge for the punishment that was handed down to her in The Goddess Test.  She is in the process of waking up Cronus, the King of the Titans.  This creates havoc for all in the Underworld.  Titans are the only thing that can kill the Gods.  When Henry is abducted with other members of the Council, Kate must embark on a journey that not only proves her worth as Henry’s wife, but also as the Queen of the Underworld. 

Ever since reading The Goddess Test, I have been a fan of Carter’s writing and Goddess Interrupted did not disappoint.  This book was well thought out with a good plot and well-developed characters.  In the beginning, you are reminded who the main characters are.  Some of the characters are given more time than in the first book.  Goddess Interrupted is the second book in this series and it ties in well with the first.  There is no lapse in what happened from the first book to this one.  This book flowed nicely from one plot point to the next.  After reading this book, I wanted to go back and re-read The Goddess Test to be reminded of the beginning of the story.

 

The cover shows the same girl from The Goddess Test, only she is in a different pose.  I’m presuming that this is Kate Winters.  She is wearing a white, sleeveless gown, which is similar to what I think of when I think about the Gods in Greek Mythology.  I like the font of the title.  It seems appropriate for the Greek theme.  Kate again, is in a forest in this scene.  I’m not sure what this has to do with the story.

•Kate Winters.  Even though she is a bit whiny in this book, I still like her.  She has strengths that are admirable.  Nobody expects Kate to take on the journey and responsibilities that she does.  She is new to the Underworld.  To help Henry and the other members of the Council that were abducted, Kate asks for help from someone she never thought she would, Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

•Henry.  In this book, he seems distant from Kate.  It is explained to Kate that Henry hasn’t been married for 1,000 years and will take some time to get used to it again.  Other things have preoccupied Henry’s time.  The constant attacks on Tartarus, or the Underworld, is the first thing and he puts his duty to his “job” above his duty to Kate.  This is one of my favorite quotes from Henry:

If I were a better man, I would be able to show you the love and affection you deserve.  As I am not, I can only offer you what I am capable of giving.  But I assure you, just because I do not show it doesn't mean I do not feel it. 

•I loved reading about the Greek Gods and Goddesses and how they use their talents or gifts in this book.  I have always been interested in mythology and this book involves not only that, but also romance and action.  I also liked how they talked.  Their language was that of someone who was old and didn't use the jargon of today's society.

•James.  For the most part, he is a good character.  He is loyal to the Council and will fight for them whenever needed. He is a good friend to Kate and tells her things that nobody else has told her.  Why did I put him in the not like section?  He knows that Kate is in love with Henry and is his wife, but he still wants Kate for himself.  After the summer in Greece, Kate describes him when they return to the Underworld as “moody and proper.”

•Calliope.  I didn’t like her in The Goddess Test and that has carried over into this book.  She wants Henry and was prepared to do anything to get him.  When she realizes that she has no hope with him, she awakens Cronus, who wants to kill the Gods who imprisoned him.

•Cronus.  As I said above, he wants to kill the Gods who imprisoned him after the war between the original Titans and the Gods of the council.  This doesn’t just include Henry, but includes everyone on the council. 

•Persephone.  I will give it to her that she does help Kate when she needs it the most, but Persephone doesn’t do it gladly.  She would rather stay in her little piece of heaven (if that is what you would call her place in the Underworld) with Adonis. She does show improvement towards the end of the book.

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

 Scary School by Derek the Ghost

Dead Perfect by P.G. Shriver

The Gifted Ones The Fairytale by P.G. Shriver

Slide by Jill Hathaway

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Awake at Dawn by C.C. Hunter

Torn by Amanda Hocking

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

The Hunger Games: Panem and The Capitol

I've been waiting for this month for awhile now.  The Hunger Games movie will be released.  To celebrate that, I am going to be reviewing the districts and the characters.  This is a basic overview and this information isn't mine, but stuff I've found on the web.  There are some other things I have planned, but that will be revealed later.  The Write Obsession is also celebrating with me, so check her blog out as she will have some things on there too.  Lan did a post on The Hunger Games Month Kickoff that you should check out.

The nation of Panem was established during an unknown time period following the destruction of modern civilization. It is situated primarily on the western side of North America, and the Capitol is located in an area formerly known as the Rocky Mountains.

Panem is run by a single-party dictatorship that appears to be led by President Snow. It appears to be the dominant society in North America, and no other nations or civilized societies beyond Panem have been mentioned, so it is unknown if any exist at all.

The name Panem derives from the Latin phrase panem et circenses, which literally translates into 'bread and circuses'. The phrase itself is 'used to describe entertainment used to distract public attention from more important matters.'

In Panem, the rules are harshly enforced. After The Dark Days, a cruel game known as The Hunger Games was invented.

If you want to learn more about Panem, check out, The Hunger Games Wiki. It tells  you more history and about the Rebellions.

The Capitol of Panem is a fortress city where the wealthy and powerful people of the nation reside. Not only are the Games controlled from this point, but so are the twelve (previously thirteen) districts. The Capitol is a dictatorship that was run by President Snow before his death. It is also the only major city to be mentioned. It is thought to be located in the northwestern section of the former United States of America, seemingly in the Rocky Mountains.

It is known for its lamb stew and hot chocolate. The Rockies also acted as a natural barrier and proved useful for the Capitol, allowing their air forces to bomb the rebels attempting.





 

The information obtained in the post was from:

 

Author Interview: M. M. Shelley

M.M. Shelley is a storyteller, word smith and dreamer. MISHAP AND MAYHEM, a captivating story of faerie's and magic, is her debut novel. She has traveled the world extensively in search of the magic which is often overlooked in every day life. M.M. Shelley is a native of southern California, and a student of mythology from which she gets much inspiration.

M. M. Shelley, the author of The Chronicles of Orlando, has stopped by the blog and answered a few questions that we had.




YABR: What inspires you when you write?

MMS: I am inspired by various of things, I enjoy writing because its an escape into different worlds.


YABR:  Do you base your characters off of real people?  Do you have a process for coming up with characters?

MMS: The only name I used from an actual person is the character Fernie in The Zombie Story, I had an uncle named Fernie who past away several years ago. He used to tell my brothers and I stories of the days when he was on patrol as an LAPD officer. Although he was nothing like the character in my story, I just sort of borrowed his name.


YABR: What do you wish was different about the book(s), if anything?

MMS: Well, because these are a series of novella's they will always be evolving, these are stories that I believe will allow the reader to have a fun escape for a few hours. 

YABR: What is your favorite item on your work space?

MMS: I have a large map that's framed and hangs on the wall in my office, I love to travel and incorporate the places that I visit as the settings of my books and so when I get stuck on a scene I will take a look at my map and think about where I would like to be.

YABR: What type/genre of books do you like to read?

MMS:  I grew up reading Agatha Christie; Hercule Poirot is my favorite detective I enjoy a good murder mystery, but I enjoy a good romance too.

YABR: Favorite color

MMS: This changes all the time, right now I'd have to say Blue.


YABR: Favorite holiday/season

MMS: Fall!


YABR: Word that best describes you and why

MMS: Tenacious. I grab hold of an idea no matter how crazy it may sound and run with it and it has helped me pursue my dreams.  
      
        
YABR: Optimist or pessimist
MMS: Optimist  
YABR: Favorite author/book/series

MMS: Agatha Christie and her Hercule Poirot mysteries

YABR: Favorite food/drink

MMS: Japanese! There's a great restaurant near my home, it's a family owned restaurant and they are incredibly wonderful.


YABR: Favorite place to read/write

MMS: Anywhere, you never know when you will be inspired.

The Zombie Story

Publisher: M.M. Shelley

Publish Date: 10 May 2011

Source: from author

Series: The Chronicles of Orlando

Other Books in Series: Dead Relatives

Unfolding on the streets of Los Angeles is a new breed of monster...

Orlando, fresh from the mid west, arrives at his new high school on his Harley Davidson. All he wants is to make it through the day, and begin his training as a Zombie Hunter.But someone has different plans for him.

The Zombie Story is the first novella in a young adult series.

This novella starts out with Orlando moving to Los Angeles during his last year of high school.  He had to move after the economy crashed and both his parents found jobs in L.A.  After Orlando witnesses a murder outside his home, things begin to unravel.  First, his mom is upset with him.  She thinks that he made up the crime to get back at them for moving.  Then his grandfather has someone come over and tell him something that is unbelievable.

At first Orlando doesn’t believe Maxwell, his grandfather’s friend, when he tells him about zombies and that he is supposed to train to kill them.  Then, when he is going to the junkyard to get parts for the car his mother gave him, he spots a motorcycle that he has to walk home.  It is during that walk that he encounters his first zombie and uses some of his magick to help him defeat him.  Orlando has never been tested to see what level of magick he is.

At school the next day, Maxwell introduces him to Ruben.  Ruben is a zombie hunter who will train Orlando.  After the eventful day, Orlando meets Fernando aka Fernie which eventually leads him and Ruben to Tijuana, Mexico.  There he learns some secrets…some he may not have wanted to know.

I thought that this novella was a little choppy.  You would be talking about one thing and the next thing you knew, it would be something else.  I think that there was a lot of information and background story to put in a novella.  This should have been a novel which would have given you time to read the pertinent information.  The plot was there for it and the development of the story was rushed.  When I first read the synopsis for this book, I thought it might be an interesting read and it was.  Overall, I thought it was a good book and am anxious to read the sequel, Dead Relatives.

Everyone in the world had magick in one form or another.  The ones who had the least amount were known as Novices, most of the population was Novice.  Novices had the smallest amount and had no control over when it was used…The ones at the next level were known as Mercurial, they were given the name Mercurial because their magick was never reliable and always unstable, it was never stead and it could be destructive.  The third level of magick were Wizards, they had learned to control their power and a wizard was someone who’s magick was the most strong and consistent.  There were not many who reached the level of Wizard.

The cover has Orlando on it in his leather jacket and what looks like the Los Angeles skyline.  I like the colors on the cover.  I also like the color of Orlando’s eyes. 

 

•Orlando.  He is the main character of the story.  He has this naiveté about him when it first comes to learning about zombies.  It is surprising considering the magick that is in the world, but refreshing at the same time.

•Ruben and his sister Elodie.  Ruben is the one that is training Orlando to fight zombies.  He has no doubts in backing Orlando when he needs to go to Tijuana, Mexico.  Elodie helps Ruben and Orlando when they are in Mexico.  She is strong willed and intelligent in the use of her magick. 

•Orlando’s grandfather.  Orlando describes him as being “off his rocker.”  He is the one who first brought Maxwell in to tell Orlando about the zombies.  Even though he is sometimes wrong, he still has Orlando's best interest at heart.  He was also a zombie hunter.

•Zombies.  It was refreshing to read about them in a different atmosphere than I have read before.  This story is about zombies, but it doesn’t focus on them.

•Fernando.  He is a wizard who comes and sees Orlando one night telling him about a mission that he is supposed to embark upon.  He seems like he is one of the good guys, but you can never tell.  

•The choppiness of the writing.  Sometimes I felt like I got whiplash when reading.  At times, I had to re-read something to make sure I was following along with the story.  More towards the end of the novella, it got better.

•Maxwell.  When Orlando first meets him, he tells Orlando that he has a temper after he was woken up by his grandfather’s loud television.  Then, the next day at school, he asks Orlando, “What are you doing here?” and then tells him that he is supposed to be training.