Team Peeta, Team Gale… Team Katniss?

The release date for the third HUNGER GAMES book, MOCKINGJAY, is getting closer, and the question I most often see people speculating about is, “Which boy will Katniss end up with?” And I thought, it’s interesting that what engages many people most about even a book that includes revolution and gladiator-type tournaments and government oppression is the romantic element.

And then I thought, is that really true? Or do readers only react that way because Katniss is female, and popular culture generally defines finding “true love” as the most important goal for a woman? A lot of people wondered who Harry Potter would be dating, for example, but the most pressing questions for him seemed to be ones like “How will he defeat Voldemort?” and “Will he survive?”

What do you think? If the HUNGER GAMES trilogy were about a boy who went into the games in his younger brother’s place, would the main topic of discussion be which girl he’d end up with?


Comments

Team Peeta, Team Gale… Team Katniss? — 4 Comments

  1. I think for a lot of the readership these books are aimed at, yep, the heavy investment is in the romance. If a boy had gone in to fight other boys, it might be popular with a different readership–boy gladiator game stories are not exactly unknown. Here’s what I wonder: if Katniss had been fighting all girls, would the readership still be there?

    • Well, I managed to sell a YA novel that didn’t have a romance, and it did reasonably well, so it must be possible! I think there are actually a lot of teen readers who want something not-so-romantic at least every now and then. But steamy romance is definitely very hot right now due to TWILIGHT’s success, and I think that’s affecting the kind of books getting bought and getting pushed.

  2. Remembering my time as a teenage girl and having five of my own (plus two boys) I can tell you that boys and girls are definitely wired differently. And yet I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I think girls and guys can appreciate all aspects of the story, however the natural interest towards romance in teens definitely resides with girls. Even now I can appreciate the tension of the revolution but am just as excited to see who she’ll choose. 🙂

    • Yep, and I’m curious, too! I just think it’s interesting (and to me, a little odd) that I constantly see discussions about Peeta vs. Gale, but hardly ever about topics like, what will they find in District 13, which I find at least equally intriguing.

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