I watched the movie first and liked it a lot. Then I went back afterward and read the book and couldn't finish it. There were some interesting details in the beginning that were nice to learn, to understand the world of the story a bit better. I liked that there was a bit about depression and Katniss's mother-- when she said something like, "I wouldn't have tuned out like I did if I'd had the medicine that I do now." It just struck me because the author, unlike so many people, understands that depression is a sickness. And whereas the story definitely doesn't hide the pain of the kids seeing their mother go blank and having to take care of her, which the very real threat of starving-- this little detail makes the whole thing about the society failing to provide for the underprivileged classes. If she had had access to medicine, she would have done much better.

Anyway, I couldn't finish the book, because during the games themselves, it got boring. I already knew what was going to happen, so the barrenness of the writing style stood out. It almost resembled the quick pacing and shallowness that you get from a movie without the visuals or music or anything to make up for it. If they don't make another movie, I'll probably go back and read the second and third books, though.