This series does two things that make me think it must be good, or at least I must like it on some levels. One, this is my second read, and I've wanted to reread it since I calmed down enough to think about it after the first time. It stays with me, and I WANT to engage with it. And, and also but, two, it makes me so angry. Incoherent green ragemonster angry. Have to put the book down and away for awhile angry. 
 So this review makes no sense. I find Katniss and Peeta to be interesting but I don't like them at all and I find it hard to root for them. Katniss's raving self-absorption makes her a very difficult narrator to read -- everything that happens seems so obvious to me and I'm only in her head so why isn't it obvious to her? I guess because she spends so much time whining about everything, martyring herself for her own benefit, and jumping to ridiculous and erroneous conclusions. And Peeta... I get the idea the author didn't feel up to writing the amazing character she wants Peeta to be so she has all the other characters explain it to us instead. But that leaves me cold. I have no real connection to Peeta for myself. 
 I have affection for many of the supporting figures, especially Effie and Joanna. And I like the little details about their stories like Finnick and Annie or Haymitch's Games and how Katniss's and Madge's mothers figured. I like Cinna's use of fashion as statement and Gale's determination to rebel. There is something very engaging in all this. Something. I wish it wasn't also so annoying...