ITA, Amy. Although I have some issues with Collins' plotting, I really appreciated that. Katniss could have been a male protag, and Peeta and memfault girls, and the story would have basically been the same.

I mean, I think it's wonderful and important to the story that she's a kick-ass female, but the focus is on her humanity, and not her girly-bits.

But also, I found the love triangle aspect of the story refreshing, because for once, I really could not tell who she might end up with. I didn't know who I wanted her to end up with, I didn't know who she wanted (because she herself didn't know, and didn't particularly care to figure it out)

This, so much. For once, instead of finding herself attracted to two guys, the heroine discovers two guys are attracted to *her*, and she's a little baffled by the whole thing, especially in her situation. I really appreciated that take on it.

Ah. Thank you both. I like what you've said here. Katniss' bafflement does help, and I think I was overlooking it, because for me, it went on a little long. I appreciate being able to rethink this from a different perpective.

So, no worries about piling on the DH. He is hypercritical by nature, and the more he likes something the more critical he is of it. He bitched about BtVS all the way through the entire run of the show, while making sure to always be home in time to watch it, and then bought all the DVDs.

I just felt like this was such a nutty line of attack that I had to share, while trying to frame my own response to it.

Now into the discussion a couple days later, his point has been refined to "Peeta doesn't behave like a real teenage boy.". Which I kinda have to agree with, but I don't ink Collins make him so beatific just for the Katniss romance angle; I think he's also a contrast to the other contestants and the population in general.

I'd also have to point out that teenage boys (and, for that matter, college boys) don't always react or behave or respond like you think they will.

I just finished "Water for Elephants" on the bus, and I cried and cried.

It was the weirdest crypoint, though. The Kindle edition does not open to the epigraph, but the page after, so I didn't see it. I was reading the "Book Group Questions" and it asked about it. It was "I meant what I said and I said what i meant. An elephant's faithful one-hundred percent!”- and Horton is a cry-point for me anyway, and I just lost it.

I'd also have to point out that teenage boys (and, for that matter, college boys) don't always react or behave or respond like you think they will.

And that teenaged boys living in a totalitarian country, required to participate in a kill or be killed competition, and being starved to death are even harder to pigeonhole.

Now into the discussion a couple days later, his point has been refined to "Peeta doesn't behave like a real teenage boy.".

None of the characters behave like "real" teenagers, if the touchstone is late-20th- and early-21st-century American teenagers.

Actually, i know one teenage boy that acts like Peeta

Gale is harder I don't know that many teenage boys that are that competent, but then they don't have to be .

I still haven't read the third book.

Yeah, the modern teenager is a product of 20th century American prosperity, which allowed there to be a middle ground between child and adult.