Battle Royale in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

Sep 11, 2018 Nadine in NY Jones marked it as did-not-finish · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-and-sci-fi, dystopian-and-post-apocalyptic, translation

When The Hunger Games became popular, a great hue and cry was raised: "this is a rip-off of Battle Royale!" So yeah I was curious. I finally got around to checking this out. Clunky, wooden writing, rather dull plot, does not feel like The Hunger Games at all, and is not nearly enough to hold my attention through the entire book, not when I've got hundreds of other books crying out to be read. I DNF'ed. Life is too short to waste on boring books. ...more

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Oct 03, 2009 stephanie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: would-rec, absolutely-must-read, young-adult, 2009, dystopian

this book. this book, this book, this book.

i want to write an essay comparing hunger games to this, because HG clearly rips off some of the most important elements. (as in, shuyu=katniss, noriko=peeta, shogo=rue) but. that's not giving enough credit to either book.

if i've done my math correctly, this book is set in a world where after WWI, japan started it's imperialistic drive and never had to give it up. (it's fascinating to read the political stuff with america, knowing what happened in WWI this book. this book, this book, this book.

i want to write an essay comparing hunger games to this, because HG clearly rips off some of the most important elements. (as in, shuyu=katniss, noriko=peeta, shogo=rue) but. that's not giving enough credit to either book.

if i've done my math correctly, this book is set in a world where after WWI, japan started it's imperialistic drive and never had to give it up. (it's fascinating to read the political stuff with america, knowing what happened in WWII and everything.) So Japan becomes the Greater East Asian Empire, and everyone is supposed to live happily ever after.

But like all great dystopian governments, they use fear to keep control. one junior high (ages 15 to 16) class from each prefecture is called to play "the game". the game ends when there is one sole survivor - literally - because everyone else is dead. weapons are handed out at random, some seemingly not even weapons. (one kid gets a fork, another gets a machine gun.) to build alliances or to stay apart? trust each other? how well DO you know each other?

it's just brilliant. absolutely and completely brilliant in a way that i can't even describe. i couldn't put the book down with 200 pages to go. these characters become real, even the ones that aren't in it very long, for we see how each dies, and in their death, we understand what type of people they were. their fears, their hopes.

shuyu, shogo and noriko are the best threesome i've come across in a long long time. there's distrust, and loyalty, and sickness and health. these are your average teenagers - full of crushes on boys in their class, pop stars, missing their parents, acting rashly out of anger and indignity, not being aware people love you because you are so involved in yourself. the discussion of the "dangers" of rock music. the government in control. the fear. the laughing men in charge of the game.

it's really, truly, one of the best books i have ever read, and i don't understand how reviews of hunger games don't talk about how it's a really good, modernized american take off of battle royale. heartbreakingly brilliant, i want more. ...more

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Jun 06, 2011 Sarah rated it it was amazing

This is a very engaging, thrilling read! It's similar to "The Hunger Games" but was written many years before it and is a bit gorier. I couldn't put it down and you may find yourself rooting for the lives of specific characters and saddened by the loss of them. If you enjoyed "The Hunger Games", you should read this! ...more

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Jul 02, 2013 Stacy rated it liked it

i read this for my book club. I admit - i didn't finish it! BUT, i really did like it. it was just so long! Interesting characters, great premise - some call it the Japanese Hunger Games. I am hoping i finish this but i did really like it. ...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Jamie rated it really liked it

Starting the book introducing over 40 characters with tough names was a rough beginning. There are many similarities with Hunger Games at the beginning. The intricacies of each person's desire to play the game made this an interesting story. ...more

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