Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I have held out on reading this dystopian society book for nearly a year because I truly hated the premise of teenagers killing other teenagers (the series was lent to me by a friend). Since she and I are going to see the movie tomorrow afternoon (well, I was going to the see the movie--now I'm not too sure I'll go), I figured I'd better finally read the book. After finishing it, I am hard put to figure out why everyone (adults and teenagers alike) is so gaga over it. The violent premise of teenagers blithely killing other teenagers without a qualm (okay, I'll admit, not all of them--but enough of them), or the fact that the world is embracing this book where adults in charge are encouraging and exploiting such behavior--I don't know what I hate the most. Why do writers today think that a YA book has to be full of murder, mayhem, and violence (on the internet or in person) against each other? Yeah, I know that the main character and her fellow District 12 'Tribute' have no stomach for the Hunger Games and are chosen unwillingly; however, there are other teenagers in different 'Districts' that train for the Games since their early childhood--and volunteer willingly. Ergo, they kill willingly and without conscience. I'm disappointed in our culture...which preaches that bullying is wrong, passes laws mandating educators to 'control' the propensity of some students to be mean and vicious to one another in schools, yet rave about books and TV shows (Glee comes to mind) that continually contain plots of said behavior being tolerated and or encouraged by the adults in charge. On a side note, I hated the stilted, sophomoric writing as well. Oh well--I guess I should stop my rant and finally join the 'Old Ladies' club. Obviously that's where I belong.