The Hunger Games helped to transform the landscape painting of publication , convincing a ton of citizenry that young adult novels could be important , serious Holy Writ . It touched off a huge thunder in book of account for teenagers about dystopian future tense , and spawned a strike movie , with more on the way . In many ways , booklovers are inhabit in the world Suzanne Collins build .
And yet , we ca n’t help inquire : Could The Hunger Games get published , if it were submitted over the fanlight today ?
We spend last weekend at theWorld Fantasy Conventionin Toronto , and a lot of the most lively give-and-take were about untested - adult novels . After all , YA is where the money is now — as well as much of the bang-up fervor .
And we find out a raft of public debate over just what you’re able to get away with in a YA novel now — how much violence ? How much dirty voice communication ? Does a romance have to be front and focus on in a young - adult novel , for it to be commercial ? What variety of characters are people seem for in their YA books ?
So we adjudicate to ask some publication professional , include some top agent and editors , whether they think Hunger Games would be bring out if it come down the pike now . After all , few of the book that have hail out in the post - Hunger Games waving have been intimately as violent , or as blatantly political , or have feature a supporter as hard to be intimate as Katniss Everdeen .
We volunteer mass the chance to be cite “ on background , ” or anonymously — and notably , the people who did n’t intend Hunger Games could break through now were more eager to take us up on that option . In any event , here ’s what we found out :
The chief understanding why Hunger Games might have a tough time today has nothing to do with fury , politics , or an unlikable protagonist , according to several people . Rather , it ’s just because there are too many dystopias out there now .
Publishers have “ woken up with a dystopian katzenjammer ” after a major bust , adds another top agent who did n’t want to be named . They “ seem to be flocking rather to more realistic fare , like John Green ’s The Fault in Our Stars . These bicycle are routine and not surprising . The same thing happened with extrasensory Romance language , vampires , etc . ”
“ Selling a office revelatory or dystopian novel for teens right now , especially if it ’s by a debut author , is much more of an uphill battle , ” chimes inSuzie Townsend , an broker with New Leaf Literary and Media . “ Most editor and publishing houses already have a number of these Scripture on their list , and in fact bought sequels or even trilogy . ”
“ I do think the YA market is very tough now if not unacceptable for novels that are girl or boy vs. crooked government , ” saysSara Crowe , a literary agent with Harvey Klinger , Inc. And after the many , many dystopias that Hunger Games inspired , this book would n’t have the same flavour of originality it had back when it first appear . At the same time , the darkness in Hunger Games “ would be less of an obstruction than when it was first bought . ”
Says Laurie McLean with Larsen Pomada Literary Agents , “ I believe The Hunger Games might well be lost in a sea of YA dystopian thriller today , especially if it followed a book like Divergent by Veronica Roth , which is well written with a more intricate and interesting floor . ” She append , “ There ’s a lot to be said about being first in a new trend . ”
Two things have changed about young grownup science fabrication and fantasy in the past five years , according to bring out insider : 1 ) Everybody is keenly aware that these things are being translate by grown - ups , not just teens and tweens . 2 ) the books have become more like adventure fiction , and mayhap a turn less introspective .
Samantha Shea , a literary agent withGeorges Bourchardt , Inc. , brings up a startling fact : some 55 per centum of buyers of unseasoned grownup novels are 18 or older . In fact , the biggest percentage of total sales go to people aged 30 - 44 . And these Scripture are n’t being bought as gifts for kids — 78 percentage of them are for the adult ’ own reading .
And perhaps not coincidently , there ’s been a shift away from “ the more emotional YA books that dominated the market in the early 2000s , ” towards what Shea call “ more risky venture - driven al-Qur’an . ” ( Perhaps because publisher know adults are grease one’s palms these record , to get the escape that adult fiction refuses to provide ? ) Shea adds that the core of what readers are looking for from YA record has n’t change : “ interesting concepts , great piece of writing , and well - developed character . ”
As the market for young adult skill fiction grows by leaps and bound , the publishers are expanding their reach , ” says Crowe , and “ blending more of the writing style ’s element , which is exciting . ” She tally , “ in person I ’d also like to see more YA thrillers set up in our world . ”
Do n’t leave that Suzanne Collins had already written a successful serial before Hunger Games , notes Crowe . And Hunger Games “ is still one of the best thriller on the market . Katniss still appeals ” to proofreader .
Lucienne Diver , an agentive role with theKnight Agency , says :
I powerfully think that The Hunger Games would be published today . For one , it ’s a brilliant novel with amazing characterization . But for another , the theme are no less relevant : the difference between the haves and have nots , the politicians with ( generally ) such riches and privilege making decision that regard a with child part of the company with which they ’ve lose tactile sensation and the dangers of such a duality . Because The Hunger Games is set in a different world , one redolent of ours , but never identified as such , these political and socioeconomic themes can be explored in a mode that does n’t bespeak fingers or get anyone ’s back up but will hopefully lead to thought that will take to action . Yes , dystopian fiction has hit its most recent peak , but it never really leaves us . Until we have a perfect society ( and I shudder to think who would define “ perfect ” ) the dangers and ideas will keep to be incredibly relevant .
Adds Townsend :
The Hunger Games is an incredible novel , and Suzanne Collins is an excellent writer . I ’m actually not certain that I know of anyone in the manufacture who did n’t bed that Holy Writ . Even if it had been her debut novel , and even if it was being shopped flop now , I do consider it would trade . It might have make some rejections , but I do believe it would still sell .
The book is vehement and vivid , the underlie political theme are easy to see , and Katniss at times ( peculiarly throughout the series ) can seem a piddling unsympathetic , but I do n’t consider any of these aspects would dissuade an editor in chief from buy the book . citizenry fuck it because it ’s a gravid story . ( The character and the pacing made me willing to follow the series anywhere ) .
Kathleen Rushall , an broker with Marshal Lyon Literary Agency in Solana Beach , CA sums up what a lot of mass were saying :
Hunger Games was published because it was a fresh , innovational plot of ground with a killer voice . A account book with those quality is always in demand . Hunger Games pushed the YA envelope with its intensity and in that it did n’t sugarcoat the adolescent vs. adolescent violence . A book that ’s very similar to Hunger Games may find obstacles getting put out today , but that would most in all probability be because it would n’t be look as fresh enough now that so many dystopians are on the market , not inevitably because of a show of vehemence or oppressiveness or political theme .
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