Author: Suzanne Collins {site}
Genre: Dystopian, YA
Format: Kindle
Published: 24 August 2010
Disclosure: Purchased at Amazon for Kindle.

Synopsis: {via goodreads}

Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding.

Review:

**Could include spoilers from this point on**

I really enjoyed Mockingjay, but not as much as I thought I would after the previous two books. It was substantially slower than The Hunger Games and even Catching Fire, but what I did like about it was the scope and the resolution. The scope of this book is ramped so far up from where we began in The Hunger Games it's almost unimaginable. It's not two kids from 12 going to the games anymore, it's a war. Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Haymitch and the crew are back, but not in the way anyone expects and there're moments when you worry, or wonder, what might happen next. It's a good book, nearly as good as it's predecessors, but quite different overall.

The Story:

The plot of this book was obvious from the first pages. If you've read the other two, and you really must to get what's going on in any meaningful way, then the plot of this book will come as no surprise. The way the characters behave, after all they've been through, is likewise no surprise. That's something I really enjoyed about this book overall. Collins keeps pace with what she's been doing all along, making this book the natural progression of events. Things occur just as you would expect them to, Katniss behaves just as you would expect her to, and the plot pushes forward.

The Characters:

The characters that change most throughout, I think, are Peeta and Gale. I keep coming back to them because they're two of my favorites. Initially, I loved them because of the love triangle aspect, and while I still do, there's so much more to them now. Peeta is missing in the beginning of this book, for reasons I'll not spell out (to avoid as many spoilers as possible) and for me, he was sorely missed. He's one of my favorites, and when he shows back up, it's with a vengeance... but he's different. It made me sad, really, that he was so... un-Peeta-like, but it did make sense. Of Gale, on the other hand, we get to experience two sides of him we haven't completely seen before: his emotional side and his vengeful side. Now, we have seen them, but this book gives us more, more, more of that. Ultimately, both of them are a little more ragged and worse for the wear in the book, but they're still amazing characters.

Katniss doesn't change so much as grow and evolve. Good characters should and she's a good character. I could feel what she was going through, how she was going through it, and my heart went out to her on several occasions. Okay, more than several, but I'll get to that.  We also see more of Primrose in this book and she's much more grown-up than she was before. She gives amazing advice, seems to be flourishing in District 13 where they're going to train her to be a doctor, and she puts up a much braver face than I think I could have at any age.  Haymitch is still Haymitch, really.

The Feeling:

This book was heartbreaking. Not from the very beginning, but as it draws to a close, it becomes so much more difficult. There are things early on, like Peeta, that make it hard, but as the book, and with it the series, draws to a close, the book becomes very emotional. Things happened, people were lost, and I cried. It's been so long since a book has elicited this sort of response from me, I almost forgot it was possible to cry over a book. This one reminded me that it is possible to connect with characters, a plot, a world in a meaningful way.  Even the Epilogue made me cry. I felt like such a basket case when this book ended.

The Verdict:

Again, I enjoyed it but maybe not as much as those that came before it. I was, however, very happy with both the resolution and how that resolution came about. The way she ends up, and with whom, work and make sense. It's a natural progression to the end of Katniss's story and I liked it. I also liked the feeling, and emotion this book elicited, and the plot and scope. I didn't so much enjoy the pace, the loss of some amazing characters, and the fact that some of the characters didn't get a resolution the way they should have. However, this was Katniss's story, and the story of Panem, and on both of those counts, the resolutions were agreeable.

Overall, this series was fantastic. The best I've read in a while. I highly, highly recommend it to everyone. If you enjoy Dystopian and YA fiction, you'll love it. If you enjoy an emotionally charged read, however disturbing, you'll love it. I did.

Rating:
Book: 4/5




Series: 5/5




Check out my reviews for the other two books in Suzanne Collins's Hunger Games Trilogy:

• The Hunger Games
• Catching Fire

Author: Suzanne Collins {site}
Genre: Dystopian, YA
Format: Kindle
Published: 1 September 2009
Disclosure: Purchased at Amazon for Kindle.

Synopsis: {via goodreads}

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the annual competition described in Hunger Games, but the aftermath leaves these victors with no sense of triumph. Instead, they have become the poster boys for a rebellion that they never planned to lead. That new, unwanted status puts them in the bull's-eye for merciless revenge by The Capitol.

Review:

**Could include spoilers from this point on**

Katniss and Peeta are back in the spotlight in Catching Fire, dragged into something they could never have forseen, nor planned for. A rebellion... and Katniss is unwittingly its symbol. Unfortunately, this means death for everyone Katniss and Peeta love. The book unfolds as they go on their victory tour and we learn about the Quarter Quell, an event that happens every 25 years. This time the Quarter Quell means breaking all the rules of the Hunger Games and Katniss and Peeta are tossed right into the middle of it.

While we learn a great deal about Panem, and it's people, and start to feel for some of the people who live in the Capitol, this book doesn't have the breakneck pace that The Hunger Games had. It's slower, and more cereberal, but because of this we get to see how Katniss's brain really works, when she has time to think about things completely. We also get a sense that she might be more scarred than she's willing to let on. When the announcement of the Quarter Quell comes, her reaction clues us in on the psychological trauma she's truly feeling about her time in the Arena. I felt for her, my heart went out to her, but it also went out to Peeta, who picked himself--and Katniss and Haymitch--up by the bootstraps.

The characters, in Catching Fire, have matured, even little Prim who we can't help but feel sorry for in her immediate loss of innocence through the games and the events thereafter. We feel even more conflicted, right along side Katniss, about Peeta and Gale, particularly because Gale plays a bigger part in this book. Only slightly, but he does. There're also new characters, like Finnick, who I couldn't help but fall for and President Snow, who, while he isn't exactly new, is more present in this book and more hate-able.

Overall, I enjoyed the pace of this book, though there were moments when I longed for the action that made The Hunger Games so amazing. I was, however, shocked by the ending, but I also felt it was a little bit too abrupt. Cliffhangers are fine, but this one felt a bit like the rest of the book was just missing. It was too abrupt for my liking. Luckily, I had Mockingjay on my Kindle and was able to start it right away, but had I been reading these books when they were new and the final chapter wasn't yet released, I'd probably have been quite upset at how abruptly the book finishes.  I was also fairly upset about the turn of events where Peeta was concerned, right at the end... I nearly cried, then I got upset, and waited for something more to be said about it but the book ended. I hope Mockingjay is quick to pick up on that one, because at this point I'm reading it for Peeta, which I think was probably the intention.

Rating: 4.5/5
I am going to have to make half stars, I think. I'm still not entirely sure how I might go about that. But there you have it.


Also, check out my review for The Hunger Games.

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly book meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. If you'd like to play along, just answer three simple questions...

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

Here's mine...

What are you currently reading?

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I'm really enjoy it, but I've not had much time to read of late as it's the last week of the semester. I have both work (as a GA/Tutor) and class stuff to take care of. As soon as things die down a little bit, I intend to finish it. My last final for the semester's tonight, so tomorrow should be a better day!

What did you recently finish reading?

The Vampire Narcise by Colleen Gleason. I could not have loved this book more. Truly, I couldn't have. My biggest regret is that I'm done with it and that it's the last book in a trilogy, which could easily have been a series. I loved the characters, the story, the whole thing was fantastic. I highly recommend it. If you're interested in reading more, check out my review.

What do you think you'll read next?

With any luck, I'll be reading The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross next. I am dying to read it for several reasons. The first, I'm a sucker for a good cover and this one's the best!  I adore it!!  The second, I love steampunk. I requested it on NetGalley and if they approve my request, it's up next. If not, I'll be reading the next book in the Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.

So there you have it!!  If you're stopping by, please take a moment to say hello. I always enjoy meeting new people. I look forward to seeing everyone elses!