Mockingjay

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games Trilogy #3

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

In this book, Katniss finds herself yet again as a pawn for someone else. District 13 wants to manipulate and use her to fuel the rebellion. Katniss has had about all that she can stand, but she knows a pawn is only as good as its usefulness. When she sets out to be the Mockingjay, she does it because she feels it is right, but as things go on, she starts to question everyone's motives. District 13 is nothing like she expected and their strict regime and rules are extremely oppressing. Is it really worth it to fight the capital to only pass the chains of bondage to another "master?"


It seems the previous events have finally caught up and we see a much more fragile version of Katniss in this book. When I first read it, I was slightly annoyed at the change in character, but now looking back I can only see it as realistic. The horrors she lived through are not something that you forget easily. They change you, shape you, and eventually break you. Many times Katniss did snap under the pressure, but somehow she still hung on by a thread to her sanity. 


I was glad to see more of Gale in this book, as I didn't feel a strong connection to him. By the way Katniss described him, he was always strong and rebellious. However, in this book, after seeing District 12 burn before his eyes, his anger becomes a wildfire. He turns into a calculating, detached soldier, who has lost most of his compassion. He truly believes in the phrase "All's fair in love and war."  Even Katniss who is a very calculating rather than emotional person doesn't have the ability to kill mindlessly.

There rarely is a happy ever after when it comes to war, and this book is no exception. I am glad I waited a few days to review this, my review would have been much different if I hadn't. When I first finished the book, all I felt was despair and anger for the shambles the characters were left in. Now, looking back, everything fits, it all has its purpose. War is not pretty, it is not kind, and it spares no one. Even the ones who survive will be irrevocably altered. 


I recommend this book, just don't read it expecting a happy ending. It really shows the gritty horrors of war and the knowledge of no matter the outcome, nothing will ever be the same. I would suggest reading the book and then waiting a day or two before making any opinions on it. You will probably find your feelings will change after the despair settles. It definitely did not take the direction I was expecting, but that does not in anyway diminish it. I have a feeling these books will be talked about for years to come.

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Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games)

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Catching Fire

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games Trilogy #2

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

After her defiance to play by the capital's rules in the last book, Katniss knows her days are numbered. So, when President Snow shows up in her house to threaten her, it doesn't come at a complete shock. She allows her puppet strings to be pulled in hopes of saving her family. However, whether she likes it or not, she has become the face of the rebellion. To make matters worse, Katniss and Peeta, as well as 22 other former victors are thrown back into the games. Katniss vows to do everything she possibly can to make sure Peeta survives. He of course has the opposite desire and it will take everything both of them have to survive.


The title is very fitting as this book is at root about the rebellion catching fire. In the beginning there were rumors of rebellion, but the actions of the capital throughout the book really started to add flame the fire. It is assumed that President Snow orchestrated for the victors to have to return to the games, something they were supposed to be safe from. Of course he claimed the creator of the games was the one who set this idea up, but even so he could have overruled it considering his power. I think this was a huge mistake, and only added fire to the rebellion he so very much wanted to squash. Not only did it infuriate the people in the districts, but it also upset the citizens of the capital, his pampered support. The citizens have a certain attachment to the victors, and the districts see them as symbols of hope. He decided to fight fire with fire, not such a wise choice in a situation like this. This mistake had the opposite effect of what he wanted causing the rebellion to gain ground.


The love triangle theme continues through this book even though Gale is absent yet again for most of it. I do wish there had been more time spent on her tie to him. As it was written, we are forced to just accept the history and feel his side even though we are continually bombarded by Peeta's love and determination. It was frustrating to feel so much for Peeta, but not really have enough ground to stand on to care for Gale. This made it really hard to feel Katniss's struggle between the two. For this reason, I am glad that the romance was only a small part of the plot.

I enjoyed this book, but not quite as much as I did the first one, as it would be almost impossible to live up to. The first game's horrors came at such a shock, but this time around I was left with a slight case of deja vu. Even so, I highly recommend this book.

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Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games)

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The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games Trilogy #1

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with every one out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love. 



Set in a futuristic society, this book centers around a 16 year old girl named Katniss who lives in one of 12 districts surrounding a control obsessed capital named Pandem. Each district has a specialty in production, but most cannot reap any of the "fruits" of their labor as everything is claimed by the capital. Katniss keeps her family alive with the help of her friend Gale by hunting outside the district's fence, an offense that warrants an immediate death sentence if they are ever caught. The book starts on the day of reaping, the day where the capital chooses two of each district's children to fight to the death in an arena. By some cruel twist of fate, Katniss's little sister is chosen. Katniss immediately takes her sister's place and has no expectations of survival, as the games show no mercy.

Katniss has many flaws, but it is her underlying strength that captivated me. I admire her courage and determination to survive, which started long before she was thrust into the games. Her depth is amazing as she can be quite selfish at times, but the epitome of selflessness at others. I hated to see her make decisions always in a calculated manor rather than allow herself any emotion. However, this just shows one of the many consequences of survival in such a society. The will to survive at all costs can be such a nasty thing that twists and changes people. The phrase "kill or be killed" just doesn't seem to be quite accurate. Even if someone kills for their own survival some part of you dies anyway. It will irrevocably change them.

I wasn't going to review this series because the book blogger community is seriously overloaded with reviews on the series. However, after reading the books, I've decided that they really do warrant an opinion. I've always enjoyed dystopian books, with some of my favorites being George Orwell's 1984, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, and surprisingly considering the story centers around the burning of books, Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. Now, I'm not sure if I can really say if The Hunger Games is truly up to the caliber of these books as I have not read them in years, but it did remind me of them. That being said,  The Hunger Games is dystopia at its best, or worst depending on how you look at it. I'm not sure why these type of books suck so many people in, myself included, but dystopian books always seem to cause a stir. Perhaps it is that small part of ourselves that would wish for a utopia and these books show the more likely outcome of someone trying to create such a society.

This book was shocking, graphic and shows the cruel side of human nature.  It will suck you in almost from the first word, and is probably one of the most thought provoking books I have read in a very long time. You will find yourself rooting for the characters even though they are in a hopeless situation. It is definitely a must read!

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The Hunger Games

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