Mockingjay

This post first published May 15, 2011.

Author: Suzanne Collins
Published: August 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Series: The Hunger Games #3
390 pages (hardcover)
 
As the final book of the series, I don’t think Mockingjay does The Hunger Games justice. I think this book bombed. If you are planning to read this series, I’d suggest stopping after book two, but with that cliffhanger, I suppose you’d feel compelled to read book three anyway. I wanted to like this book, I tried to like this book, but I found it hard to pretend. And I’m going to apologize ahead of time that half of this post contains spoilers (which are marked).

In Catching Fire, we were left off with the most aggravating-in-a-good-way cliffhanger: “There is no District 12.” In this book, we find out District 12 has been destroyed by the Capitol after Katniss escaped from the Hunger Games arena, and less than 10% of District 12’s population has fled to the once thought to be non-existing District 13, who takes them in. Katniss and Peeta somehow get flung into opposite ends of the war: Katniss is wanted by the rebels to become their Mockingjay — the face of the rebellion, their symbol of hope. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol and is being used as the spokesperson for their own cause — a call for a ceasefire.

I’ll try not to be a negative Nancy by talking about the few things I did like first. Though I didn’t really have any characters I particularly liked or cared about in the first two books, I did in this one: Finnick! A secondary character, I know, but his background story is expanded in this novel and … I don’t know. I think I liked him because he’s the only one who doesn’t seem so bland. I also liked the concept of President Snow’s character. The whole blood and roses thing was pretty awesome, and really gave me an idea of what kind of villain we are dealing with. Seriously, two thumbs up for a great villain concept.

I can’t really think of anything more I liked … As for what I didn’t like … Well, I will start off with the general plot of the story. I didn’t find it engaging or interesting because so many of the things that should be engaging and interesting happen off camera or were seriously downplayed. (Contains Spoilers!) Example 1 – When Gale & Co. go rescue Peeta from the Capitol, Katniss just stays behind in District 13. Next page, bam! Hey Peeta’s back! I don’t know about you, but getting Peeta back seems important enough to me to happen on stage. Example 2 – Finnick’s death was brushed off like it was nothing. I know, he’s a secondary character, but surely his relationship with Katniss warranted more than just a, “Oh no! Finnick died! … Moving on now …” Example 3 – Pretty much the entire ending of the war happened off-screen. President Snow’s capture? Off screen. Katniss’ trial after she killed Coin? Off screen. I felt seriously robbed. These feel like HUGE moments, but instead all I got was Katniss locked up somewhere, and a few pages of reading about Katniss contemplating suicide later, a messenger arrives with, “Oh hey, uh, we decided you’re free in a trial that you didn’t even have to attend.” I mean, really?

Oh, and I must mention how I feel the message of the series got totally destroyed by the ending. This is what I thought the take-home message was: killing destroys people, it ruins them. It doesn’t fix anything, and you can’t rule through fear. Yet at the end, when Coin proposes a final Hunger Games for the children of Capitol citizens, Katniss agrees. Seriously?! I felt like that went against everything the books were telling me … evidently, I’ve been misinterpreting the entire series the entire time. It’s all good as long as it’s for justice?

Lastly, the love triangle thing was NOT resolved, in my opinion. Katniss ends up with Peeta … because Gale gets a job working in District 2 and doesn’t see her anymore. Really? Katniss ends up with Peeta because he’s the one who is physically closest to her? And Gale doesn’t even attempt to do anything about reaching out to Katniss, he just gives up? So much for being sooo in love with her. This all happens in one sentence: “Peeta and I grow back together.” Small paragraph explaining why Peeta and not Gale. The end. The love triangle thing has never felt like it fit in this series, but I mean, since it’s in the story now, I expected a better resolution. (End Spoilers)

My final thoughts are that Mockingjay is a letdown, and a disappointing end to a good series. For a book about life and death, friendship, trust and vengeance, it was utterly void of emotions due to the monotonous voice Collins employs to write her novels, and lack of inclusion of what I believe to be key scenes. I feel that Collins had a strong idea for The Hunger Games, but no strong direction as to what should occur in the series’ subsequent novels, and it really shows in Mockingjay. This was a frustrating read for me, I’m sad to say.

I considered giving just one star, but you know what? I still think overall, the series is good, and Mockingjay had its small, rare moments.

My Rating: 1.5/5

Catching Fire

This post first published May 13, 2011.

Author: Suzanne Collins
Published: September 2009
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Series: The Hunger Games #2
391 pages (hardcover)
 
Yay, I finally got myself a copy of Catching Fire so I can continue where The Hunger Games left off. I also have myself a copy of Mockingjay so I can jump right into the last book of the trilogy too without having to wait!
We left off in The Hunger Games with Katniss and Peeta both winning the Games. Having two victors instead of the usual one has had reverberating effects across the country of Panem. Katniss, the main character and our narrator, is shocked to find the President casually sitting in her home one day. Under the guise of coming to congratulate her and preparing her for the upcoming tour of the country, the President warns Katniss that her little act of love with Peeta hasn’t fooled him or other people in the country. He and many others know she is trying to fool the government into allowing the both of them to live, and he isn’t buying it. He warns her she better convince him, and everyone else, of her and Peeta’s undying love for one another, for their sake and her family’s, for you see, by allowing two victors, they are showing defiance against the Capitol’s rules.

However, as the tour begins, Katniss learns that she has unknowingly spearheaded a rebellion that is slowly but surely growing across the country. Unknowingly, she has become a symbol of hope for the rebels. Just as Katniss decides to start embracing this rebellion, the President announces that the next Hunger Games is going to be composed of previous victors — putting Katniss right back into that arena of death that she just barely escaped from a year ago.

Overall, I liked the story, especially the idea of a rebellion forming because of Katniss, although I was feeling slightly exasperated in a  “Are you effing kidding me?” way when I found out she had to be going back in the arena. I didn’t want to read The Hunger Games Round Two. I was expecting a continuation of the story, not the first book repackaged. In some ways, it was the same thing all over again — the interviews, the training, the arena — but the motivations were all different this time. At the present moment, I’m kind of neutral to that part of the plot.

One thing that I appreciate in this book (and the one before) is that the story moves quickly, never boring me. There’s no needless information bogging you down, and neither are you ever missing out or confused about anything. On the topic of writing though, one thing I noticed is that her writing has a very … monotonous quality to it. Katniss just describes things as they are, putting very little to no emotion in what she is saying. Even with feelings being hurt, tension in the air and people dying. It’s kind of strange and bothers me a little, but I guess it just kind of contributes to the fast pace of the story. I’m not sure if I noticed this robot-like voice when I read The Hunger Games, but I notice it now.

I’m not too crazy about the love triangle thing that is emerging in this novel. For one, it’s like, is it neccesary? I don’t think it adds that much to the story; in fact, I think you can take out Gale and still have essentially the same story. Secondly, Peeta and Gale are like … exactly the same characters. Both kind of bland, both desperately in love with Katniss for some reason. They are two characters with the same personality. There is really very little to differentiate between the two boys. So I don’t understand what the problem is, Katniss — just choose one of them, they’re the same!
I think this book is, in my opinion, a solid three: enjoyable but nothing special. I haven’t read book three yet, but I get the feeling this is one of those in-between books — there to bridge the time between two others. I loved The Hunger Games, and I see big things, large consequences, in store in Mockingjay, but I get the feeling that Catching Fire will be easily forgotten in my mind.

Anyway, to sum it all up — you’re going to probably end up reading this book if you’re planning to read this series, so whether I recommend it to you or not doesn’t really matter :P My personal opinion is that this is an okay book, but it kind of fades in the back of my mind — the first book did a good job of making an impression on me; this one, not so much, although the ending does have me wanting more ;)

My Rating: 3/5

The Hunger Games

This post first published October 4, 2010.

Author: Suzanne Collins
Published: September 2008
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Series: The Hunger Games #1
374 pages (paperback)
 
After hearing so much about this book, I decided to buy my own copy and give it a go. The story takes places in a dystopian future where every year, the Capitol of the country of Panem organizes The Hunger Games – a brutal fight-to-the-death tournament for contestants between the ages of 12 and 18. One boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts that make up Panem are randomly selected at the Reaping. The Games are mandatory, a punishment for the rebellion that happened seventy four years ago, and the Capitol’s way of showing how they have everyone in the palm of their hand.

Another Reaping has come. Sixteen year old Katniss, from the poorest district in Panem, has done what no one has ever done in her district — volunteer for the Games, after she found out her twelve year old sister Prim was chosen. Taking her place, Katniss is aware she will most likely never see home again, but is determined to go down with a fight.

The Hunger Games definitely has a striking resemblance to Battle Royale, by Koushun Takami, where a class of students is taken to an island and as a military project of some sort, are forced to kill one another until only one is left standing. I felt The Hunger Games also was a bit reminiscent of Final Fantasy VII‘s atmosphere (what with the place divided into districts (like FFVII’s sectors) and the poor and rich’s differences in lifestyle), and a totalitarian government that’s similar to 1984‘s ‘big brother’ concept as well. I suppose that’s why I felt slightly disappointed that The Hunger Games didn’t maximize its potential because it had the perfect set up to make some sort of allegory (for example, a statement about modern day society like Battle Royale or government like 1984). This book fell a bit short in that and it was a bit frustrating because it was like watching a great opportunity pass by. There are little bits and pieces of it, but not enough to make any bold statement.

Of course, it is very likely that Collins wrote this book with no greater picture in mind, and disregarding that, this book is actually quite excellent and difficult to put down once you start. It is a fast paced novel narrated by our determined protagonist, Katniss (who is named after a sort of root). Katniss is hardened by her difficult life living in District 12 and well, kind of comes across as a bit bland. That actually works out fine because most of the other characters she encounters has such vibrant and in some cases, eccentric personalities. Actually, now that I think about it, the other main character, Peeta, also has a bit of a bland personality. But like I said, it works because I think it emphasizes how the poor living in the districts have retained their humanity, so to speak, while the citizens living in the Capitol, the rich such as Effie and the makeover stylists, have gone crazy with superficiality and lost their empathy, permanently it would seem. They really have no regards for Kat or any of the other contestants’ feelings about being thrown into an arena of death. It’s all fun and games for the spectators, which is quite horrifying for me, as a reader. I guess that’s how I became attached to Katniss (and Peeta) and rooted for them, even though they are not my favourite characters or anything. I wanted the people with a heart to make it through and maybe even beat the cruel system.

This novel is surprisingly not that violent, for a fight-to-the-death tournament thing. Of course there are killings and there are the occasional deaths that make you squirm a bit, but nothing horrifically graphic. Katniss’ strategy for the games is more defensive than offensive so her tactics for killing are more indirect, such as poison (of course, we don’t know how bloody and violent that other contestants are, since we only see through Katniss’ eyes. Admittedly, I was kind of looking forward to a fictional bloodbath and was slightly disappointed that I didn’t get one, hahaha). The beginning of the book was mostly filled with introductions to the world and characters, but after that, the book had me in an iron grip because it is literally a life-or-death situation for the main character and the Gamemakers are quite fond of throwing twists into the arena every so often to spice things up and force the contestants to face one another. I would wonder, “How is Katniss going to survive this?!” and eagerly continue on.

Yes this is an exciting and thrilling novel! I can totally understand why people are raving about it, and from what I’ve read, it’s already in negotiations to be made into a movie (so many books becoming movies these days. I love books becoming movies, even if it turns out awful). I am very eager to dive into book two, but since I’m kind of weird about keeping a series in all paperback or all hardcover, I’m going to have to wait until books two and three are released in paperback, since that’s what I purchased The Hunger Games as. On a slightly different topic, maybe I have just bad luck with Scholastic books, but I find their paperbacks to be kind of poor quality. The cover won’t stay flat, the binding seems too tight or something because the book doesn’t open smoothly, and on some pages the ink is printed lighter and then goes back to being dark, which is kind of distracting while you’re reading. It’s not just my copy, I actually checked all of the ones in a bookstore and they are all printed like mine and binded like mine. I guess I should be aiming for the hardcover copies since they seem to be published nicely, but I already started collecting this series in paperback …

I digress. Bottom line is: this book is a great read, one I highly recommend. (Although if you generally don’t like dystopian/science fiction novels of this sort, maybe you won’t (I have a friend who loathes sci-fi and tried this, and unsurprisingly, didn’t really like it).  I definitely want to pursue the rest of the series because I have no idea what’s going to happen now … or rather, what CAN happen now, and curiosity always gets the better of me. In this case, I think I am in for more pleasant surprises!

My Rating: 4.5/5