Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins Publisher: Scholastic Press (August 24th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 390 pages Series: The Hunger Games book #3 Rating: 4 of 5 stars 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.
Review: This is late but I did want to share my thoughts on the last book of The Hunger Games trilogy. I normally try to stay away from spoilers in reviews but with this one it was pretty difficult to do that. Suzanne Collins created a world that many could have never imagined, but through her words she painted a picture of Panem, its districts, and the characters that live there. This series captured so many who fell in love with Katniss, Peeta, Gale and the others who make up this incredible story.
The way Suzanne Collins tells a story blows me away. She isn't afraid to talk about difficult topics or show the hard facts of violence. The depth and heartache of her characters can be felt on each page. Mockingjay continued with the pattern we saw in the previous books and carried on with the story of Katniss as she struggles with everything going on around her.
* Spoilers *
Mockingjay, like the other books in The Hunger Games series, deals with war, violence, and loss. These difficult topics are handled in a way that I can only describe as"real". I did completely enjoy this book and it kept me gripped to the pages but I don't feel totally satisfied after reading it. Even with that, I gave it 4 stars because it goes so far beyond typical books and the story is still one of the best I have ever read.
First, the characters seemed more"disconnected" to me. They had very little interaction, and when they did, it was awkward or seemed forced. I missed the love Katniss had for Peeta and Gale. I didn't see the passion, the commitment, the fire that was in the previous books. I think the main reason for that was Katniss. She seemed depressed (which was completely understandable after all she had been through); however, I thought it made things a little more difficult to follow. At times the book skipped entire parts because she was gone or unconscious. She just seemed on autopilot.
The only spark of enjoyment I saw was with her interaction with Finnick. I truly enjoyed Finnick's character and the life he gave to the story. Mockingjay was so focused on the war and violence, I felt it lacked in personal enjoyment. I do understand that in Katniss's case little can be enjoyed, but for me, I needed something to hope for throughout the book.
Now, for the ending. I didn't mind the story of the Epilogue and thought it ended nicely, however, where was Gale? It was like they said"oh, he works somewhere else now." and POOF he was forgotten. I am Team Peeta all the way but c'mon, Gale was Katniss's best friend for years! He can't just be forgotten like that. Where's the Gale love?
Now, don't get me wrong, I truly loved the book! I just felt that The Hunger Games and Catching Fire created a story that just didn't seem to go as well with this one. Plus, final books carry a certain expectation and it can be difficult to find closure at the end of any series. I'm still a total Hunger Games fan and would read anything Suzanne Collins wrote. This story portrays many harsh realities that are not seen in other YA books and she did this with an incredible grace. Katniss is one of my favorite characters of all time and her fire and courage is beyond comparison.
USE GOOGLE to read a guest post by Leah Cypess on the Mockingjay Epilogue.
Find out more on Suzanne Collins and her books
Suzanne Collins / Scholastic The Hunger Games
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