Book Review: Mockingjay

Mockingjay
Suzanne Collins
390 pages

I have been putting off this review for a while.  To be honest, I don't really know why.  I just can't really figure out a way to describe why I feel like this book is the key to understanding the majority of this captivating trilogy.

The character interactions in this book are phenomenal.  Collins does an amazing job of portraying Katniss' relationships realistically; they are not overly simplified, but as complicated and confusing as actual relationships.  For those of you who are fans of the love triangle, Peeta is virtually nonexistent for most of the novel, and there are plenty of Gale moments.  And Katniss continues to grow, fighting to balance her sense of self, friendship, and family, with the duty she feels that she has to the rest of Panem.

That's really all I have to say.  This is a revealing book, and if you don't appreciate Catching Fire more after reading Mockingjay, then you probably didn't pay enough attention.  This is a beautifully writing, addicting conclusion to one of the best young adult series I have read in a long time.

Book Review: Catching Fire

Catching Fire
Suzanne Collins
391 pages

Remember how I pretty much ranted and raved about The Hunger Games?  Well, don't worry, you're not about to get more of the same.

Don't get me wrong, I really did like the book.  But only now that I've read Mockinjay and finished the series do I truly appreciate the plot of Catching Fire.  When I first read it, I sat down one evening and didn't stop reading until it was 2 a.m. and I had finished the last page.  And my first reaction was anger. I'll try not to spoil anything for those of you who haven't gotten around to reading the book yet, but all I could think was that Collins had reused the plot from the first book!  Now I know better.

So this is my piece of advise to those of you just deciding to tackle this trilogy.  If you finish Catching Fire and are angry, confused, or considering whether or not you should go on, take a deep breath.  Then go out and buy Mockingjay, because seriously, this book will make so much more sense once you've read the entire series.  Trust me.  It gets better.

The biggest beef I have with this book, besides the feeling of reused plot, was that nothing much happens for the majority of the book.  There's a lot of plotting, conspiracy, emotional drama, etc.  But I'm an action girl, and it's really easy to lose me if things don't pick up early on.  But what I absolutely loved about this book are the interactions between the two main characters, Katniss and Peeta.  What I love is that they challenge traditional gender roles within an "action" genre.  Normally it's the girl who hangs back and falls for the bold male character, but in this book the roles are reversed.  Katniss is a powerful female character who takes the lead and is action oriented.  Peeta, on the other hand, is a softer male character than we as readers are used to seeing, but we love him because of that.  He is the voice of reason, the sappy, lovestruck character.  He is also proof that you don't need to be ripped and emotionless to be a hero.

And between the two of them readers of all ages get to learn that sometimes things go wrong, no matter how good our intentions are.

Overall, my recommendation would be to read Catching Fire.  If you've already started the series, chances are that you're already too sucked into the world to resist anyways.  So go ahead and give in; it'll be worth your while.

Book Review: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins
384 pages

First off, I need to admit that the only reason that I actually read this book was in anticipation of the movie.  I wish I could tell you that I had heard fantastic things about the series from friends and fellow readers, but to be completely honest, I did not pay it much attention until I realized how exciting the movie looked.  And I generally try to read the actual book before going to see its film adaption.

Now that all that is off of my chest, I want to impress upon you all that this is possibly the best young adult series since Harry Potter.  The writing isn't particularly complex or elevated (hello, it is young adult fiction), but the ideas that Suzanne Collins raises are what make this series a must read.  The novel, for those of you who don't know, follows a teenage girl named Katniss through her life in the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem.  When her younger sister is picked to fight other children to the death in the nation's annual, televised contest, Katniss volunteers in her stead.  She is taken from her impoverished home of District Twelve and thrust into the extravagant and highly political life of the Capitol, where she fights for her life as a contestant in the Hunger Games.  Throw in a couple of sweet-hearted and yet realistic love interests, and you have a book that readers of all ages will not be able to put down.

The characters Collins has created are phenomenal and just so real.  A lot of young adult fiction is full of fairly static characters (cough cough Bella Swan) that quickly become annoying and repetitive.  The characters of The Hunger Games, however, are as dynamic as we could hope for.  Most of the character's motivations are a bit ambiguous, and consequently we are continually discovering new sides of their personalities.  As far as young female heroines go, Katniss Everdeen is probably the best there is.  She is not yet another teenage girl swooning in the arms of the two boys that are vying for her attention, but probably the strongest of them all.  For the younger generations of readers, Katniss is a good example of taking the crap that life has thrown at you and making the best of it.  And although a good chunk of the first book is dedicated to Katniss' developing relationship with her fellow competitor Peeta Meelark, Collins makes it clear that Katniss has better things to be do than obsess over her boy problems.

However, it is the overall plot that really grabbed my attention when I first picked up the book.  At first glance, the idea of kids killing kids for the entertainment of an entire nation seems horribly grotesque.  I know that my first reaction was "Why would anyone write about this for kids?"  After reading it, however, I now think "Why not?"  It is especially necessary in today's society, where children are inundated with violent movies, video games, and news headlines, to have an open discussion about what violence is doing to our younger generations.  Are we desensitizing them?  Are we giving them the impression that violence is okay?  What Suzanne Collins has done is to create a platform where society can ask, "Is it wrong to expose children to the level of violence they are exposed to today?"  Although we are not forcing children to fight each other to the death, what is this constant contact with violence really doing to them?

For a quick blurb about the movie, I would recommend that you go see it, especially if you've read the book.  I was highly impressed; the filmmakers managed to cover the vast majority of the novel.  They kept in all of the major characters and plot points, only leaving out some of the more complex details for time's sake.  It was well cast, well acted, and the location scouts and stunt coordinators deserve gold medals.  Keep in mind that it is a long movie (2.5 hours), but I would say take your friends and take your kids if you're a parent.  Maybe talk about the violence on the way home, and what your children thought of it.  Utilize the platform that Suzanne Collins is giving you!

I plan on devouring, erm, reading Book 2: Catching Fire this weekend, so look for another review soon!