Merry Wanderer of the Night:
the hunger games

District 12, Katniss Everdeen's home, is gone. And she is in a place most people didn't even think existed, District 13. What will her fate be? Does she even care? This is how Mockingjay, the final book in The Hunger Games trilogy begins. I didn't start The Hunger Games series until this past spring, but I quickly became obsessed and spent all summer howling in pain that I had to wait for Mockingjay

to come out. The day the book came out I got my copy and then spent the rest of the day in class and at work, eagerly awaiting evening where I could just sit down and read, read, read. I originally planned on reading the whole book in one sitting, but it didn't happen. I was two thirds of the way done and then went to bed, only to come home and finish it the next night. If you haven't started The Hunger Games trilogy please check out my review of the first book, The Hunger Games and if you'd like the second book, Catching Fire.

When I finished this book I immediately started texting my friend Liz because it's so difficult to get through this whole book without talking constantly about everything that happens. I'm going to agree with a lot of other people and say that this book started out extremely slow for me. I kept with it because I knew it would get better, but it wasn't as "jump right into the action" as I thought it would be. One third of the way into the book it really started to pick up, but I found myself constantly distracted over Cinna's possible return. I felt like Collins really laid it out that he might come back and since Cinna is my favorite character I pleaded with her throughout the book to make it happen.

I won't say if it happens or not, some of you haven't read Mockingjay yet (what are you waiting for?!?!), but I will say that unlike a lot of others I was very pleased with the ending of this book. I thought it gave a realistic portrayal of the way war and tragic experiences tear down a person. I thought Katniss' deterioration was great, the way her spirit breaks over the course of the three books. I know a lot of people really wanted Katniss to get stronger and for a happy ending, but personally I thought that would be doing a disservice to the audience of these books. It's just not realistic to say that at the end of all of this everything would be beautiful and happy. And as far as Katniss's revenge, I say yeah, she would be vengeful.

I wouldn't have changed very much about Mockingjay. I'm giving it an A.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog.

I am so excited to review Catching Fire

because it means I get to talk about all the things I had to hold back in my Monday review of The Hunger Games. That being said, if you haven't read The Hunger Games yet I wouldn't advise reading this review. Check out the review of The Hunger Games, and then go read it. You know you want to.

When we left the Hunger Games Peeta and Katniss had beat out the Capitol in their sick game. They both won the Hunger Games, which is impossible. When they return to District 12, they both discover things aren't that easy. Katniss realizes she still has feelings for Gale, and let's face it, Gale is kind of pissed that Katniss and Peeta were all lovebirding during the Hunger Games. And maybe he could get past it, if it wasn't for the fact that Katniss and Peeta basically have to pretend they are in love for the rest of their lives if they want to survive the Capitol. (Well Peeta might not have to pretend quite as much. Because Peeta is awesome.)

I loved Catching Fire even more than the Hunger Games, if that is possible. There were so many beautiful moments in this book and I thought the writing was even better. I'll do a few quotes without trying to give anything away. Two of my favorite Katniss quotes fromt his book are "Right before the explosions begin, I find a star" (379) and "I am the mockingjay. The one that survived despite the Capitol's plans. The symbol of rebellion" (387). Ah! Katniss just got even more badass in this book. Katniss becomes so much more confident and daring in this book, even though she faces serious consequences. I won't go into too much detail, but some of the districts are having uprisings and the Capitol thinks Katniss (more than Peeta) is responsible for them.

I finished this book in a ridiculous flurry of emotion. There were so many times throughout the book that I was yelling "No! They can't do that!" I haven't been this sucked in in a long time. For several hours after finishing it I was sitting in my room thinking about it. It probably contributed to my lack of desire to study for the past two weeks. And I think that is the mark of a pretty good book.

Catching Fire earned a freaking A.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog.

The Hunger Games

is one of those books that everyone was reading, but I wasn't that interested in. It wasn't that I thought it would be bad, but I just didn't think it would be my cup of tea. Finally after a few friends suggested that I read the book, I gave in. It's easier to say no when cyber friends tell you to read a book, but when real people go on about it to you constantly then you feel obligated to read it. And thank God I did, because I am a huge Hunger Games fanatic now.

The book actually started a little slow for me, but I only know this now because I wrote it in my reading journal. By the end of the book I was scrambling so fast to get to the end I could barely breathe. I love Katniss. She is one tough bitch and she seems so real. The approaches her problems in a very realistic way, which makes the strangeness of the book easier to understand. Katniss lives in District 12, the final district. District 1 is rich and makes electronics, District 12 is known for coal mining. Every year a boy and a girl are chosen from each district to participate in the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games are a competition to survive. It's like Survivor (which I hated) except that people actually die and that is the whole point of the game. You have to be the last one to survive. This is a spoiler, I guess, but I'm sure you've figured out that Katniss is chosen to be in the Hunger Games.

Katniss is responsible for many people. She takes care of her mother and younger sister, taking the place of her deceased father as the breadwinner. She hunts with her best friend and possible love interest Gale, who is also responsible for supporting his family. When Katniss is faced with the Hunger Games her number one fear is not dying, but how her absence will change her family. Katniss is strong, but she is also headstrong and a little impatient.

I thought the writing was exceptional for a young adult book. There were a few clumsy phrases that I stumbled over, but the story was so consuming I just got back up and kept reading. Usually I'm a lot harder on "bad" writing, but I honestly don't think Suzanne Collins is a bad writer. I kind of blame her editor for not doing a better job cleaning this book up. As for the subject matter, I think it's a very adult book. I probably would have enjoyed it as a teenager but I think I would have been significantly more bothered by it.

This book earned an A. My advice: Go read this book, but make sure you have Catching Fire handy for when you finish it!

I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog.