Catching Fire (Hunger Game Series #2)
by Suzanne Collins
391 pages
Scholastic, September 2009
science fiction/young adult
Read in 5 days
My Rating: ★★★★
My Review: Unlike the first book in this series I found I was able to read this book much faster. And although she recounts several key elements of the story from the first book in this one (in case for some reason you are choosing to skip the first book and start in the middle, which I never recommend when reading a trilogy) it doesn’t seem repetitive at all.
The book begins only a few weeks (at the most) from where the first book ends. A bit of a non-spoiler here, but all of those we’d consider “main characters” live so they are all recurring in this book. Of course there are Hunger Games in this book, with a bit extra since this happens to be the 75th anniversary of said games! At every quarter mark (called the Quarter Quell) there is a little more excitement as to what happens during the games. At the 50th anniversary, there were double the amount of tributes sent into the games. If you thought 23 deaths were bad (with one survivor) imagine how well 47 deaths were? And the winner of that year just so happens to be the mentor for both Katniss and Peeta (our main characters and one sided love birds).
For me, this books delves more into the adolescent mind of Katniss, fighting internally with herself over the two guys (Gale and Peeta). Both of them clearly love her and where their heart out on their sleeve to her. She, on the other hand, just like a woman, is difficult in making a final decision and truly sticking to it. She loves them both and no matter how hard she tries to love one and distance herself from the other, it fails every time.
The actual games really begin by part three of the book. If you haven’t figured it out, each book is written in three (almost) equal parts. What’s most important in this book is not so much the games but the rebellion and uprisings that begin because of Katniss’s actions at the end of the Hunger Games where both her and Peeta were the winners. She defied the Capital and that cannot and does not go unnoticed by President Snow who insists on making her pay and in doing so, calming the people in the poor districts. The Hunger Games purpose is no longer enough of a reminder to districts 1-12 to remain in control by the Capital. The fact that district 13 was supposedly wiped out means nothing. Katniss has defied them and lived. This is reason enough to bring fighting and action from the lower class against the Capital. The mockingjay, a symbol, a pin, given to Katniss by Madge (one of her ritzy acquaintances and daughter to the mayor of district 12) turns out to be the very sign used by traitors against the Capital.
The ending is more of a “cliffhanger” compared to the first book. It leaves you wanting more which is what a good cliffhanger is meant to do when you think about it, right? If I leave you with one last spoiler it is that, as far as I know, all the main characters (and a few new ones) remain living. At least going into the final book of the trilogy…
Summary: 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.
If you want to learn more about Suzanne Collins please visit her site.
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