Catching Fire and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Mini-reviews)

This review is of books 2 and 3 in the series, so there are spoilers! If you haven't read the first book, go to my review of it or read the book itself and come back to discuss :)

I didn't expect to like The Hunger Games, but I totally did. I wasn't very eager to continue with the series though, as I expected more teenage love and revolution. So instead I watched the movie Catching Fire, and I liked how the plot turned so much that I started to read the rest of the series immediately after the final titles. It's been a long time since I did this kind of fangirling! So what got me hooked?

Title: Catching Fire
Author: Suzanne Collins
First published: 2009
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Rating: ★★★★☆

The second book deals with the aftermaths of the decisions made in the first book. It's about responsibilities and how hard it is to understand what's right and most of all about post-traumatic syndrome. Katniss has to cope with what she's seen and done and to protect her family meanwhile. And then she has to go to Hunger Games again! Psychologically it's all very well described. The whole conspiracy plot is also awesome, as reader is given some clues as to what's happening, but he's in the dark most of the time, same as Katniss. The information dump in the end was not very subtle, I'd prefer it all revealed somehow differently, but whatever. Besides, there are some great new characters introduced, which I totally loved. I liked it that the stakes are much higher in this new installment of the games and that there are hard decisions to be made.

What I have a problem with is why these games were introduced in the first place. The Capitol seems to be really good with propaganda and censoring, and these should be enough to keep districts in order without the threat of taking their children from them. Slumberous and passive people are so much easier to rule.

Also, I kinda love Peeta in this book, hehe! And Haymitch, obvsly :)

Title: Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins
First published: 2010
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Rating: ★★★★☆

Mockingjay is the darkest book of all. I was so depressed to learn that the rebels are no better than the Capitol and are also all about putting up a good show. But that's why I like Collins - she doesn't make things black or white. Plot-wise the book is a bit messy, as the motifs of some characters, especially Katniss, are hard to understand. For example, why on Earth did she go on that suicidal mission to kill Snow? She didn't arrive much earlier than the main forces anyway and got some of my favourite characters killed. But all the Games survivors are so wretched that no one can expect good decisions from them. On the other hand, although the thing they did to Peeta and the curing process were not very believable, I think it was a good plot twist. And it was certainly beneficial for him to get some rest from his unhealthy obsession with Katniss. He finally understands that she was not behaving very well towards him. It's a pity he needs the venom treatment for it.

The finale was quite satisfactory. That's exactly how I imagined the book to finish, and it felt right. Although the third book is probably my least favourite because of some plot problems, I've got so invested in the characters that I couldn't put the book down anyway.

In my book:
Read the series! It is an entertaining read with some good character study and interesting ideas.