Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) (e-book) by Suzanne Collins

From Goodreads:
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.

But I don't know what to tell him about the aftermath of killing a person.  About how they never leave you.  p.55 e-book

My mind is blown.  This was every bit as good as The Hunger Games, better even than Catching Fire.  I am amazed.  This is how to write a series with a killer ending and sell the whole damn thing.  Honestly, it was an amazing journey that Katniss went through and I am pleased at how it all turned out for her.  It is a good and appropriate ending.

For a while, I was thinking that wow, this isn't nearly as bloody or gory as the other two, but then I hit about the middle and I took it back.  I like how Collins explores the psychological damage that the Games have taken on everyone especially the victors.  How they can't escape what happened to them.  It was a good choice not to gloss that over.

SPOILER SECTION (Highlight)
**I was always Team Katniss.  I figured that she wouldn't end up with either Peeta or Gale because she is so strong and independent.  I thought I would be disappointed if she actually choose either one.  I was wrong.  I liked Peeta more than Gale anyway so that made me happy.  I guess because it really happened so gradually and Katniss and Peeta really earned their time together.  They are both damaged in the same way and can relate to each other in a way that Gale never could.  And the fact that Gale had become synonymous with the death of Prim really didn't help matters anyway.  But it was a good and natural ending.

I liked too how the problem of President Snow was addressed and applauded Katniss' decision to end the cycle as it began again with President Coin.  I wasn't shocked that Coin had it in for Katniss but I was surprised at the idea of doing the Hunger Games again with Capital children.  It's like they didn't learn any lessons.  I'm glad that Katniss took manners into her own hand and solved that problem because I have a feeling it would have moved from one dictatorship to another.

"That what I need to survive is not Gale's fire, kindled with rage and hatred.  I have plenty of fire myself.  What I need is the dandelion in the spring...That it can be good again.  And only Peeta can give me that."  p.280-281 e-book

I even liked the epilogue.  It was nice to see that Peeta and Katniss had grown and that their psychological scars had healed.  I wasn't bothered by her having children because what people say or want at 17 doesn't always apply when they are 27.
**

Hogwarts: Defence Against the Dark Arts

Catching Fire

After The Hunger Games, Katniss is settling into her new life with plenty of food and confusion.  She has feelings for both Gale and Peeta and doesn't know what to do.  But soon, she has bigger problems to worry about.  After defying the Capital in the last Games, they are out for revenge.  Can Katniss convince them that all is what it seems and that she really loves Peeta? And if she can't, what will be the consequences?




Was this book better than The Hunger Games?  I can't tell you that.  In many ways, it was a different kind of book and it was the same in other ways.  I found the beginning rather boring.  I will admit it.  I was waiting for the action.  But then the action came and I was hooked. Katniss still makes me want to shake her when it comes to Peeta and Gale.  It's like without an adrenaline rush, she can't think clearly.  And the love triangle thing seemed a little out of place in the midst of all the craziness.  I love Peeta.  He is made of win in many many ways.  And Haymitch is pretty awesome too.  What they accomplish is unbelievable.  However (not to get all braggy or anything) I saw most of the plot coming from a mile away.  In fact, on page 122 (I marked it) I knew what was coming up.  And I wanted to be surprised.  But the only surprise I got was at the very end and it was a doozy.

Despite that, Collins can write an absorbing book.  The problem with middle books in a trilogy is that they set up and move the over-all arc along and provide more questions than answers.  Such is the case with Catching Fire.  And I have so many questions now.  I hope the next book comes out sooner rather than later and I hope to be surprised.

BONUS:

For the Take a Chance Challenge, one of the task is a poetic review.  Here are my attempts at this for Catching Fire.

Haiku

Katniss survived
The Capital seeks vengeance
Katniss prepares

Limerick

There once was a girl named "Catnip"
who caused the President pique.
While revenge he contrived
she tried to stay alive.
Of entertainment the Capital wasn't deprived.

Free Verse

Smart Girl
Hungry Girl
Plays the Games to save her sister
Wins by a trick
By a "love"
By a deception

Smart Girl
Confused Girl
Off on her Victory tour
Waits for the Capitol's anger
For their vengeance
For her own revenge

The Hunger Games

Katniss lives in District 12, a poor place that is responsible for mining coal. There are 12 Districts total and the Capital who controls everyone. To remind the people of their control, each District is required to send one girl and one boy, tributes, to the Hunger Games where only one can survive. Katniss volunteers to go in the place of her sister and soon she is embroiled in a deadly game where killing is the only means of survival.

Many people I know have read this book and I've actually had sitting on a shelf in my office for a long time. It was one of those going to reads. But when I joined the Take a Chance Challenge and my random author came up as Collins, I googled "author Collins" and this was the first hit I got. And I am so glad it did. This book was amazing. I started at lunch on Monday and finished at lunch on Tuesday. I literally couldn't put it down.

The idea, of course, is repugnant; sending teenagers, children really, in to kill each other on required viewing national television. But this book was so compelling. Katniss is a strong character and it was interesting to see what lengths she would go to survive. She was very cunning and quick and that was very important, but still clueless about social situations. I liked Peetra, the boy tribute from her district. I could see his story coming so there wasn't much of a surprise there, but he was a good character. The last scene of the game was the most disturbing of all for me and made me a little sick, it was almost too much. It won't stop me from reading the next one though. This was definitely an A++.