The Hunger Games: Appreciation Post

I remember the first time I picked up The Hunger Games. I'd been given the first film for my birthday, and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. I'm the kind of person who insists on always reading the book before seeing a film adaptation, and I hadn't picked up these books because I wasn't sure if they would be for me. Nevertheless, I conceded, and watched the first film.

Within that couple of hours, I changed my mind completely.

I remember immediately picking up the first book and finishing the whole thing very speedily. I loved the story and the characters, and I thought the world that Suzanne Collins created made for a really interesting and thought-provoking read. I remember reading somewhere that she got the idea for the series when flicking through TV channels, and finding a reality TV show and coverage of the Iraq war back-to-back. It makes sense. 

For anybody who hasn't read the series, and doesn't know what it is about (and if you don't, I don't know how you could have escaped the hype!), here's the synopsis of the first book: 

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before - and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Blurb taken from Goodreads.

Having just reread the series for the hundredth time, and with all of the recent hype about the prequel coming out (which I am incredibly excited for!), I thought I'd do a little appreciation post about the series; why I love it so much, and why it will always be one of my favourite YA series. 

SPOILER ALERT

The Idea

I'm a real sucker for dystopian fiction, so the idea for this book is exactly the kind of thing I love to read. I'm not quite sure why I avoided the books when I first heard about them, but all I remember was thinking to myself: 'maybe not this series'. It didn't take me long into starting the first book to realise that I had been mistaken.

Not only is the idea very interesting in a fictional world, but it has a message to the real world we live in too. It is so easy to become swept up in modern society, and be influenced by the actions of those around us, but we should not let this influence what we know to be right.

The book is set in Panem, which is a hypothetical future for North America. The Capitol, in all its luxury, controls the nation, which also contains a number of districts, who work to provide the Capitol with resources. The Capitol is where the rich inhabitants live; a population of people who care more for their own appearance and reputation than the lives of those in the districts. As a reminder of the rebellion during which they were overthrown, the Capitol holds an annual 'Hunger Games', where each district must offer up one male and one female tribute to participate in a televised contest to the death. 

When put simply, it is rather a grotesque idea. Yet Collins writes it incredibly well, making the idea seem not too far beyond the realm of possibility. The Capitol inhabitants have grown up with this tournament as a staple in their calendar year, and so have no reason to question the morality of the occasion. It's a really strong reminder that you shouldn't take what you are told at face value, and you should educate yourself and come to your own judgement on what is right.

Book 1: The Hunger Games

The Plot:

The book opens in District 12 with Katniss, and get to learn a lot about her, her family, her friendship with Gale, and her life. District 12 is a place of poverty for many, and it's not too difficult to see that Katniss has developed a survival instinct. When we reach the reaping and her sister is chosen as tribute, it's not difficult to work out what Katniss will do. 

I think many people are often surprised with the amount of detail put into setting up the series, before Katniss actually reaches the games. I remember being surprised myself. But I think it's so incredibly important, and it's done very well. It's essential for the reader to understand the difference between life in the districts, and life in the Capitol. We go from the absolute poverty of many families, to the excessive luxuries Capitol inhabitants allow themselves. By the time Katniss reaches the Capitol, it is evident just what a despicable world she is witnessing. 

I think my favourite part of the book is actually the training and preparation that all the tributes go through before they enter the arena. That's probably not a very popular choice, but I just think there is something so interesting that is explored. The tributes are essentially children who are being exploited, and when you take a step back, it is startling just how ordinary this is as a part of Panem. All of the different elements, from the training schedule to the interviews and even the fact that each tribute has a prep team to prepare them for almost certain death. It's sickening, and yet in this strange dystopian world, it makes sense. Collins does an incredible job of making what we would deem a very unrealistic world into an unremarkable setting for Katniss's journey. 

The arena is the same again. The first person narrative makes it seem as though the situation is entirely normal. Katniss is put in a position of jeopardy, and she is simply defending herself. You have to remind yourself at some points that this situation is fabricated for entertainment purposes. The film is very different in this respect because we have the opportunity to see the situation from a viewer's eyes as well, so I remember being caught off guard when I read the book and was enveloped in the sole perspective of Katniss. 

These tributes are fighting for survival in a world that doesn't care. It's powerful. The fact that Katniss actually kills a couple of the other tributes is alarming when we think about it. She does it out of survival, yes, but it's also acknowledged that some of the other tributes have trained their whole lives for this 'glory'. The real question is: how on earth has this fictional world got to a point where it willingly pits children against each other for entertainment? I suppose that's exactly what Collins was trying to paint the picture of.

The Characters:

I think one of the things that makes this series so incredibly well-rounded and impactful is the host of characters, both in prominent or minor roles, who have an impact on the story. There are so many that it's quite a long process trying to do them all justice, but it definitely has to be done!

Katniss is obviously the most significant, and her very personality has spark. We learn early on that she is unafraid of defying authority, and that she has had to fend for herself for so long that she is a survivor. But I think what really makes her a wonderful heroine for the story is that she is also incredibly vulnerable. She has absolutely no qualms about killing other tributes to save herself, but she also has a weakness for the individuals who display kindness. Her sister is the most obvious, and Peeta is another. But I think her relationship with Rue is possibly the most beautiful. Katniss says at one point during the games that she can only imagine Haymitch's face when she chooses to ally with Rue. But she does it anyway, because she has an inbuilt need to care for people. The end of the book is obviously very important to the series. It's a seemingly innocent moment when Katniss defies the Capitol expectation of a single victor, but it creates a spark. I think this was done beautifully. Katniss is obviously distressed, but she also has the embedded ability to defy authority. She didn't intend to incite rebellion. She really did just want to save Peeta. Yet her sensitive side lends itself perfectly to becoming a heroine during this form of war.

The characters largely fall into very distinct camps. There are the District 12 citizens that Katniss knows very well. There are the Capitol inhabitants, both good and bad, who are a world away from what she knows, and who alarm and disgust her regularly. And then there are the tributes who, just like Katniss, are torn away from their homes in this awful game.

The characters from District 12 are those we follow most closely, and who are given to be almost the moral compass of the series. Katniss is primarily kept grounded by Gale, who supports her and her family. He plays a small role in this book, but I think he's a very good part of the story in that he is fiery, but measured. She trusts him implicitly, which I don't think is a bad thing. In contrast to Gale, Peeta, also from District 12, is calm, but impulsive. They are entirely opposite, which I think is really interesting. We don't see much of the love triangle until Catching Fire, but the seeds are planted throughout the first book. I find it a little weird that a teenage romance is so fundamental to the tactics of the game, but I did appreciate the way Katniss and Peeta connected in the arena. They really do complement each other well, and their relationship grows in such a way that when Katniss defies the Capitol with a handful of berries at the end of the book in an attempt to save Peeta, it feels natural. 

Possibly my favourite characters in the book are those who fall between Capitol and District. All are very different, but all have their heart in the right place. Effie is the Capitol personified, very unquestioning of the way the Capitol works, but clearly with a good heart. I think she is incredibly well written as a character, because although she represents everything about the Capitol that we are supposed to hate, as a reader I can't help but like her. It is almost like a child, who just doesn't understand any better. She isn't, for example, the same as Caesar Flickerman, who relishes the games, and thrives in the Capitol world. She is more like Katniss's prep team. They are a victim of the world that has raised them. Cinna is entirely different. He largely rejects the world that he has been raised in, even when it gave him career success. He is the most grounded character, willing to do the right thing at any cost, simply because it is what is just. It comes naturally to me to think of Cinna who is the character with the most good in him. Haymitch is different again. He doesn't strike us instantly as a particularly likeable character, but he is clearly good. I really like that he and Katniss are very alike, and seem to know what the other is thinking. After years of sending children to their deaths, it is unsurprising he self-medicates, but his capacity as mentor is clearly optimal for Katniss, who relates to him perhaps more than she would like to admit.

The other characters that deserve mentioning are, of course, the other tributes. Katniss and Peeta ally, thankfully, but the games are long and complex, and the other tributes have significant parts to play. Rue as a metaphor for Prim brings out Katniss's protective instinct, making her death even more heartbreaking when it eventually comes. Thresh is another ally of sorts. Although this isn't formal, but Katniss acknowledges that she feels they would be friends if they originated from the same district, and they have a mutual respect for the actions of the other. I would have liked to have seen more of Thresh, but I suppose his character was never intended to be a primary part of the story. Foxface is a different kind of tribute to the rest. Quiet, intelligent. The underdog. And then we have the Career tributes. Glimmer and Marvel from district 1 are significant in that they are the tributes killed as a direct result of Katniss's actions. It's a reminder that survival is the most important factor in this book, not defiance or alliances. Cato and Clove are Katniss's most fierce adversaries, and her biggest challenge to overcome. They're the epitome of the games, and they bring the terror.

My Thoughts:

This book is so powerful as the opening in the trilogy. It really sets the scene of how awful life is for those who live in the districts, needing to succumb to the Captiol. But as a story, it is also very interesting, fast-paced, and surprisingly easy to read. Katniss's narrative is raw, emotional, and relatable. We learn about the process of the games alongside her, and we feel what she feels during the experience. I think Collins made the right decision in splitting the story up into three sections: 'The Tributes', 'The Games' and 'The Victor'. It breaks the story up into consistent chunks, and each section is just as strong as the others. Personally, I loved the middle section the most, as this is where we meet characters from both Capitol and District backgrounds, and this is where Katniss and Peeta start to get to know each other. Nonetheless, I think every part of the book is equally strong, and leads up perfectly to an even more powerful Catching Fire.

Book 2: Catching Fire

The Plot: Catching Fire is definitely my favourite instalment in the series. It kicks off the ground running from the first book, and really amps up the drama to create a really dynamic sequel.

The book opens with Katniss and Gale, in a very similar way to the first book, hunting in the woods, and displaying hostility towards the Capitol. But now the tone is different. Katniss is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after her time in the arena, and life just won't go back to how it was before. This book sees a much longer time spent in District 12, simply because there is now so much to cover. Katniss and her family now want for nothing, but it's a hefty price that Katniss has had to pay. Her relationship with Peeta is damaged due to her admission that she was not entirely honest wih her feelings during the games (a fact that I feel should be more easily forgiven by Peeta seeing as she did actually keep him alive!), and Haymitch plays a much larger part in their lives due to his instrumental part in getting them out alive.

This section is probably my favourite part in the series, because it really displays the true extent of fear that the districts are living in. From Katniss's visit from President Snow to Gale's whipping in the square, this is a very different world from the start of the first book. Against all odds, their living situation is worse. The Capitol has reacted to Katniss and Peeta flouting the rules of the games, and the district is definitely feeling the consequences. Encompassed in this is the Victory Tour, where Katniss discovers that other districts are in the midst of rebellion, and we get a sense of where the story is going. If the first book was setting the scene, this is building the tension.

When the Quarter Quell came round during my first time reading the series, I remember being super shocked, and really pumped, because it's clear very soon that Katniss, by default, is going back into the arena. Perhaps it was wrong of me to be so excited for that, but the games are such a huge part of what this series encompasses that I really wanted the books to explore that again. I suppose it could have been a similar experience is Collins had decided that Katniss was to be a mentor in this sequel, but I think she made the right decision going this way. It also means that we get to meet a whole host of other victors. There is a part of me that would have absolutely loved to see Haymitch in the arena with Katniss, but alas, it was not meant to be, and I do appreciate why it was Peeta who went back in. When they get to the Capitol to prepare for the games, I was absolutely riveted. The other victors are fascinating, and it is such a vibrant few chapters, really capturing not only the hostile mood of the victors who are heading back to the arena, but also the sadness of some of the members of the Capitol who are upset about this. It poses the really interesting point: it matters to them this time because they have come to know these people, whereas every other year, they did not care for the children they sent to their death who they saw only as strangers.

I absolutely loved the arena this time around. It was unbelievably clever, and I love reading the passages back and truly understanding the way it was built to represent a clock. Such a cool idea, and done very very well. I also appreciate how the victors are broken out of the arena, and that the end of the book reveals that Panem is at war. So much happens in this book, all culminating in this realisation for Katniss of what she has inspired. From the moment Katniss talks to President Snow in her house, to the Victory Tour, then the Quarter Quell reaping, the interviews where the victors show hostility for these games, and then finally the rescue mission from the arena with the other participants in the know. It's crafted so wonderfully that it runs seamlessly, and I think this part of the story is pure brilliance. What is really special about Catching Fire is the way it builds and builds and builds continuously into something really momentous, ready for the showdown that is Mockingjay.

The Characters:

Katniss is really forced to mature in this instalment, from the way she deals with her PTSD, to her change in mentality in the arena this time around. She refuses to accept almost certain death this time around, and walks into the arena prepared to kill. She is a really interesting character to lead the story, as, although she accepts that the games are wrong, she is also not prepared to do anything openly to defy President Snow. Her acts of rebellion come purely from her emotions. When she demonstrates her skill to the Gamemakers by hanging a dummy of Seneca Crane, it is out of anger; when she runs in to stand up to the new Head Peackeeper who is whipping Gale, it is because she is distraught. She is relatable in that she does not feel like a hero. She is just a girl trying to get by in a very cruel string of circumstances. I think it's important to ensure the protagonist of a series is real and endearing, and Katniss's balance of fire and vulnerability is written very well.

Katniss's relationship with Peeta develops as well over the course of Catching Fire, as we see how their circumstances change. I appreciated the way they supported each other, and you can see the way Katniss tries to understand how she feels towards him. I did feel for her, because she's put in an impossible position, but I think if she was ever going to really let go, she needed to be put in a position where she feels she will not have to deal with the fallout. When the reaping comes and she realises she and Peeta will be involved in another games, she is convinced that she will not make it out alive. If she felt there was even a chance that she would make it back to District 12, I don't think she would have been able to completely let herself feel that bond with Peeta; instead, she would have been too concerned about the complicated situation with Gale. Therefore, when in the arena, she allows herself to really love and care for Peeta, in a way we hadn't seen yet. Finnick is visibly confused by her apparent care for him, and I think that's an indication of Katniss letting go.

On the other hand, she also has a rather more complicated relationship with Gale. In Catching Fire, we can see that Gale clearly does have strong feelings for Katniss, which was a theme that was alluded to in the first book, but which was not openly explored. More than anything, I feel for Katniss. She just wanted to survive, and now she's found herself in a little love triangle. It's clear that she cares for Gale, but, as with Peeta, she has way too much to worry about than to try and work out how she really feels for him. When President Snow visits Katniss and makes clear that he is aware of her closeness with Gale, I think that sparks a lot of fear in Katniss. She spends the rest of the book acting out of fear, and that doesn't really leave much room for anything else. Unfortunately, that doesn't really bode well for Gale, as Katniss needs to maintain a façade with Peeta to keep everybody safe.

President Snow himself is terrifying. He makes his first real appearance, instilling plenty of terror. Snake-like with puffy lips, he makes a great villain, not because he is aggressive, but because he is calm, cold and ruthless. I imagine Snow in my head to be the complete antithesis of Cinna. Cinna is calm as well, but he has a heart full of goodness. Snow, on the other hand, has a heart of evil. While Cinna treats everybody with respect, Snow treats everybody with hostility and dislike. When Cinna's death came in the middle of Catching Fire, it was a real blow for the humanity of Panem. It represented the loss of peace, giving way to full-blown rebellion.

More interesting, perhaps, is the way some of the Capitol inhabitants deal with the Quarter Quell. Effie is a prime example. She accepts the games as a fact of life, but is conflicted when she understand that Katniss and Peeta, the victors who she adores, do not have the odds in their favour this time around. Although she does not do anything to prevent the games going ahead, she actively admits that it isn't fair, and that is a huge step for her from the first time we meet her. Katniss's prep team are exactly the same, leaving the room to cry as they cannot believe the injustice of Katniss being this unlucky a second time. It was a clever move to attempt to eliminate these difficult victors in this Quarter Quell, but it also highlights the areas where Capitol residents may be opening their eyes to the injustice of the system.

Nobody sees this as more unjust, however, than the victors who have been through a second reaping. It is heartbreaking to think that these characters are just that unlucky, and their lives are that unfair. Certain victors such as Brutus and Enobaria are the exceptions, but Mags volunteering for certain death in an attempt to save Annie is beautiful. We meet a lot of new, very important characters in this book, which doesn't usually happen in a trilogy. The most important characters tend to be those we meet in the first instalment, but Finnick, Joanna and Beetee become very important to the story. I love Joanna's fire and sass, but I love Finnick the most. Alongside Haymit, Finnick is definitely my favourite character, for his flair and his humour, but also for his evident kindness. The dialogue between he and Katniss, once she has passed the desire to ignore Haymitch's instruction and kill him, is reminiscent to me of siblings. Catching Fire would definitely not be as successful if not for Finnick, who allies with Katniss and Peeta throughout the whole time in the arena, and who brings equal levels of entertainment and combat.

There are a hundred other characters worth mentioning, such as Plutarch and his alliance with Haymitch, and Chaff, Seeder and the other victors. This is evidence of the detail and care taken when writing the book, where Collins has made the effort to craft not just a book series, but a whole world that smacks of different dimensions and reality.

My Thoughts:

I think it's a really great indication in this book of the tone change from the original novel to this. The first book highlighted the unfairness of the games for the chosen tributes, and these participants generally act out of fear and survival instinct. This time around, it's a group of professional killers in the mix, which not only amps up the drama, but also demonstrates that the rebellion is really starting, and the Capitol is prepared to retaliate. It's really hard to do the middle book of a trilogy well, because to a certain extent it has to do a lot of filling the gaps, but I think this is a phenomenal example of how this can be done to really build on the story and introduce a whole lot more detail to really set the series up for an explosive finale.

Book 3: Mockingjay

The Plot:

I have a lot of thoughts about the plot of Mockingjay, and on re-reading the series for the hundredth time a few weeks ago, I sifted through them even more. There are just so many layers to the story that it is impossible to digest completely on a first venture! I'm going to attempt to lay my thoughts down in a comprehensive manner here, but it's difficult with such an intricate story. 

The book opens in District 13, a place that is a brand new concept to the reader, and Katniss is attempting to process what happened to her in the arena. Peeta has been captured, and she hasn't forgiven Haymitch. But she has Gale and her family, and that is important. She is back to coping with all the same support systems that she had at the beginning of the series, which is really interesting. But the world is not the same, and neither as she. We learn that President Coin, a new character, is in charge, and that they want Katniss to be the face of the rebellion. I find it interesting that they just expect Katniss to volunteer to help. She is a broken character by this point, and they clearly don't know her very well if they think she is going to just concede. Cinna clearly knows her the best when it is mentioned that he had designed the outfit for her, but wanted her to make the decision for herself. She needed to be fully on board, or I think we can safely say, she would have found a way to ruin it.

The actual Mockingjay role, and the 'propos' that are filmed are an interesting side note to the story. They do fill a lot of the empty space in the story to a certain extent, when not a lot else is really going on, but it allows us to see the rebellion through Katniss's eyes. Her visits to the other districts are essential for the reader to understand how this rebellion looks, and although on my first time reading it I felt confused by the constant movement from district to district, when reflecting now I can see that it was put together in a very specific order. Katniss begins in District 13, where she struggles to accept her current situation, and eventually agrees to become the Mockingjay. She then goes to District 8 to see what is going on, and is present for the bombing of the hospital which puts the rebellion in perspective for the reader. It's back to District 13 for more plot development about Peeta and President Coin, and when she is distraught over Peeta's new state, she is shipped out to District 2. The Katniss in District 2 really develops as a character. This is where she learns of Gale's mentality towards sacrificing innocent people, and she comes into her own as a leader. She understands sacrifice, but she refuses to believe that is the first option. This is the Katniss who has finally reached the point where she is ready to fight President Snow.

In the middle of all that, there is obviously a large portion of the story given over to the rescue of Peeta, and his hijacking. Everything Katniss has known in Peeta appears to be gone, and this is the last straw. If not for everything else he has done, what he did to Peeta's good nature is unforgivable for Katniss, and I think this is the turning point in the story. Although I absolutely hated it when Peeta was hijacked, I think this was a really clever plot manoeuvre. It gives Katniss the final ammunition she needs to really give herself over to the rebellion, and just a short while later she has matured in her conversations in District 2. The journey to the Capitol, however, is definitely not smooth.

It's a pretty monotonous journey to the Capitol, actually, and this is another few chapters that I don't think can be fully appreciated until they are reread a few times. It's the reality of war, essentially, but it also does move certain elements of the plot along; mainly, admittedly, by reducing the number of rebels left alive. There are certain deaths I don't think I will ever get over, but I understand the need to kill off a few. I don't appreciate it, but I accept it.

The ending is powerful. Prim has been killed, probably the worst moment of Katniss's life, and she happens upon President Snow, who makes her question what she knows. So when she goes to fire her arrow into Snow's heart, she instead aims it as President Coin. For Prim. To show recognition of exactly what Coin had done. I think it is such a bold move introducing a new villain the last book of a trilogy, especially one that is arguably supporting the greater good in many ways. To make her the villain who gets the dynamic death is a powerful move by the author. President Snow, in comparison, is trampled to death by civilians, a choice that really displays what he really deserved. He did not deserve a powerful death. He instead needed to simply cease to exist. I didn't like Coin at all when I was reading the book, and I'm not sorry or surprised that she ended up the way she did.

I love the last few chapters with Katniss's grief, her consequent actions, and Haymitch arriving to take her home to District 12. The story comes full circle. The world has changed irreparably, but the scenery is the same. It really is reminiscent of a new beginning. What an incredibly powerfully calm end to a brave story.

The Characters:

The character development in this instalment is insane, and there is so much to say about where the characters end up by the end of the book.

Katniss is an entirely different person. The people she originally fought so hard to protect are gone. Prim is dead, Gale is out of her life for good, and her mother is living in another district from the pain. She now relies on the people who went through the experiences with her. When we think of it like that, it's quite remarkable. She really went on a journey through this book. At the beginning, she is damaged and frightened. At the end, she is no longer frightened, and able to see past the damage that enveloped her previously. 

The love triangle has also been resolved by the end of the series, and it was only ever going to go one way. Peeta is her dandelion in the spring, and she acknowledges at the end of Mockingjay, she needs his calm mentality to balance her fire. The real downfall for Gale is that the bomb that killed Prim was one that he invited with Beetee. She had never agreed with his methods, and in the end those very methods killed her sister. The scene where he visits Katniss for final time, and says from his heart that the only thing he had going for him was protecting her family - brutal. It killed me. In many ways rereading the series, I do like Gale. He is strong, he supports Katniss, and he goes actively out of his way to put her first. Fundamentally, he isn't a bad person, but too much came between them. I like that Katniss considers, as the end of the story, that it would never have worked out with Gale anyway. As she puts it, she has enough fire by herself. It is heart-breaking though that the person she once relied on more than anything in the world is now essentially a stranger. It's very emotional, and I had to appreciate the way this part of the plot was resolved.

Peeta is completely deserving of Katniss. I really felt for her when she was separated from him, and the guilt she must have felt. On Peeta's return, hijacked, it was a real blow. It was a really interesting plot manoeuvre, to rip the two of them apart when they most relied on each other. But significant. Because it was that that really pushed Katniss to give herself over to the rebellion completely, and that made her appreciate the real Peeta. When Peeta is attempting to understand what is real, it was so endearing. As Haymitch reminded Katniss, if their circumstances were the other way around, Peeta would have done whatever it took to take care of her. It's true. Peeta is precious, and I'm glad that he found his way back to himself.

The most heartbreaking moment for Katniss is obviously when she witnesses her sister's death. Prim is largely a minor character in the series, and I haven't really felt the need to mention her until this point. However, she is the most important person in the world to Katniss, and that is probably the most defining moment for her during Mockingjay. I must admit, it was a brave move to kill Prim off, but I think it really did move the rest of the book along. It prompted Katniss to kill Coin, and it removed Gale from the equation. Very neat. I did appreciate the moment when Katniss called her mother to mourn Prim's death, and I felt that was really important closure for them. Katniss was very critical of her mother throughout the series, but this brought them together in a way that nothing else would have.

I have to do a quick mention of two other deaths that really affected me. The first was Boggs. I understood his death and how that fitted in naturally within the story, but it still made me sad because I think he was a very important figure for Katniss in District 13. Even more distressing was Finnick's death. I was devastated when this happened. I'm not necessarily opposed to important characters being killed off, as upsetting as it is, but this one really bothered me. It felt largely to me to be unnecessary. It felt a little like it was done for the sake of it, to make more impact. I do appreciate that there is some reinforcement of Katniss's circumstances, where she grew up without a father, but I'm not convinced that this was strong enough to be really necessary. I also think that if he was going to die, he deserved more than just a sentence or two in the middle of a busy chapter. Like Boggs, he deserved a proper send off. #JusticeForFinnick

My Thoughts:

The first time I read Mockingjay, I had many conflicting emotions. It felt very messy, very disjointed and full of upsetting moments, and I wasn't sure how I really felt about it. On re-reading several times, I feel very different. The messiness is reminiscent of the rebellion, and the different stages of the book now make a lot more sense to me (as outlined above).

What I now feel is that the book brings the series round full circle, and I understand almost all of the different details, and why the author chose to take all of the different avenues. Katniss has come full circle; she began her journey in District 12 relying solely on Gale, trying to protect her sister, and living in fear and poverty. By the end of Mockingjay she is back in District 12 after her journey, closer to her estranged mother following the death of Prim, distant from Gale and instead relying on Peeta and Haymitch for support. I felt that this was the perfect resolution for the series, and tied up all of the loose ends that were dropped throughout the story.


The Verdict

Rating: ✫✫✫✫✫

With the revelation that Suzanne Collins was going to be writing a prequel to the series, and the even more recent revelation that the book was going to focus on none other than a young President Snow, I knew I had to reread the books. I was originally a little wary about the focus on Snow, as I think that villain retellings are a very difficult thing to do well. You have to get the balance right between the reader understanding what made them the way they are, and the reader sympathising with them to much and it ruining the original story! However, when I actually read up a little on the idea behind the book, I became really excited for it. It might help us understand what Snow's hostility towards Katniss and District 12 is, and how he came to be President of the Capitol. Exciting!

I am a massive fan of YA and dystopian series, and I think The Hunger Games has to be my favourite series. No matter how many times I read it, I take more away from it every time, and I love it just as much as the first time. I'm so glad that I did choose to read the series. I think it is a story everybody should read, as it has a lot of important messages.

I actually connect very strongly with the character of Katniss. She likes to give off a show of being strong, but she's actually incredibly vulnerable. She feels things very deeply and often doesn't know how to process them. And above anything, she has a strong moral compass that often gets her into trouble. She comes across as quite prickly to a lot of people, but I think she's a fantastic example of having defensive walls up. She carries the plot really well as the narrator, focusing on the impact of events, and giving is a first-hand view of exactly why the Capitol treatment is so unjust. The narrative, the diverse characters, the story - this series does it all incredibly well, which doesn't happen very often with YA fiction. I often find that by the final book in trilogy, the author is trying so hard to wrap up all the loose ends that elements of the plot or character development are sacrificed. I felt a lot like that with Allegiant, the final instalment of the Divergent series, where it just felt like a really weak ending to the books. The Hunger Games is incredible in every instalment, with a strong finish that lives up to the standard of the rest of the series.