Catching Fire-Suzanne Collins

Wait. Wait. Say what?!

“Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create. Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.”

First, let me say, HOLY CRAP! This is one amazing book. Not as strong as the first book, but still amazing. In this book we see Katniss develop into a character that is better defined. In Hunger Games, she was a strong, kick ass and take names kinda gal who is one hell of a shot with a bow and arrow. Those she is still that person in this book; however, there is a vulnerability to her that was not in the first book. She is being forced into a position where she must fall in line and be a good girl, or President Snow will take everyone she loves away from her.

I will give you guys a bit of a spoiler here, so if you don’t want to read what happens, stop now and skip to the last bit of this review.  It is the third quarter quell, the 75^th Annual Hunger Games, and a lesson must be taught to the people of Panem: even the strongest cannot stand against the Captial. Therefore, the stronger who survived The Hunger Games will be picked to go back into the Arena. Of course, in District 12’s case there is only Katniss, Peeta and Haymich. I liked how it was not just the victors that were affected, but we saw how the people in the Capital were also affected. Not just the items that are imported to them, but also that their victors, are forced to face the horrors of the Arena.

I could not put this book down. The action itself didn’t pick up until Katniss is called back to the Capital for the Hunger Games. However, I was pulled into the story more by Katniss’ trying to discover herself in a post Hunger Games world. The sorrow and guilt she felt combined with her anger and disgust for the society that she was born into.

I’m not going to lie. I was pissed at the end. Not that it was a bad ending, but for the fact that it was a cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers. And due to this…I just had to go and buy Mockingjay. Damn you Suzanne Collins for making me spend money on amazing books!