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.This is my second time reading this book and I realized that I never reviewed it the first time through. So here it is! I think I enjoyed The Hunger Games a little more, but this book was just as good as the first. I ached for Katniss as she dealt with the aftermath of her desperate actions in the arena. Things aren't all rainbows and sunshine just because she and Peeta got out alive. In fact, things are worse than they ever were.
It was so hard to be in her head sometimes, because she's so...complex. She is able to see the bigger picture when she needs to, and do what is required of her. But she's also extremely emotional about the people in her lives and when she acts with her emotions, she's very much in the moment; future consequences completely forgotten. Her back and forth between Gale and Peeta is a perfect example of this, and it's the same with her feelings in regard to the political unrest in the country. It's so hard so see her struggle, because this is not a traditional romance. She's living in a world where fear runs deep, and both love interests came about in a way that doesn't exactly help her decide who to trust or allow her to explore those feelings and pick who she wants.
The political aspect of the book added great tension to the book, especially once they are once again thrust into the arena. Is it a setup and a deliberate attempt by the President to get rid of one or both of them? Who is really on their side? What the hell happened to Cinna? And the twist at the end practically killed me. I didn't see it coming at all and I am dying for the final book. (Sadly, I have to wait till next week, since it's shipping with another book that's not released till the 31st.) On a side note, was I the only one who was completely repulsed by the people in the Capitol at that party? The drinks to make you throw up so you can stuff your face some more - horrible. I wanted to reach into the book and smack them around a little.
Overall, I'm loving this series. It's intense and tragic and exciting and intriguing, and the second book had all of the above and more. I trembling with excitement to see how it ends. 5/5
Catching Fire
Suzanne Collins
Scholastic, Inc
$17.99 (hardcover)
400 pages
Awesome review! And to answer your question, you're not the only one who was disgusted by those puking drinks--and I think that was the intention.
ReplyDeleteIt got me thinking about the people in the other Districts who were starving; not only that, but there were also the frightening parallels to the 'real' world, where oftentimes food is just thrown away.
And yeah, I love the series too! Makes me wish I had some moolah so I can buy a whole box set of them (at least, when they're made available).
Oh yeah, and I'm your newest follower, fresh off the Blogger Hop. Great blog you got here!