Book Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Product Details

Reading level: Young Adult

Hardcover: 391 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1st edition (September 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780439023498

Summary:

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.

Review:

Having read The Hunger Games and thoroughly enjoyed it, I found the dystopian sequel, Catching Fire, a snorefest.  It took me a very long time to finish this novel - almost two weeks. The beginning of the novel tediously dragged on with prolonged narrations and flashbacks of The Hunger Games.  It wasn't until the end of the novel that I started reading with a quick feverish pace. I think I read the last quarter of the book in an hour, it was that good.  Unfortunately, Catching Fire, fell into the trap that many sequels fall into - trying to fill in readers who may not have read the first book by giving too much filler and excessive recollections and then speeding up in the final parts in order to tie up loose ends and prepare for the next book.  

Catching Fire takes you from the unrest happening in the Districts after Katniss and Peeta's victory to the upcoming resolution they must confront to help the citizens of the districts.  The characters do this all while participating in a middle-school type of love triangle.  In this sequel, the chemistry between Katniss, Gale and Peeta never seemed to catch fire and I was left wanting more.  Not to mention, Gale is all but absent from the book.  Yet the author, Suzanne Collins, wants readers to believe that Katniss wants to be with Gale.  That's all fine and dandy, but where is he?  I can't connect with someone that isn't present.  Meanwhile Peeta, the only male love interest that actually shows up in the book for more than a few pages, adores her and loves her and yet Katniss is confused.

The best part of the book was the twist added to the 75th Hunger Games in honor of the Quarter Quell. When that element was introduced, I thought... ‘Finally, we'll get some action’.  And we did.  Yet overall this book was dry.  Katniss is not the spunky, willful teenager from the previous book.  She is boring, flat, whiney and selfish.  I rooted for her along the entire way in The Hunger Games, however this time around I wanted Rue to come back from the dead and beat her to a pulp.

Final thought: I wasn't feeling this book and wanted to quit half way through.  But I already have the next book in the series, Mockingjay, waiting to be read so I knew I couldn't quit.  Otherwise, I might have.  The ending saved this book from being totally dreadful.  If not for that, it would have gotten two stars.

I give it 3 Stars ***

Tidbit: The book, Hunger Games, will be made into a movie that will debut March 2012. 

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Click HERE to read my review of The Hunger Games

Book Review, "Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

Background:

Hunger Games is a dystopic young adult novel. The setting is Panem, the Capitol (the governing city of Panem) and its 12 districts. The protagonist, sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen, lives in the Ream in District 12. She hunts and gathers food in forbidden land along with her friend Gale, to prevent her family from starving to death. She is essentially the provider for her family. District 12 is known for mining coal and is one of the poorest districts. Its residents are starving from the lack of basic needs and food. Every year there is a Reaping, where 2 contestants (one boy, one girl) are chosen from each district to do battle at the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a battle to the death, where only one child out of the 24 contestants can survive. The winner will gain food and honor for their district. The contestants are children, between the ages of 12-18 and all must participate, unless there is a volunteer. On the day of the Reaping, Katniss's twelve year old sister Prim is chosen as the girl tribute from District 12. Katniss volunteers in her place. The other tribute from District 12 chosen to go is a baker's son named Peeta.

Review:

The novel takes the reader on a roller coaster journey of emotions. I was mad at Panem and its society for allowing this to take place. I was rooting for Katniss the moment she step foot in the Capitol when the Hunger Games began. What I enjoyed about the book was that Katniss often recognized her own mistakes, so when I thought she made a bone headed move, it would be revealed in the book that Katniss thought she did as well. I love characters that have flaws and it's even better when characters later recognize those flaws. Otherwise, readers can become apathetic towards the protagonist. But not with the character Katniss, I'd tell myself, "it's okay Katniss. Keep going, you have ass to kick." You will cheer for Katniss, a young girl struggling to survive, so she can get back to her home and continue to provide for her family by making sure they don't starve to death.

There are some underlying tones of political and social struggle. You see it in the way District 13 was annihilated from existence when it chose to fight back. But now the other poor districts are afraid to seek their own liberation. The residents, "allow" the dictators of Panem to kill off their children every year for what? They are still hungry and poor. It's an amazing quick paced read. I am thrilled that Suzanne Collins chose young adolescents as the protagonist. If it had been adults, I may have lost interest. Suzanne Collins also has a great way of using language to describe settings, surroundings, attire, the atmosphere and emotions. The author's use of dialogue come across as sincere, natural, funny, humorous and relevant. Her ability to craft powerful sentences with such intense imagery is remarkable.

I highly recommend this book. I give it:

 4 STARS ****

Excerpts, Memorable/Favorite Quotes


“Here’s some advice. Stay alive.”  ~Haymitch Abernathy


“Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to…to show the Capitol they don’t own me. That I’m more than just a piece in their Games” ~Peeta Mellark