Review: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3)

Original Title: Mockingjay
Series: The Hunger Games #3
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Published Date: October 24th 2010
Genre: Science-fiction, Dystopian

Enveloped and toasted with so much sadness and pain, is the book, 'Mockingjay'.  In spite of all odds, Katniss Everdeen enters in the Hunger Games twice and comes out of it alive both times.  If you think it as her luck, then you should read this book.

At the end of the 'Catching Fire', there was a very unfair cliffhanger.  Katniss finds that her district is completely destroyed, and Peeta is taken by the Capitol to be tortured.  Katniss is brought to District 13, which was considered as destroyed.  In District 13, Katniss is expected to be Mockingjay, the symbol of revolution.  But all Katniss could do is to think of a way to be out of insanity.  Well, who can blame her!  I just felt that way myself.  On to the story.. District 13 forms a plan and starts a revolution to overthrow Capitol, keeping Katniss as a piece of their game, again.

When I finished the book, I didn't feel happy or glad..only heaviness and disappointment.  No matter what happens in the future of the book, there could never be a completeness or peaceful night's sleep in Katniss' life.  The series is an ultimate success and most of us felt it, than knowing it.  But, I just thought there are so many deaths and even the final decision of Katniss, while choosing between Peeta and Gale, is not happier.  It felt like another survival need.

No hope or optimism in the book.  The main goal for the revolution falls, when they won.  I know the author has made it realistic..but if tearing apart your heart is realistic, I think I can live without it.

Closed the book with a heavy sad sigh!

Some favorite quotes:

“You love me. Real or not real?"
I tell him, "Real.”

“It takes ten times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart.”

“Fire is catching! And if we burn, you burn with us!”

“Some walks you have to take alone.”

“I knew you'd kiss me."
"How?" I say. Because I didn't know myself.
"Because I am in pain," He say's. "That's the only way I get your attention.”

“Is that why you hate me?" I ask.
"Partly," She admits. "Jealousy is certainly involved. I also think you're a little hard to swallow. With your tacky romantic drama and your defender-of-the-helpless act. Only it isn't an act, which makes you more unbearable. Please feel free to take this personally.”

Series:

1.  The Hunger Games - Read review here
2.  Catching Fire - Read review here
3.  Mockingjay

Review: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2)

Original Title: Catching Fire
Series: The Hunger Games #2
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Published Date: September 1st 2009
Genre: Dystopian, Young-adult, Science-fiction

I finished this book 24 hours before and from that moment, I keep thinking the same - "What is it with this author?  Why is she sooooo.. Oh! Forget it!".  Seriously!  What is it with this author and writing!  I am mad, when I finished this book.  All the time, I keep praying for the characters in the book and then THE WORST CLIFFHANGER EVER!

For those of you, who are hearing about this book/series for the first time, please see the The Hunger Games #1 review, before reading this.

Katniss Everdean and Peeta Mellark, after coming alive from the 74th Hunger Games, did not feel happy or safe with the winnings.  The aftermath of the Hunger Games seems to torture them even in their dreams.  Katniss begins settling into her new life as victor, where she never has to hunt or work for food and she has more money, than everyone else in her District.  Katniss is unsure of how she is feeling towards Peeta and Gale (her friend from childhood), while both Peeta and Gale are in love with her.

But what Katniss doesn't know is, there is a rebellion starting against the Capitol, keeping Katniss as their symbol. This news comes through the President Snow, who threatens her that if she fails to convince the people that all she had done in the arena is due to love and not to evade the Capitol, then her whole district will be destroyed.  While she decides on how to go about all this, she finds two women, who say they are headed for District 13, which the Government claims to have destroyed.  

Katniss convinces herself that the information about District 13 must not be true and she starts thinking of running away from District 12 to save her family from the President.   But, before she can take another step towards it, the Government announces Quarter Quell - the celebration of the 75 years of Hunger Games, where every District has to offer two of their previous tributes (one male and one female) for the 75th Hunger Games - and Katniss finds herself entering again into the worst place again, to save Peeta this time, instead of her.  Again, THE 75th HUNGER GAMES begins and the adventure rolls.

Katniss, the girl on fire, is actually on fire, this time.  I like Katniss, who always concentrates on the problem at hand, rather than mulling around her unfortunate circumstances or discomforts, even when there is utter hopelessness.  Both outside or inside the arena, there is a knife point always hanging over her head.  

The plot and storytelling are so powerful, that I felt myself pulled inside the book.  The arena and all the dangerous stuff that the people face there, are both scary and spell-binding.  No way would I have guessed any of it.  The feeling of sadness towards the second half of the book is so high, because of the losses and sacrifices that takes place.  Well, there is always a huge cost, when revolution begins.  At the cliffhanger at the end of the book, I completely lost it.  I would have thrown the book and hunted for Suzanne Collins for such unfairness, but then I remembered the third book is already out and calmed down.  Starting with it..immediately!

Another best from Suzanne Collins!  A must read!  A 5+ star book, again!

Series

1.  The Hunger Games - For review and trailer, click here
2.  Catching Fire
3.  Mockingjay

Time magazine named Catching Fire was the fourth top fiction book of 2009, while People magazine rated it their eighth Best Book of 2009. It also won Publishers Weekly's Best Book of the Year for 2009 award.

Lionsgate announced that a film adaption of Catching Fire will be released November 22, 2013,[18] as a sequel to the film adaption of The Hunger Games, which will be released March 23, 2012.

Some Favorite Quotes

“I wish I could freeze this moment, right here, right now and live in it forever."
“We had to save you because you're the mockingjay, Katniss," says Plutarch. "While you live, the revolution lives.”
“The bird, the pin, the song, the berries, the watch, the cracker, the dress that burst into flames. I am the mockingjay. The one that survived despite the Capitol's plans. The symbol of the rebellion.”
“Technically, I am unarmed. But no one should ever underestimate the harm that fingernails can do. Especially if the target is unprepared.”
“At some point, you have to stop running and turn around and face whoever wants you dead.The hard thing is finding the courage to do it.”
“I can only form one clear thought. This is no place for a girl on fire.”

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)

After a long time, I read a book that had a drastic effect on me.  Have you ever read a book, which makes you keep on thinking about it for the next few days?  Whenever you think of it, have you always felt exciting, glad and sad at the same time?  Have you felt your heart racing at every incident that take place in a book?  Did you find the need to realize that a book is not a real life and keep saying its a fiction, so that you won't be knocked out cold?  Well, THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins, is such a book.

The Hunger Games is set in a time in future (I hope fervently that its centuries later), where humanity is at its worst.  Our world, then, is ruled by a set of rich people, who live in comfort, in a place called Capitol.  We, the remaining population, occupy the 12 districts and work for the Capitol.  Life in the district is so bad, that people have to strive hard, to remain alive.

As if this is not bad enough, every year, two members of each district (irrespective of their age, is chosen and thrown into the Hunger Games.  The Hunger Games is a huge place, where there is various traps, vicious animals and life-sucking troubles, that the members have to survive.  The last member, who is alive, will be the winner and can live the rest of his life in his district in luxury.  In addition to the traps and stuff from the Capitol, the members kill each other like animals, to survive in that arena.  This entire action is cast live to all the world.

Katniss, our protogonist, a 16-year old from District 12, volunteers for this event in order to protect her 10-year old sister, who is selected for the Hunger Games.  After her father died, Katniss protects and feeds her mother and sister.  Katniss detests the Capitol and she is a girl, who is good in hunting.  Katniss is excellent with a bow and arrow.

Along with Katniss, Peeta Mellark, the boy who had a secret crush on Katniss since childhood, also is selected for the Hunger Games, from District 12.  Although the two try to be seen as a couple to get support from the audience, when the real action begins, Katniss is blind to Peeta's love and continues her "act".  Although romance is a very small part in the grand scheme of things in the book, it still feel unfair towards Peeta.  Unlike Katniss, Peeta is not much of a survivor.  He is a baker's son and the skills to survive towards hunger and other brutalities are not good for him.

When finally the Hunger Games begins, the violence and the stress of the kids to survive just moves you to bits.  In spite of all the violence and so much blood-shed and death, I don't feel repulsive, but felt hypnotized.  The plot seems challenging and not in one place can I guess or think about what will happen next.  The writing and descriptions are beyond awesome. 

This book is going to be a movie soon and I CAN'T WAIT..  The trailer below for you..

The soon-to-be movie, The Hunger Games, is a must-read for all and I promise, it would never disappoint you.

Series:

1.  The Hunger Games
2.  Catching Fire
3.  Mockingjay

The Hunger Games received a number of awards and honors. It was named one of Publishers Weekly's "Best Books of the Year" in 2008 and a The New York Times "Notable Children's Book of 2008".  It was the 2009 winner of the Golden Duck Award in the Young Adult Fiction Category. The Hunger Games was also a "2008 Cybil Winner" for fantasy and science-fiction books.  It also one of School Library Journal's "Best Books 2008" and a "Booklist Editors' Choice" in 2008.  In 2011, the book won the California Young Reader Medal.