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.”