Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Title: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3)
Author: Suzanne Collins
Source: Self-Purchased
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia
Release Date: August 24, 2010
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

My name is Katniss Everdeen.
Why am I not dead?
I should be dead.


Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans--except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay--no matter what the personal cost.



The final chapter of The Hunger Games doesn't hold anything back.  Katniss doesn't understand why she is alive and hiding out in District 13 while Peeta is held captive by the Capital.  The small underground rebellion that has been slowly building has only needed a figure head - and they have just the thing when Katness becomes "The Mockingjay".  With this boost of morale, what was once a small time survival operation turns into a full scale revolution - declaring war on the Capital and all it stands for, bringing the battle straight to their doorstep.

Not to stray from the theme of the games and the arena - Mockingjay keeps the tradition true in a very different yet even more deadly way.  The very streets and cities of Panem become a giant arena with tools designed by the Gamemakers set like booby traps.  With Mutts (animal/human mutations) on the loose there is a lot of death to go around.  With this setup there is non-stop action on every page, making it incredibly difficult to put the book down for any reason.

The relationship between Peeta and Katniss and Gale becomes even more strained times a million.  Katniss is lost enough trying to understand who she is not, let alone what each of these amazing men mean to her.   Don't worry romance fans, there is a HEA with one of them.  This was a stunning conclusion that I couldn't stop talking about when I was done.  This entire series will definitely be added to my must re-read shelf.


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