Does Catching Fire MEASURE UP?

[Brantford]

New York Times reviewer Gabrielle Zevin has said, “Collins has done that rare thing. She has written a sequel that improves upon the first book”.

Do you agree? Is Catching Fire as good as or even better than The Hunger Games?

[Anna]

I'm not sure I agree with that. I thought Catching Fire was pretty good and I thought it developed and advanced the story but I'm not sure I would say it was as good or better than the first book. I thought The Hunger Games had a certain impact that was lost in the second book. I'm looking forward to the movie to see if I feel the same way about that.

Based on the ratings for this book I think most people would disagree with me. Most people seemed to love the 2nd book as much as the 1st.

[Karen]

Since I read them out of order I really can't say. I'm now reading the hunger games. I'd hoped it would flesh out the characters more for me but I can now say Catching Fire does a good job of making us aware who these people are and why.

[Kathryn]

I don't think that it is better than the first book but I certainly don't think that as a second in a series, that it disappoints at all. To me, it wasn't predictable but did make sense so I thought it was great.

[Karen]

Now that I've rd. bk. 1, I do feel Catching Fire advanced the plot. I actually enjoyed it more than the first. I like the foreshadowing about the revolt & the continued "romantic" interest between Peeta and Katniss. It will be interesting to see what happens with the revolution and the friendship/love interests between Katniss and the two men in her life. I've got a hold on Mocking Jay.