Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3)

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

This thread is to discuss Mockingjay, the third book in the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.

Pages: 390 pages

Length: 1 month (October)

Participants: Cordelia, Dominique, LinaVer, Gina Marie

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Here are some questions to help get the conversation started! Feel free to look up discussion questions specific to this book or come up with your own. Just make sure any questions that contain spoilers are under spoiler tags.
Discussion questions are not required but may be a fun way to talk about the book and get to know each other!

Prior to starting:
What prompted you to join this buddy read?
Have you read this author before? What do you think of their other books?

Mid-read:
What character or ideas do you relate to the most and why?
Do you have any favorite quotes or scenes?

After reading:
What was enjoyable or not-so-enjoyable about this book?
Did this book change your perception about anything, either within the book (character development) or in real life?

[LinaVer]

Hello everyone, I just started reading this final, third part last night.

What prompted you to join this buddy read?
Have you read this author before? What do you think of their other books?
I really enjoyed our discussion when we were reading Sunrise on the Reaping, so I wanted to reread the original series again, and I am really happy we’re doing this together.
Yes, I’ve of course read this author before, and I also plan on reading Gregor the Overlander series in the future as well. Suzanne Collins is by now one of my favorite authors.

[LinaVer]

Good morning! I have some thoughts already.

• I’m in chapter 5 currently.
(view spoiler)[ I have kind of forgotten that the book shows more of the character of President Coin (of the District 13), and I really appreciate it, as it fleshes her character out much more, and just affirms to me that to Suzanne Collins no one character is accidental, they all have a reason for their existence in the books, no matter how good or bad.
All of the books in this series have this motif of Katniss (and other Hunger Games’ victors, or victims, rather) being used as a game piece in some ulterior plans. Last book, Catching Fire finished with Katniss feeling betrayed by Haymitch, who used her to re-spark the revolution. And now, at the end of chapter 4, we read about President Coin publicly promising the pardon of Peeta and other victors, and then, in the same breath, publicly threatening all of them, and Katniss, that if Katniss fails to be the symbol of Mockingjay, the pardon will be revoked and they’’l be judged by the laws of 13th. This is what Katniss thinks when hearing this: ”In other words, I step out of line and we’re all dead.” And then, at the beginning of chapter 5: ”Another power player who has decided to use me as a piece in her games”.
Honestly, my heart goes out to Katniss. These are thoughts of someone young (she’s 17!!! not even fully adult yet) who has been tragically forced to grow up very fast, of someone who has seen so many horrors and felt so much grief, and who has to think and measure every step to protect herself and the lives of those she cares for. I cannot imagine having to deal with all of this and remaining sane at the age of 17… that’s why to me it feels really interesting and important to the plot that the calculating and, honestly, evil character of Coin has been shown better here. Years ago, I watched the movies first before reading the books, and I remember that the moment when Katniss shot Coin at the end, kind of puzzled me at first, as I didn’t see the reasoning immediately, but if I had read the books first, it would have made so much more sense then. Really, even though she’s on the side of revolution, Coin is not much better than Snow, and we see that here so clearly.
(hide spoiler)]

[Gina Marie]

Hi there. I was late to the movies and even later to the books, but I'm really enjoying this series. I read the first book in June and Catching Fire last month. I saw that there was a Buddy Read for book 3 and thought it was a perfect excuse to continue the series.

I'm still finishing another book, The Magicians, but I'm hoping to start Mockingjay tomorrow.

Looking forward to the conversation. :)

[LinaVer]

Gina Marie wrote: "Hi there. I was late to the movies and even later to the books, but I'm really enjoying this series. I read the first book in June and Catching Fire last month. I saw that there was a Buddy Read fo..."

Hey Gina Marie,
I’m glad to hear that you'll be joining the buddy-read! We still have a lot of time till the end of the month, so don’t rush, enjoy your other book. (I’ve added it to my tbr, it looks interesting.) Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the Mockingjay 🙂

[Gina Marie]

Oof...I devoured this in two days and I feel emotionally drained. I realized part way through that I don't think I ever saw the last movies, so it was all new to me. Obviously there have been a lot of deaths throughout the series, but there were several in this book that were particularly upsetting. I'm going to take some time before I reflect any further. Maybe it's just adding to the stress of the times we're living in now, but I felt this book really intensely. I think I need to read something lighthearted and fun to lift me out of the funk I'm in now.

[LinaVer]

Gina Marie wrote: "Oof...I devoured this in two days and I feel emotionally drained."

This is exactly why, even though I look forward to reading it every day, I am pacing myself with this book. It’s so emotionally and intellectually stimulating. I now don’t even read it before bed (even though I always read for an hour before sleep), because I kept having dreams related to the plot. I think Suzanne Collins is very insightful, so this book (the whole series really) relates to the events in the world now just as much as it did at the time it was published. Maybe even more so. I’m glad to hear you’re taking care of yourself and taking the time to process. I will be happy to read more of your thoughts later, if you decide to share them.