Mockingjay Discussion - will contain spoilers

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

If you choose to read Mockingjay for the Group Reads task (or another task for that matter) please feel free to discuss it here.

[Charity]

I just finished Mockingjay this afternoon and I have to say that I was pretty underwhelmed. I really enjoyed the first two books in the trilogy, but this one just didn't live up to my expectations. Lack of focus, maybe? Too much going on? I don't know, but it seemed a little all over the place. Decent enough read though.

[Ashley FL]

I can't read this for the Fall Challenge, as I read it last week, but I'm so excited for the discussion!

Charity, I was also underwhelmed. After a lot of thought, and some discussion on Goodreads, I've decided that, for me, the books really needed the structure of the actual Hunger Games. In whatever format. It helped set the structure of the book and also, frankly, the "Survivor" fan in me appreciated the grotesque nature of the games themselves -- without them, it became just another dystopic-YA story.

I did enjoy it. But I LOVED the first two. And didn't LOVE this one.

[Charity]

After a lot of thought, and some discussion on Goodreads, I've decided that, for me, the books really needed the structure of the actual Hunger Games. In whatever format. It helped set the structure of the book and also, frankly, the "Survivor" fan in me appreciated the grotesque nature of the games themselves -- without them, it became just another dystopic-YA story.

I did enjoy it. But I LOVED the first two. And didn't LOVE this one.

Agreed! You have pretty much summed up my sentiments exactly. Glad I'm not the only one who appreciated reading about the games. Guess we're a couple of savages, huh? :)

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Charity wrote: "After a lot of thought, and some discussion on Goodreads, I've decided that, for me, the books really needed the structure of the actual Hunger Games. In whatever format. It helped set the structur..."

I actually found the same thing - sigh, I guess I just like reading about people trying to kill each other? That's a scary thought!

At the same time, I did think that she had to finish it up in some way and maybe that required moving outside the structure of the game. Too bad she couldn't figure out a way to finish it up by making Snow participate in a game!

[Charity]

Too bad she couldn't figure out a way to finish it up by making Snow participate in a game!

Ooooo, that would have been interesting!

[Usako]

I think the Third Book becomes a disappointment because the rush of the game, the fear at every turn, the predictability of the game's twists (in that you KNOW something HAS to happen and it'll be brutal/cruel)...to the calm downtime and witnessing Katniss' mental breakdown. She hasn't the drive or focus as she did in Book One and Two. Here, she acts like a rag doll that gets animated now and again then flops down helplessly.

I like what was done to Peeta. Figured he'd be mentally turned against Katniss. But Gale, Katniss and other parts was too disconnected. The only person we honestly had a good connection was Katniss but she wasn't the same "Girl On Fire" that we loved. She was someone else. So it was like reading a book for a stranger??

[Jennifer]

Love the first 2 books and can't say I really cared for the third. As everyone else did, I missed the games. I also missed the story of Peeta and Katniss, the short ending of them together just wasn't enough for me. Although I read it very quickly it seemed to drag on and I agree with Tanja that I was reading a book with different characters.

[Bridgit]

Agreed. This was not as good as the first two for me. i still enjoyed it, but not in the same, obsessive, passionate way where I can't wait to force everyone I know to read it.

I felt like this one was trying too hard to pick up themes from Hunger Games. It didnt work here. The 'pods' in the Capitol felt contrived. Why would they have booby-trapped their own city? I did enjoy the story of Finnick, and was disappointed that he didnt make it. I was never really on a team in the Gale/Peeta battle, but frankly, I think that one of them should have died in the end, saving Katniss one last time.

And the whole film crew aspect got old for me real quick.

[Usako]

I was very disappointed with Finnick's death. I thought he deserved better. The film crew aspect *YAWN*. I thought they were forced in since Cinna died and the old team broke (sorta).

Finished the book a few hours ago. I'm left with disappointment and wondering who are these characters. Everyone is a stranger. I understand the Games and the plots twisted and changed them YET one shouldn't change them that the audience is disenchanted.

And the final romance pick? Snooze. Wish there was a happier conclusion. We had such beautiful moments in book 1 & 2 with either Peeta or Gale so why deny that in 3?

Bleh :P

[Bridgit]

Yeah - I think Finnick was a big let down. Particularly when they introduced the bit about all of the scandals and secrets he knew... A lot more could have been done about that. I wish it was brought back to be more useful later, as opposed to just a reason that Snow had to remain in his mansion. I don't know, maybe something about those people joining in the fight, or Katniss/Gale gets captured by one of them and they surprisingly help to get Katniss in front of Snow alone.

I was also disappointed with how Katniss' blackout was used to explain away the end of the war. I'd like to have read about how they captured Snow and his reaction.

[Tanya]

I finished reading the book yesterday and I tried to take some time to digest what I read to see if I still felt the same way. Yep! I did not like this book. I do not understand the ending when she just flipped out and shot the new president. She did not even think about in her head which was where most of this book took place. And I want Finnick back. And what the heck did she do to Peeta and Gale. In the end it almost seemed like they both would rather not have wound up with Katniss. Very disappointing this could have been so much better!

[Donna Jo]

I must admit that I thought Catching Fire was a let down as a sequel, but Mockingjay really plunged. I thought CF was too much like THG, but Mockingjay was too big a departure from it in terms of presentation. Tanya said it right --about most of the book taking place in Katniss's head. So much of the action here did not really envolve Katniss.
The ending was just a little too pat, as if Collins reached her recommended page requirement and just hung up the Happy Ever After sign. After so much bleakness it was too unbelievable.

[Josalyn]

OK, so I guess I was reading too fast or something, but when Plutarch showed them the Holo of the Capitol and said 'welcome to the whatever number Hunger Games' I totally thought the whole thing had just been some super elaborate set up for another Hunger Game that had been going on the whole time to punish Katniss.
That would have been awesome. lol.
I agree with Donna Jo about the ending. Not believable.
Overall I liked it though. I liked how most of the characters from the previous books ended up making appearances in the final one, or were at least mentioned.

[Laura]

I just read everyone else's comments so far and I am in the minority - I really enjoyed this book as much as the other's in the series. I was very sad when Finnick and Prim died. I would have liked to see a little more focus on the actual battle in the capitol and maybe less on the goings-on in 13. Overall, though, I really enjoyed it and will definitely read it again.

[Katy]

I liked it but I agree - not quite the same as the others. But necessary to wrap up all those plot details and loose ends. Prim's death really shocked me, and the ending with Katniss shooting Coin was awesome, although it also surprised me. I was so shocked that Katniss voted to have another Hunger Games, and so disappointed - I thought she was going for a "once the oppressed get power they become the oppressors" theme, even with Katniss. But then it changed again with Katniss killing Coin. I didn't like the ending looking back on it, but in the moment, it felt good to have something less bleak! And maybe reading it again I'll still feel happy that Katniss had something good to look forward to...I do like her!

[Kate]

I was so sad when Finnick and Prim died. And I didn't buy Katniss voting to have another Hunger Games, especially after she saw all of those children kept as a human shield and then bombed. I was a big fan of Peeta and Katniss as a couple, so I was happy that it ended that way, however, I would have liked to have seen a little more "growing back together". I would also have liked to have known what exactly Gale was doing in district 2 (aside from an important job) and if he ever found someone and if he and Katniss ever became friends again.

[Cassandra]

There really should be a 'spoilers,' in this thread's title.

I actually really liked it, so I'm in the minority too.

I thought Katniss's breakdowns added complexity to her character, and I thought that the 'meaningless' death scenes showed the pointlessness of war.

I read a review where someone made a connection between readers and the people of the Capitol. Of course it's different because it's fiction for readers, but both are getting enjoyment from the drama of children killing each other. I thought the last book did a really good job with this idea without making it preachy.

I think a lot of people are missing why Katniss voted yes for another Hunger Games. It wasn't because she was for it; it was because if she didn't vote yes Coin might not have let her shoot Snow. Then she wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to murder Coin and prevent another Hunger Games.

[Lori]

I liked this book just as much as the first two.

And I think Rhea was reading my mind. She said exactly what I was thinking about Katniss and her "breakdowns" and everything, including her reasons for voting for another Hunger Games.

War sucks. And there is always a hidden agenda. You could tell all along that Coin wanted to be the new President and that she would be just as bad as Snow when she had the power.

As for Finnick, there are always "pointless" deaths in war. And I thought killing Gale or Peeta off would have let Katniss off the hook for having to make a decision. And the fact that the "trap" that killed Prim was Gale's idea just put the exclamation point on the end of her relationship with Gale. She had already realized she wouldn't be happy with him, she just hadn't admitted it yet.

[Stacie]

Laura wrote: "I just read everyone else's comments so far and I am in the minority - I really enjoyed this book as much as the other's in the series. I was very sad when Finnick and Prim died. I would have liked..."

Laura, I have to agree with you. I really enjoyed the book (so much that I could hardly put it down). Prim dying just about brought a tear to my eye!

[Liz]

I absolutely loved this book! I thought it was a wonderful way to end the trilogy. It was definitely more violent than the other books & was difficult to read at times, but it was my favorite of the three. It took all my willpower not to skip ahead & see how it ended. I was glad that so many of the loose ends were wrapped up nicely without it having the perfect cookie cutter ending. Suzanne Collins did a great job!

[Liz]

I really liked how this book focused more on the effects of the Hunger Games on Katniss' & her near inability to continue functioning. I thought it made her character very believable.
I also liked the fact that the Capitol was rigged with booby traps in case of invasion - it brought the reality & danger of the Hunger Games directly to the people who previously only saw it as entertainment.

[Bridgit]

Lori (BNPL) wrote: "I liked this book just as much as the first two.

And I think Rhea was reading my mind. She said exactly what I was thinking about Katniss and her "breakdowns" and everything, including her re..."

I think Katniss got let off the hook with the existing ending anyway. She didnt exactly have to choose. Peeta was there and Gale was in District 2. I think Gale is the one who made the decision, not Katniss. She just decided to go with Peeta becuase he was the only option left.

[Kate]

Bridgit wrote: "Lori (BNPL) wrote: "I liked this book just as much as the first two.

And I think Rhea was reading my mind. She said exactly what I was thinking about Katniss and her "breakdowns" and everythi..."

I saw it that she kind of made the decision when she was asking him if they were his bombs that he had designed with Beetee. He asked her if it really mattered and she said it didn't and in her mind you see that every time she thinks of the bombings and Prim's death, she sort of blames Gale. I saw that as her making the decision... But that is just me.

Liz- I have to admit that I did look ahead to see if she ended up with Gale or Peeta. I HATE Gale and I could not have read the book if she had ended up with him... lol, I also liked to see how the Hunger Games and the taking of Peeta affected Katniss in the book. I liked to see that she wasn't a cold-hearted killer.

[Katy]

Rhea wrote: "There really should be a 'spoilers,' in this thread's title.

I actually really liked it, so I'm in the minority too.

I thought Katniss's breakdowns added complexity to her character, and I though..."

Rhea, I agree - that's important, *why* she voted for another Hunger Games. I didn't see it coming at the time but you're right. Plus, I think that scene where the idea of a new Hunger Games was presented to her was the tipping point - it made her lose any hope that a Coin-led regime would be better than a Snow-led one. So there was then no hesitation in what to do with her arrow. In a way we saw her broaden her thinking from "Snow himself is the enemy" to "This system is the enemy."

[Christine]

I was also disappointed by the ending of Mockingjay, but maybe it's because I was sad in general that the trilogy was ending. Like the Twilight series and Harry Potter before that, the end of The Hunger Games will definitely leave a gaping hole in my (young adult) literary life until the next hot YA series comes along!

I was mainly disappointed by the fact that much of the ending happened while Katniss was either unconscious or sleeping. Also, is it just me or was this excessively violent and heavy for a YA book? I was pretty surprised at how many main characters died and how much the suicide concept played into the story. Lastly, I can't believe they killed off Prim! I thought that was overkill. No pun intended.

[Julie]

After the first 3 chapters I was feeling very disappointed. I was not certain that I was going to enjoy this book and I LOVED the first two. But, then I was hooked. I couldn't put the book down. Knowing this was the last book, I felt that anything could happen. I was saddened by the number of characters that were killed off, but I think it had to happen or this book would not have fit in this series.
I am sad that this series is over. What a great set of books!!

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

You know, there could be some interesting books in the Hunger Games universe about other characters - I would love to read a book about Finnick's experiences, for instance - we got just that little bit of it, but that could make for a really interesting book. Or one centering around someone in the capitol and the political intrigues going on there leading up to Catching Fire. Or Cinna - I bet you could write an interesting story about him.

[Kate]

I agree, Sandy. I would like to have seen Peeta's life before the games... maybe even in the first games and his perspective. And getting the back story of Cinna would be amazing. And I would like to have seen Haymitch's games... So many kids had to die in that game. Or Johanna Masons games. And knowing what we know in this book of about Finnick, I would definitely like to know more about him, and Annie. I would like to know their story. Wow, so much more I would like to know...

[Jessica]

Just finished this book, and I'd have to say I agree with the folks who were somewhat underwhelmed. I'm not sure what I expected, but this book wasn't exactly it. In some ways I like the idea of other books and finding out more about the people, but in other ways I like this being just Katniss' world that we see through her eyes.

Kathryn- I'm glad to see someone else dislikes Gale as well. I almost felt bad when I realized I didn't like him, and I'm glad Katniss didn't end up with him in the end. I would have been much less satisfied with the ending if she had.

[Kate]

Jessica wrote: "Just finished this book, and I'd have to say I agree with the folks who were somewhat underwhelmed. I'm not sure what I expected, but this book wasn't exactly it. In some ways I like the idea of ..."

lol, all of my sisters and most of my friends hate Gale. As a matter of fact, I was dispatched to check and see who she ended up with in the end of the third book or no one in my group of friends/family would have read the book. So know that you aren't alone out there.

I think Suzanne Collins specializes in not doing what you would expect her to. She probably knew most of us expected Katniss to be more of the girl on fire so she gave us another Katniss instead. I found it really interesting that Coin wanted Peeta, not Katniss, to be the Mockingjay. The only way that would have ever happened is if she had gotten Katniss to push Peeta into it.

[Emily Kate]

I loved the book! I wish there was more of an elaborate ending for Katniss and Peeta. I also liked the other books in the series better. I didn't completely understand why Katniss would vote for Hunger games in the end, I mean I know it was for Prim, but that seems like very much out of character for someone who has gone through 2 hunger games herself.

[Erin (NY)]

I liked the book, I thought it was great! I was deffinitelly excited that Katniss ended up with Peeta, and I thought the ending was perfect! I think there is no way it could have been an over the top ending. I couldn't put the book down!! Great wonderful series!

[Megan]

Rhea wrote: "I think a lot of people are missing why Katniss voted yes for another Hunger Games. It wasn't because she was for it; it was because if she didn't vote yes Coin might not have let her shoot Snow. Then she wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to murder Coin and prevent another Hunger Games. "

I picked up on this the second Coin asked her question. Katniss didn't want the children killed; she knew from just having seen Snow that he was on the verge of death anyway and that Coin was a real threat.

I also think that Part 3 of the book was like a Games. Her team was getting killed, alliances were shaky (because at that point, no one could be exactly sure if/when Peeta would flip out), and they had to dodge obstacles. It wasn't exactly the same, but it was similar to a Games.

What surprised me was that Katniss, Peeta, and Gale all survived. I was expecting at least one of them would be killed somehow. I figured out Katniss (if she lived) wouldn't end up with Gale when Snow mentioned it to her, but even before then there was a definite "drawing away" from him. She was always more concerned about Peeta and, even though she cared about Gale, it never came off as romantic love (though, honestly, "romantic love" never really seemed like a huge part of her personality anyway). Honestly, though, I didn't really care who she ended up with, mostly because I wasn't expecting her to survive the book. With all the mental trauma she went through and the dangers of the rebellion, I figured she'd get killed at some point. And I was almost expecting the two guys to get killed to remove the decision from her entirely (man, wouldn't that have made a lot of readers mad! lol).

I loved the book, though. It's different from the first two, yes, but in a good way. I like the unreliable narrator, the logistics of running the rebellion, and never being quite sure who is on the "good" side. I almost want to read the entire series again to see if there's anything I missed.

And I DEFINITELY would love to see prequels or something to the series, like games from other participants' perspectives, even ones who weren't even mentioned. A book of short stories about the participants in the 74th games could be cool, or some sort of codex about the universe of the books. I wouldn't blame Collins if she wanted to move on to bigger and brighter things, though. It's rare that other books set in the same world live up to the hype of the originals. Just look at Star Wars.

[Kate]

Ms. Anderson - I didn't see that as the reason she voted yes for the games... I still don't really see it. I understand why you and Rhea and some others see that as the reason she voted yes, but I didn't see that at all.

I didn't expect Katniss to die, but I definitely expect either Gale or Peeta to die. I am glad that she didn't die. That would have ticked me off. lol

[Kate]

I was very satisfied with the end to the trilogy. I was a little disappointed when I first realized this book wasn't going to have another Games in it, but it makes sense, since the whole point of the revolution was to end that sort of control and behavior.

I was really sad when Finnick and Prim died, but it just goes to that Collins doesn't allow anyone to be safe. In the other two books she killed off favorite characters, and it would have been too convenient for all the faves to have lived this time too.

I was really relieved when Katniss killed Coin. It was pretty clear to me that she was just going to become another Snow/dictator, so she needed to be dealt with.

I was all for Gale in the first two books, but I'm glad Katniss ended up with Peeta. I don't know if I wasn't seeing it or Collins didn't reveal it, but Gale seemed much more angry and vengeful in this book. I think Katniss said it perfectly that she already has enough of that in herself. She needs someone who will support and protect her and vice versa, which is the role she and Peeta always played for each other. So I don't think it was a matter of convenience for her.

Even if the ending was not totally realistic, it's nice to think that after all they've been through, they can have a safe and happy life together and for their children.

[Kate]

Kate - I wouldn't say that Peeta and Katniss' life together was "safe" and "happy" all the time... I mean she still had nightmares all the time and he still had moments when the "shiny" memories come back and he gets confused about reality and hijacked memories. Also, it took him 15 years to have a baby, and even then, she was really scared.

I am glad she ended up with Peeta and that they had kids. I agree with you that Collins has never spared us in keeping safe our favorite characters. I always saw Gales anger and love of the rebellion, but I think that he was definitely more angry in this book. Also, I think he could have been a lot more understand of what she has gone through. Sure, she didn't have to watch the people of District 12 die in the bombings but she did have to watch/kill people in two Hunger Games and she had to live with the knowledge that because of what she had done, the people in 12 were killed and some in 11 were killed during the victors tour and that Peeta and the others were being tortured. Okay, end of anti-Gale rant.

It is funny, Katniss used to really annoy me a lot, but this book made me appreciate her and all that she has been through (keeping in mind that it is all fiction and all that) and why she did what she did a lot times.

[Anna]

Stayed up all night last night to finish.

I loved it!!! I am so happy for Katniss and Peeta, and I think the conclusion was the right one. Not all tied up nice and pretty with a ribbon to make it unbelievable but had the same atmosphere of slight worry and struggle to get past the memories of the games but with a bright future ahead.

I also appreciated Katniss and Haymitch a lot more. Although I would have liked to see a lot more of Peeta, because he was my favorite character, but it was interesting to see how Katniss and Haymitch would keep the propaganda going without Peeta's people's skill.

So all and all it was a five stars for me. I would recommend it to just about anyone. Collins did the literary world a favor with this one.

[Kate]

Kathryn wrote: "Kate - I wouldn't say that Peeta and Katniss' life together was "safe" and "happy" all the time... I mean she still had nightmares all the time and he still had moments when the "shiny" memories co..."

Well considering the world they grew up in and the horrific things they were forced to do, they will obviously have issues they'll spend their lives dealing with, but I would imagine that they are living safer and happier lives than they had before.

[Kate]

Kate wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Kate - I wouldn't say that Peeta and Katniss' life together was "safe" and "happy" all the time... I mean she still had nightmares all the time and he still had moments when the "sh..."

lol, definitely. I didn't mean to sound like you were saying they lived perfect lives. I cannot even imagine being in their shoes.

[Petra]

Well, I haven't been a fan of the series, so this book didn't disappoint: I wasn't enthralled with this book either.
One of the things I haven't liked in the series is Katniss. I've found her slow and undecisive and a "hero" without warranting being one. She just seemed to be in the right place at the right time and didn't have to do much in order to "win". She was strongest in THG but so very indecisive. She was a pawn in CF and didn't know what was going on. She was a wreck in Mockingjay....understandably so, but still a wreck. (I know I'm in the minority about thinking she wasn't the heroine that people would have followed)
This book didn't have the direction of the other books. Collins tried to make the Revolution into a new version of the Hunger Games but it fell short, I think.
I didn't see Katniss's vote to continue the Hunger Games to be a diversion to allow her time to kill Coin. Maybe she did, maybe she didn't. I don't see her having the foresight or the strength for such a decision.
All that said, her need to decide between Gale or Peeta was removed and she became a pawn again in the world of Love. Peeta was there, he healed himself and stuck by her. There wasn't really any other option. Only someone who's gone through the Hunger Games can understand another's fears and nightmares. In that sense, only a Hunger Game survivor could/would marry another Hunger Games survivor.
I didn't like how Peeta's love for Katniss moved so far into the background....but then, I like a good, true love story and this relationship became one of survival only. The love was removed.
Katniss' "healer" mother turned out to be a real card, too.....deserting her daughter just when she needed healing the most.

[Kate]

Petra wrote: "Well, I haven't been a fan of the series, so this book didn't disappoint: I wasn't enthralled with this book either.
One of the things I haven't liked in the series is Katniss. I've found her slo..."

Petra, Katniss' mother deserting her irked me too. I understand the difficulty of returning to District 12 after all the sadness and bad things she has witnessed their, but her daughter just saw the death of her sister and many others that she loved... That is when a child needs her mother the most and I had hoped that the mother would have overcome her selfishness enough to come to the aid of her daughter... though I guess if she had, the need for Peeta might not have been so great. But at the same time, Greasey Sae was there doing all the things the mother should have been doing...

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Kathryn wrote: "I understand the difficulty of returning to District 12 after all the sadness and bad things she has witnessed their, but her daughter just saw the death of her sister and many others that she loved... "

Of course, that was one of the big themes all along, that the mother was completely worthless at taking care of her children. If it had been up to her, they would all have starved when the father died. Throughout the series, it looked as if she might be improving, but I wasn't surprised when she returned to form - hated it, but wasn't surprised!

[Sera]

Interesting comments about the mother, which I hadn't given much thought to, since she is really a secondary character to the story. However, you are all spot on about how weak she was as a parent. Here she is supposed to be some uber-healer, and she can't even take care of her own children. She's never a rock for Katniss to lean on. Instead, she is forced to find her strength through other people, including Haymitch.

I liked the book, giving it 3 stars, but the more that I think about it, and the more that the read the observations of others who have read the book, the less that I like it. I never felt on the edge of my seat like I did with the first two books. I felt that Collins had to ensure that there was something off about Gale so as to justify Katniss ending up with Peeta, and I felt that the ending was abrupt and contrived unlike the first two books. For example, the mother not willing to return to her homeland, because it was too sad for her. Another example is Gale on some big important government job that we don't really learn anything about. What a lazy way in which to keep out of the Katniss-Peeta picture!

The book became a bit of a mess for me as it went on. I think that Collins tried to do too many things and in the end, failed to get few of them right. There was an opportunity to weave the HG spirit in throughout the story, but it was as if Collins just refused to go there. I guess in a way I can understand that, but the HG was what readers loved most about the book so in my opinion, she should have given them what they wanted, albeit in a new context.

I'm glad that I read the series, but the in the end, the grand finale just didn't happen for me.

[etwatson]

Before I started reading the third book, against my better judgement, I looked at some of the first posts in this thread. Several people have commented that they missed the Hunger Games themselves in the book. That being said I started reading the book expecting to not have a Hunger Game but was surprised by the similarities between the final siege of The Capitol and another Hunger Games. In my eyes the final push against the capitol was basically another hunger games. All of the traps, strategies and risks were still there, it just didn't have all of the rules of past games but the goal was the same. Only one person still standing: Katniss or Snow. I'm glad that Katniss killed Coin rather than Snow. I think she realized very early on that District 13's rule of power was very similar to the Capitol's rule. Or at least headed down that path.

The characters I will miss most are Cinna and Finnick. I think it would be neat of Collins wrote a couple of books based on their back story.

[Elizabeth (NC)]

I finished this last night and while I thought it was very good, it did not have the same hold on me as the first two. In both book 1 and 2 there was a moment (Rue dying, can't remember the one in the second book) where I could not put the book down and stayed up all night to finish. My husband and I were sharing this one (we have very different reading times). Last night, I was near the end, but was willing to give him the book at any time--quite a change from the first two.

Overall, I liked the series. For those of you who read books for younger kids, I also recommend the Gregor the Overlander series, also by Collins. It is geared at a younger audience (my fifth graders loved it), so there is not quite so much violence, but the story is great and holds throughout the books (5 in all)

[Jennifer N.]

I enjoyed this book. I felt that it wrapped up the trilogy nicely. I was suprised that Katniss' mother allowed Prim to get into the middle of District 2/The Capital to begin with. The irony of Katniss' taking Prim's place to save her life but yet to die in the end was saddening.

[Usako]

What did you think of the roses? I thought the use of them connected to Snow was positively eerie - in the good sense to set up this villainous character.

I was happy when Katniss turned around and killed Coin. She likely knew with Coin's downfall, eventually Snow would die, too. But if she killed Snow, Coin would remain.

Like others, I'd love to read prequels or even a trilogy focused on a character in the other district after the fall of Coin.

[Lori]

Katniss' mother being such a weak person is central to the plot of this story. Katniss would never have become the survivor she was if her mother had been a strong person.

I disliked Gale also. He was angry and bitter from the beginning of the first book. Being in District 13 just gave him a way to express his anger and resentment better. And I totally see how Katniss would blame him for the bomb that killed Prim.

As for her being undecisive, she is just a teenager. I thought the fact that she had a hard time making decisions made her more believable for her age.

I also agree with whoever recommended the Gregor series. I don't normally read Juvenile fiction (as opposed to reading a lot of YA fiction) but the Gregor series is wonderful.

[Petra]

Lori (BNPL) wrote: "Katniss' mother being such a weak person is central to the plot of this story. Katniss would never have become the survivor she was if her mother had been a strong person....."


Katniss started out strong because her mother forced her to become the head of the family. In this way, I agree with your statement. Katniss certainly had a lot on her shoulders at a very young age.
By the end of the series, though, Katniss turned into her mother. She hid from the world and just let life slip by her.....not just a few months or years but her entire life.
Somehow, I think that if one is brought up in a dystopian world and surrounded by the Games and hunger and need and hardship and death, one grows up quickly (or not at all).
Katniss started out very grown-up for her age & with lots of grown-up responsibilities on her shoulders. She was used to making decisions. Then, the story made her into a teenager from our more pampered world and she lost her ability to decide things. It didn't fit that she was so indecisive, I think. Her world would have made her older than her years.