Mockingjay
discussion
Worst. F**king. Ending. Ever!
I did love this series however I would be lying if I said I just breezed thru the last book. It was so dark and so violent and really slow at times that it became hard to resist just giving up. Peeta had the saddest end of all the characters for me. To see him a shell of his former self was brutal.
I fully agree with this whole thing. I was SO upset with the ending. I mean REALLY upset. I felt like Suzanne seriously was like, alright-I'm done with this-just kill everyone and leave everyone hopeless. The ending REALLY didn't make sense because the rest of the book there was so much depth but the ending was just....horrible. I'm not looking forward to seeing that in the movies...it's going to upset me all over again so I hope they can translate it on screen into a way that I feel better about the ending. :)
i feel exactly the same way Alexandrea J. i cant wait to see the films but dread the ending because its so bad !!! i hope that the film makers improve the ending ... but i doubt it
Anyone surprised by the total lack of control Collins had over the plot to Mockingjay clearly wasn't paying attention during Catching Fire. Collins needed a big plot twist, so what did she do? Another Hunger Games! Just like the first book! She can think up interesting teen characters but when it comes to finding things for them to do? She has very few ideas.
Lindsey wrote: "I think it was a nice break from cookie cutter endings where everyone ends up happy and the girl has to make a heart-breaking decision between her two beaus. Boo-hoo."Word.
RJ wrote: "Anyone surprised by the total lack of control Collins had over the plot to Mockingjay clearly wasn't paying attention during Catching Fire. Collins needed a big plot twist, so what did she do? Anot..."I wasn't surprised. A book in a series will continue a theme. Was anyone surprised when a Harry Potter book is another year at Hogwarts? Or a James Bond movie has Bond on another mission?
MJ has been criticized for a change in direction from the first two books so it's surprising to see a criticism for not being different enough.
Kristine wrote: "RJ wrote: "Anyone surprised by the total lack of control Collins had over the plot to Mockingjay clearly wasn't paying attention during Catching Fire. Collins needed a big plot twist, so what did s..."lol your comment made me lol for the comparisons. You're not wrong though. :) lol
I'll always remember when Peeta whispered to Katniss "YOU LOVE ME. REAL OR NOT REAL? and Katniss said "REAL".. *sigh* I felt like I wanna cry, mixed emotions actually. Ending was good but I want more of them as in more!!! But of course, that's how Suzanne Collins wanted it to end...
The ending was abrupt, maybe that's what made it bad, however it did answer most of my questions leaving me satisfied. Not the best ending, but I've read worse.
I think it seemed abrupt because the Hunger Games were over and that's essentially what the story was about. I guess if it was read as a romance then details might be lacking eg. how Katniss and Peeta 'grow together'. But I think the essentials are all there, just very concise. It's quite romantic IMO. This is how I see it. In the vote to have another HG, Peeta learns that Katniss had once again saved his life by the terms in which she agreed to become the MJ. And then he saves hers by not letting her take the nightlock pill. Why is Peeta standing close enough to act to prevent it, if not to protect her? He's guessed that Katniss and Haymitch, with the bond he's always resented, have planned something.
As soon as he can, he follows Katniss to District 12 to share her exile. He goes into the woods (a place he doesn’t like) to dig up primroses ‘for her’, but really for Katniss. He’s the catalyst for Katniss’s recovery – she finally showers etc. destroys the rose that Snow left, and begins her mourning for District 12 and Prim. And who gets her into her bed that night but Peeta? Certainly not an old woman like Greasy Sae although she undoubtedly tells him about the effect he’s had. The boy with the bread returns the next morning with an offering of bread. A symbol of succor and hope? It was for the first time Peeta gave her bread and, for Katniss, it marked the beginning of their relationship. And I think it also symbolizes the beginning of the next stage of their relationship.
And then they grow together. Organically, not faked because of a Games or to placate the Capitol or as PR for the rebellion. At this point you can re-read parts of CF to see how they grow together. The plant book for the remembrance book. Sleeping together on the train for comforting with his arms and then 'the beach' for 'the hunger' but this time without cameras to inhibit or lightning strikes to interrupt.
And Katniss has children, something she always swore she wouldn’t do, out of both love for Peeta and confidence in the future.
The story itself was well put together but I'm against the fact that the ending, even the epilogue, still feels so incomplete. And the other problem on my mind is that so many things were left unexplained, like Peeta's hijacking and such. Since the story was told through the lost in her own world Katniss, so a lot was left out of the story and we couldn't actually understand it very well.
Alya wrote: "The story itself was well put together but I'm against the fact that the ending, even the epilogue, still feels so incomplete. And the other problem on my mind is that so many things were left unex..."And that is why I don't really like a story told in first person...
I loved the book. It was exciting trying to rescue Peeta; first from the capital and then from mental programming. You have to understand that Katniss was always emotionally broken. She was strong and effective in a crisis but without that constant need to fight and survive, she was lost. We saw that in Catching Fire in between the games. I liked the Mockingjay after I read it. I LOVED Mockingjay after I reread it. On the first read, I was trying to see what happened next. On the second read, I was slower and saw why it happened.
1. Prim died because she was the catalyst that started the revolt all those months ago on the reaping. She was the real reason, not Katniss. If Prim had not been picked or if Katniss had been picked, the effect of Katniss in the games would not have been significant. Katniss was a star because of Prim. The war was over, they had already won when Prim died in that explosion. Coin killed her to get rid of Katniss' effectiveness.
2. Gale and Katniss were never going to work. They were each others crutch. Katniss states it perfectly at the end regarding their relationship. She didn't need a warrior like Gale because she was one. She needed someone to balance her and Gale wasn't it. Plus, he sucked as a hero. He says so also in his last discussion with Katniss. He could have volunteered to go into the first arena with her, to protect/save her, but he did NOT. I had never thought about that the first time I read the series. He let her go TO HER DEATH! Don't see how anyone could have been Team Gale. He was a killer and probably would have found a way to kill her quietly in the arena if he had gone.
Peeta risked his life for Katniss all the time and never held it over her or boasted about it. Katniss wasnt' weak in the end of Mockingjay but she had endured so much in a 2 year period. Peeta was her safe place even as far back as on the victory tour. He was where she was able to let herself feel and that is why she fell in love with him.
Loved the epilogue. I was happy to see that Peeta got his happy ending.
Mightymoose wrote: "Its sad to see how many people miss the point. It doesn't bode well for our future."It's unbelievable how many people missed the point, I agree. Suzanne Collins never set out to create a fairy-tale story with the perfect ending, and many people who read the trilogy appear to have trouble dealing with the brutality of the reality of life. It's a fictional story, but its reality is extreme. People can't deal with the fact of death, and therefore treat this book as if Collins failed to "tie up loose ends" or made too many "unnecessary killings" of her characters. I was fourteen when I read this book, and I was really moved by the story. I felt like it was very real, and the possibilities for this world coming to life is not actually that far out of reach, these days.
I just think it's a shame that Mockingjay is so underappreciated because people don't like to face the brutal reality that these characters wouldn't have turned out fine.
What pissed me off is how easily and randomly they killed off Finnick.
I am glad I am not the only one who was displeased by the ending of the series. I wanted her to choose neither guy and to go off and do her own thing after fighting the good fight. I think that I wanted the ending where not everything was fine and running off into the meadow with Peeta was the fairytale ending, to me at least.
I have other reasons for being displeased with Mockingjay the most of the trilogy, but many others have stated similar reasons.
Mocking Jay Still is a mess ._.
Dj wrote: "In my opinion the end was the best part of the book. I would hate the books if the serie ended with "everthing is fine, there are only nice people and that will continue for the rest of their lifes..."
I agree with that, the Hunger Games Series isn't a happy series, you can't really have a happy ending. This is the case with a lot of post apocalyptic/dystopian books such as The Giver, it ends by saying, "Behind him, across vast distances of space and time, from the place he had left, he thought he heard music too. But perhaps it was only an echo." It's a sad book so it can't end with happiness.
I agree with that, the Hunger Games Series isn't a happy series, you can't really have a happy ending. This is the case with a lot of post apocalyptic/dystopian books such as The Giver, it ends by saying, "Behind him, across vast distances of space and time, from the place he had left, he thought he heard music too. But perhaps it was only an echo." It's a sad book so it can't end with happiness.
The Giver's ending is very ambiguous though. I wasn't sure if he made it or not. I mean for all I know they could have died in the middle of nowhere.
Kristine wrote: "I felt hollow when I finished the book but I think that was the author's intention. It was war, after all. There was a lot to cram in, and I think the movie of MJ (split into two parts) may help f..."Finally someone who knows how to properly analyse a book instead of criticize it. I agree with you 100% couldn"t have said it better myself.
Finally people that understand me
The ending sucks...let's leave it at that.
I know right!! Just pathetic
Like the epilogue made me feel sorry for her cuz she completely lost it
Allegiantmockingjay
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I agree on the Prim thing - I hated that she had to die, but, yes, her death did serve a purpose: it revealed the depravity and cruelty of the rebel leader, whatever-her-face-is. Without her death, Panem might have once again fallen under an evil dictator, bent on keeping her power. And gale - truth be told, he, as Katniss (In the prologue[Or was it just the ending]) explains, just didn't suit her: they were too similar in a bad-kind-of-way.
Hated the ending as well (as well as the book). I think the author was up against time, maybe the publisher wanted her to hurry up. Too bad, I liked the other two.
I liked Mockingjay, but can understand why a lot of people were frustrated by the fact not everything was resolved and wrapped in a nice bow with a happy ending. I thought the book showed the real struggles Katniss went through after everything that had happened to her and the affect it had on her mental health. What I hated about the ending was Katniss counting what she's grateful for and how it's a game, "but there are worse games to play", or something of the sort. I hated how it ended with a kind of a pun. It really killed it for me.
I didn't like Mockingjay. Collins completely changed the narrative so suddenly the rebels were as bad- if not worse- as the Capitol and the "fire fueled by rage and hatred" line was completely wrong? I mean, Gale was actually concerned for the freedom of Panem.But I do think Prim's death was important, because it signified the end of the Games.
My biggest problems were two: first, the loss of Katniss' agency (rip)
and Peeta's hijacking. I think the whole 'Peeta doesn't remember their love and hates Katniss and she's devastated' was stupid and think even a doubtful 'why did you leave me' Peeta would be better. Plus, there goes Peeta's agency as well.
Will everyone just slow the hell down!? It was not a bad book! I know that some people are pissed that Prim died or that Gale took off, but honestly, did you really expect such a hard-core war-based series to end 'happily ever after'? Of course there were gonna be some deaths and sad bits, why would Mockingjay be any diffrent from the first two?I can not deny that the ending did leave us with some un-answered questions, but that was what Suzanne Collins was trying to project: Katniss lives, she gets with Peeta, Gale is probably living a better life in district two where he can't be constantly reminded of Prim and what happened to her because of him. You can use your imagination for the rest. It's not that hard!
I know that there will be plenty of people who disagree with me and that's fine. But don't go hatin' on a good, well written series with a decent ending, just because you're sad someone died!
You guys need to stop it now. The ending was completely in line with the book and other ending would have been unrealistic. 1)Prim had to die okay... its sad yes, but this needed to happen to that Katniss could have seen the true evils of Coin and could work up the nerve to kill her before it was to late. Coin was about to have another Hunger Games, she would have been just as bad as Snow and their lives would have been restricted and controlled just as it was before. We saw in district 13, the punishment of katniss's stylist when they took extra bread. They were beaten. Also she would have killed Katniss after anyway, Remember she wanted to because she was afraid katniss would have become leader and not her and she sent peeta to kill katniss while on the mission.
2) Also, while Finnick did not have to die, they were engaged in a WAR. People die in wars. It would have been unrealistic if everyone made it out alive.
3) GALE is not right for Katniss. Yes They bonded but through mutual pain and suffering. It was because they both had similar struggles was what brought them to be so close. Personality wise however, gale was not right for her. Neither him nor Katniss was expressive of feelings, they were both too similar. Peeta on the other hand complemented katniss perfectly. He was forgiving and kind, yet strong. Gale and Katniss would have grew to resent each other in future, for Prim's death and would have eventually grew apart since their mutual struggle to provide for their families no longer existed.
I know that the books were bildungsroman, and they were about more than just Prim, but I couldn't help feeling like her death made the entire story worthless. (given that Katniss did all of this for her anyway)
I totally agree. Mockingjay was sooo boring and depressing that I had to force myself to read it through. Prim's death was by far unnecessary. Katniss's expulsion to District 12, after everything she did, was revolting. Life is not any better, just a different leader with different ways of segregate the people. Even after she had two kids, she is still deep into depression and is just living for the sake of living. The first two books were great, the third a true disappointment.
David wrote: "Excuse my "French" in the title, but I can't describe IN WORDS the emotions I felt after concluding the Hunger Games series with Mocking Jay a couple seconds ago! Why did Gale and Katniss have to l..."I completely 100% agree! I'm done with Collins if this is what to expect and certainly am not watching the movies as I'm starting off pissed.
Michael wrote: "I agree completely. I loved Hunger Games, thought Catching Fire was a decent sequel, and felt Mockingjay was a total mess.I feel stongly that YA novels, however dark their plots, should end on a..."
I agree. This should have been marketed to older audience. With that said I'm and adult and I still think the ending was absolutely terrible and unnecessary. If Collins was trying for some deeper meaning or irony it didn't work
David wrote: "Excuse my "French" in the title, but I can't describe IN WORDS the emotions I felt after concluding the Hunger Games series with Mocking Jay a couple seconds ago! Why did Gale and Katniss have to l..."If you are looking for an ideal ending, then yes this book was terrible. I disliked this book for many more reasons, and I' ll admit I wanted a different ending. It reads as if Collins forgot she was writing to an audience, and just wrote whatever pleased her, or worse to just get it finished. Only my opinion, but I feel more thought should have been put in it, and even with the same ending it could have been better.
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Mockingjay was the worst book in the trilogy for they way the author presented the story. It could have been the best despite the tragedy but it turned out to be incomplete and so many loopholes in between. Here's some:1. After the propos, Peeta was almost forgotten in the first half of the book. Where's the description of his hijacking? So he just got rescued and then tried to kill Katniss. That was it? If this hijacking thing would not be fleshed out in Mockingjay Part 1 film, it would be one such boring movie.
2. Katniss was depressed and sedated most of the time. Why didn't she asked the District 13 officials to rescue Peeta right away if she were longing for him? She couldn't decide if she's in love with Peeta or Gale. What the heck! I hated Twilight and the boyfriend-hungry Bella but at least she knew from the start whom she's in love with.
3. Katniss kissed Gale because he was in sort of pain for being neglected emotionally. Geez! It made me hated Katniss for being such a self-centered b***h! While Peeta was being tortured, there's Katniss kissing the other boy of her life.
4. Katniss's mother didn't come back to District 12 after Prim died while Katniss was left under Haymitch's care. An alcoholic looking after a depressed girl. Both are Hunger Games alum and suffering from PTSD.
5. Gale's selfishness and bitterness is what really made me dislike his character so I didn't really care if he lived under the rock in District 2. I wouldn't miss him a bit.
6. Katniss turned into a vengeful person when he voted yes to Coin's idea of a new Hunger Games that would only involved the Capitol children. This was the moment when I thought, Katniss should have ended up with Gale because they're both angry, bitter and self-centered. Peeta was used and abused so he deserved someone kind and would love him back.
7. Katniss ended up with Peeta but saying only that they "grow back together" was too rushed. How did they deal with their nightmares and flashbacks? Did Katniss really love Peeta? And Katniss only agreed to have kids after 15 years just because Peeta wanted them so badly.
The Mockingjay Part 1 and Part 2 are two of the most anticipated movies of 2014 and 2015 and they should make it better than the book, or else it might just end up to be another typical war movie...or worse, a brainless action movie like The Expendables.
I have to agree. It was just terrible. The first book is great, but then it just goes downhill. Seriously, it seemed like the writer went nuts on the last book. Either killing or throwing away most of the loved characters. And worse, she didn't even write it well. And I say that especially with Prim's death. I had to re-read it because it just wasn't clear what exactly happened and there were 0 emotions to be felt on the scene. I honestly felt like neither I or Katniss cared.
Disappointed.
Mariane wrote: "Mockingjay was the worst book in the trilogy for they way the author presented the story. It could have been the best despite the tragedy but it turned out to be incomplete and so many loopholes in..."They greatly improved the second book, when they turned into a movie. And I think a big part of it is thanks to the change in director and removing Suzanne from writing the script. I can only hope they make major improvements.
Mariane, I'm not trying to change your experience of the book but you have quite a few things wrong. 1. You can't have a description of anything if it's not witnessed by Katniss as it's first person POV. Peeta wasn't forgotten as he was on Katniss's mind almost constantly. He's the reason she agreed to be the Mockingjay in order to give him immunity.
2. It was believed at the beginning that Peeta was likely dead. Katniss had no power to rescue him herself. It was only when his deteriorated state on the Capitol broadcasts caused such emotional distress that Katniss couldn't function as MJ that District 13 acted. Deciding which boy she loved wasn't a priority for Katniss who had much more important things to think about it. But her choice was made in CF.
3. Katniss didn't kiss Gale while Peeta was being tortured. Peeta had been rescued at that point and Katniss had resigned herself that Peeta wasn't going to recover. Her plan was to kill Snow and die doing it.
4. Yes, both Haymitch and Katniss are HG alumni with PTSD. Your point? Katniss was under the care of Greasy Sae who cooked a morning and evening meal every day. There were constant phone calls which Katniss ignored.
5. I didn't miss Gale either. But that was the point. He loses audience sympathy with his 'the end justifies the means' attitude.
6. Katniss voted 'yes' to the HG but not out of revenge. It was to keep Coin's trust. Refer to what Boggs said about Katniss being a threat to Coin if she didn't think she had Katniss's support. Katniss showed what her intentions were when she killed Coin instead of Snow.
7. Katniss loved Peeta. She tells him that when she says 'real'. It tells you how they deal with the flashbacks and the nightmares. Go back and read the last chapter and the epilogue. Katniss always wanted children. It was losing them to the HG that made her afraid of having them. It took 15 years of no Games before she felt safe enough.
The Mockingjay movies will likely have similarities to a war movie. The Mockingjay trilogy is essentially about war and the effects of war (PTSD).
Then you haven't read Allegiant, by Veronica Roth.
Pixi wrote: "Then you haven't read Allegiant, by Veronica Roth."Oh, oh I bought that series. It's bad?
You're right. How can Katniss just walk of with Peeta and have kids. She's practically 30 when they do. Yes, they had to kill someone, but PRIM???
How can Suzanne Collins kill her off after the story started with her?!
I do wish some people didn't die but its just the way they wrote it
Best ending ever!!!! :)
Natalia wrote: "I have to agree. It was just terrible. The first book is great, but then it just goes downhill. Seriously, it seemed like the writer went nuts on the last book. Either killing or throwing away mo..."
I felt the SAME exact way and I had to keep re reading it, not just out of shock but just to get some clarification. I'm glad I'm not the only one who was just slightly confused by what had just happened. :)
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Peeta never returns to normal, he fights his urges because of how strong his love of Katniss is, but it is implied he struggles with the ure to kill her for the rest of his life....
I found the ending upsettting and of course I'd rather have a happy ending but for me I thought it was just the right ending for the series.
Although not sure if this book is right for kids, should probably be more aimed at late teens...
Also, it's right that Prim died, it wouldn't be very realistic for Katniss to fight through this war, essentially on the front line and no one close to her to get hurt in anyway...