Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Title: Catching Fire
Author: Suzanne Collins
Source: Purchased
Genre: YA Dystopian
Buy: Amazon ~*~ Barnes & Noble
Add to your Goodreads shelf
Caution: May contain spoilers

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Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol-- a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

~synopsis from Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Oh my. I don’t know what it is about me, but I have this tendency to like the second of a series better than the first. The Hunger Games was amazing, but Catching Fire left me breathless. There was a newness to the first book that made it incomparable to anything else. The second book, while it features another Hunger Games, had a focus on the politics of Panem. This focus might bore some people, but to me, it was the most brilliant portrayal of good versus evil.

Katniss goes through an array of emotional ups and downs, not only romantically between the feelings she struggles with over Peeta and Gale, but also with President Snow and the uprising. I’ve said it before, I’m usually an advocate of romance between two people who have known each other for awhile or grown up together. Despite everything I learned of and saw of Gale, I am still all for Peeta. With Gale, you just know that he’ll always love Katniss more than she’ll ever love him. With Peeta, he’s so full of selflessness and willing to take a stand no matter the consequences.

Speaking of taking a stand, I have to say, the private training sessions. Brilliant. Katniss and Peeta stepping out there and making a point, one that could have severe consequences. And those interviews… oh the interviews with Katniss and with Peeta. Again, brilliant. Just freaking brilliant. Cinna’s ability to stun the crowd with Katniss in her dress, and then Peeta. I swear, what he said, the most shocking of all confessions, it made me love him. I was staring at the page in disbelief and my heart filled with admiration. That. That is the type of person I could spend the rest of my life with.

Once we reach the Quarter Quell, I’m already so full of overwhelming feelings. And then I’m given Finnick. Wonderful Finnick. If it weren’t for the undying love I have for Peeta, Finnick would definitely be number one. There was just something about him, something deep and unknown. Although he is quite full of himself, there’s still a redeeming value when you learn something personal about him. There’s also Johanna--her boldness was definitely something to love. The end, of course, was intense and the last page was not what I anticipated. I mean, it makes sense, perfect sense, but I didn’t expect it.

Catching Fire was outstanding. I was up late the one night reading the part where the Quarter Quell begins and had to force myself to stop. If I didn’t I’d be up until four again, and then dreaming about it off and on all night. Even though I did stop reading to go to bed, I still had a dream that I was in the Quarter Quell and it actually did terrify me. And yes, I was Katniss. How can you not be when you’re in her head? Anyways. Suzanne Collins kept me on my toes and made me fall in love all over again with her books. The message alone has me taking my own stand for the underdog, but the story and the love between the characters is so emotionally charged. Needless to say, I cannot cannot cannot wait for Catching Fire to hit the big screen. And I certainly cannot wait to dive into the last book.


My Rating:

Exceptional: Stay up until at least 1 AM

11 comments:

  1. I'm not sure if I liked Catching Fire more than THG. This one is certainly more politically suspenseful. As much as I hated him, I really liked Thread as well. How super creepy was he??

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    1. Lol. There were a few bizarre but cool characters in Catching Fire. I love suspense like this. :)

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  2. I really love this trilogy but personally the first one is my favourite but I really loved the second too and My fav is also Peeta :) Have you read the 3rd one yet?

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    1. I haven't read Mockingjay yet, but probably this month! I can't wait. :)

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  3. I read this one so soon after THG that the repetition irritated me. Still, it was an amazing book and we got to meet Finnick. Sigh! I'm so interested to see what you'll think of Mockingjay.

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    1. I waited a couple months before I read this, and plan on leaving a little bit of time in between for Mockingjay. I want to spread it out and enjoy it longer. It is amazing. :)

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  4. Oh Jessica. I cannot even put into words how excited I am that you loved Finnick! I just, GAH. WAIT until Mockingjay. You will see even more of what an awesome person Finnick Odair is. I just - you should have seen the grin on my face when I read that part of your review.

    And oh, Gale. Dammit, Gale. I fell heart and soul for Gale/Katniss and it hurt me, reading Catching Fire, because of them and what happens to them. Peeta though, Peeta really is sweet and selfless and he really makes it difficult to cheer for Gale!

    I just, I loved this book SO much. I remember getting ahold of it and absolutely devouring it. I'm super happy you liked it. I'm with you - it needs to be filmed already so we can see it!

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    1. Hehehe! I made you grin? That's awesome! I have a feeling Finnick will be amazing in the next book. After reading about him, I was browsing through different sites seeing who people were guessing would be good to play him. I can't wait to hear who they REALLY pick! :D

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    2. Your review is making me want to read this series again! It's only been about a year, but there's so much I've forgotten. It was so intense, and made me feel so much, and I think I stayed up a few late nights reading them, too. I read them just before I became a book blogger, so I definitely think I need to read them again. I'll be really curious to see what you think of the last book. So many people were disappointed, and even though I didn't love it as much as the first two, I still really enjoyed it. I'm always happy to see that people are still discovering this series, and I'm thrilled you enjoyed it.

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    3. I know I'll want to read it again in a year or two. There's so much to it, one thing after another happens and you're freaking out one minute to the next. I read a couple reviews of Mockingjay before I read THG and thought it might not be for me, but now I'm wondering if that will be the case after finishing the first two. More people need to read this series!

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    4. Agreed! I really will be curious to see what you think of Mockingjay. Have you been able to stay away from major spoilers?

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Thank you for commenting and happy reading!