Saturday, August 3, 2019

[Book Review] Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins








Sparks are igniting.
Flames are spreading.
And the Capitol wants revenge.


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 her 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.

In Catching Fire, the second novel in the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before...and surprising readers at every turn.


 * * *

Re-reading this series after so many years is such a surreal experience, but I am so glad that I am loving it just as much, if not more, than I did originally. I forgot that it takes over half way through the book to get to the Quarter Quell portion of the story, but I was never bored. I think I understand why this seems to be so many reader's favorite of the trilogy. So far, in this re-read, I do like Catching Fire more than The Hunger Games. However, I remember Mockingjay being my favorite so we will see if that changes. 

The use of Katniss's PTSD and desperation of just wanting to keep her loved ones safe breaks my heart. She just wants to forget the games ever happened while also having this urge to fight back against the capitol and Snow. She doesn't want to be this symbol of hope, but she also can't seem to stop herself from pushing back when it comes to the capitol and their rules. In the Quarter Quell we learn a lot about Finnick and Mags, and honestly they're great. I really enjoy both of them as characters so much. In the past I found Johanna to be annoying but I always respected her. And that is still the case. I admire how she says what she wants to when she wants to. She doesn't care who is listening and if Snow hears. I know one of the reasons she can do this is something she says, she doesn't have anyone she cares about anymore. I am assuming she means family, loved ones. The reason why people fear Snow is not only to keep themselves safe but to keep their loved ones safe. But Johanna doesn't have those limitations and I think that kind uncontrolled rage is hard for Snow to do anything. 

One of my favorite scenes in the series as a whole is Katniss's speech to Rue's family. The way both her and Peeta tried doing everything they could to do what is right for Rue and Thresh's families was so heartbreaking. And then after the disaster that happened at the end of the District 12 visit, seeing them try to read the speeches they were given basically being on autopilot was disheartening. You want them to fight, start the revolution, but you also understand their desire to keep their loved ones and home safe. I think  I mentioned this in my Hunger Games review, but reading this series as a 27 year old vs a 18 year old makes the story hit me differently. Seeing these characters as kids versus peers (since 16 vs 18 isn't that far off from each other, it was easier to relate to Katniss) makes this story feel darker and heavier for me. I understood they were kids back then, but being a kid yourself it's easier to be in the mindset of the characters. Now, I cannot believe so many young children would be put through such traumatic experiences. 

I still think the love triangle is unnecessary. Especially since Katniss and Gale seem to have little to no romantic chemistry. They feel like childhood friends, and I am not sure why they couldn't keep Gale a friend. I think it makes their connection more authentic versus trying to force an uncomfortable and annoyingly angsty love triangle into the mix. She has more romantic chemistry with Peeta, sure, and there is more evidence that something genuine could have happened between them. However that could only really happen if they weren't put through the Hunger Games and Katniss wasn't forced to fake so much of her affection for him. But they were, so there are these layers of distrust and lies to keep them alive in the games that wedges them apart. Honestly, she should just be alone or run away with  Madge. 

I love Peeta and Katniss's desire to keep each other alive. Her talking to Haymitch and making a deal with him and then Peeta with his gold pendant with photos of her family. It's really sad, because they are basically coming to terms with their own deaths in order to keep the other alive. Katniss isn't a stranger to that feeling, volunteering for the games to protect Prim, but again that's why it's so important to put their ages in perspective.  For being so young and brave makes them both impressive. I am not surprised that people saw Katniss as a symbol of the revolution.

Overall, I really loved this book. I think that I was worried going into re-reading this series because of how much  I've grown as a person and reader since I originally read them. But now, I am just happy I still have so much love for the characters and the world. Re-watching the movies after each book has also been a great experience. I cannot wait to start Mockingjay, even if I know that is going to be a hard one to get through because of it's content. 



Thanks for reading!

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