欧宝娱乐

** spoiler alert ** Updated Review:

I take back what I said in my previous review. This book was worse than I remembered (and I really didn't remember much of it).

2.5/5 stars


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This is a good book, but I didn't feel very connected to Katniss in it.

Before I go on about it, let me say this one thing about Collins:
I think Suzanne is more of an action writer, and whenever there was a part that had something like that in it, I was on the edge of my seat.

Okay...now on for this review.

In the beginning, I understood why Katniss was so upset. She had lost her home, and Peeta was in the Capitol. She didn't have any way to ensure that he was okay. I also understood her reluctance about being the Mockingjay. However, I was used to seeing Katniss as strong, courageous, and hopeful. In the beginning of the book, she didn't seem like she was any of these things. When she took the part as Mockingjay, I thought that she was back. Boy, was I wrong, though.

With the war raging on, I expected to see Katniss more in battles. When she went to District 8, and saw all the people, and then had to fight the Capitol, I was thrilled. I thought that the old Katniss was back. Unfortunately, that was one of the only times I was able to see Katniss like that. Basically the book was about how Katniss was a puppet for the rebels. Even though, I honestly didn't think she was at first. But as the book went on, I realized she was, and I expected to her to do something about it. Of course though, she sulked in her own misery, and didn't.

Another thing that bothered me in this book was that there wasn't any 'war scenes', basically. Everything about the war happened off screen, and people were telling Katniss about it after she went in the hospital countless times. I expected Katniss to get into the war, and force herself into it no matter what. She finally does that though near the end, but not before she feels bad leading some people to their deaths. She sulked in her own misery, rather than thinking of others.

Also, the main battle scene was only a couple of pages long, and then guess what? Katniss gets captured, and goes into her misery. Many months after that, she lives in her house only going through motions, and not doing anything. All signs of the 'old brave, courageous' Katniss is lost.

Why didn't you make that scene longer, Suzanne? Anyways...to move along.

Now for the things about the relationship:

Katniss at first is caring to everyone, when she isn't sulking in her own misery. Near the end, she gets further withdrawn into her misery, and treats Peeta and Gale like crap. She doesn't chase after Gale like she should in one part of the book, and she doesn't treat Peeta like a human being until the second half of the novel (However, I understand that more than her not chasing after Gale.)

By the end of the book, she cut off everyone. Not to mention that Gale and her mother seemed 100% careless as to what would happen to Katniss, which I didn't think was very realistic. If I was her mother, or Gale, I would be at her side, trying to help her along.

To cement all of this together, the main problem I had was: The lack of personalities in the old characters, and the treatment of them. It wasn't realistic.

The Good Parts of the Book:

I personally enjoyed how we learned more about the relationship between Haymitch and Katniss. I had always liked Haymitch from the beginning, and I felt that he understood Katniss in a deeper way than she realized. I'm glad I saw that development in this book. 100% well done.

I also liked how we learned more about Finnick. I was so happy when he got married to Annie, and I thought that they would live forever. I thought that his time had finally come (boy, was I wrong, though). Katniss uses Finnick a lot in this book to help her along when Gale and Peeta aren't around. Since he and her had something in common, they had to depend on each other for being sane.

I also liked how Gale came about more in this novel, but I was upset how Collins made him turn out selfish. I never pictured Gale like that, and it's hard to believe. Cinna was also important in this novel, and I loved that. I'm glad he was important to Katniss even though he was dead. I personally loved him throughout the series.

I'm glad that Katniss does some things on her own accord. When she decided to lead that mission to kill Snow, I was thrilled. I thought that she was back. When she went to that mountain, I thought that she was back to. When I heard one of her first speeches to the Capitol in District 8, I thought that she had truly come back. Unforunately, all of these things were ephemeral, and Katniss was soon either shot, or was taken back into her 'shell', and didn't think for herself.

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My final comments:

1.) The book was a relative disappointment. I expected there to be more fighting, and Katniss to take the role as a Mockingjay with relunctance at first, but soon bloom in it, but I was wrong. Katniss was reluctant the whole novel, and only bloomed in some cases. Also, I'm disappointed that Katniss didn't get to think for herself. In the beginning two novels, she did, and in this book, she doesn't.

2.) Good Aspect: You can see different levels in relationships between Katniss and some others in this book that you didn't see in others.

My disappointments outweighed the good in the book, but I do give Collins praise where it is needed.

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I'm sorry I have to give the book 3 stars.

The first two were great, but I think Collins lost her way a little here, and rushed the book too much, and didn't give the details where they should've been.