Wow. At this particular moment, I am still overwhelmed by all the thoughts tumbling over and over as I process the book Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. I purposely took my time with this book, as I really wanted to enjoy it a sentence at a time, but that tactic became nearly impossible after about the halfway point.

Quick Summary: In a post-apocolyptic world, children are thrown into an arena and fight to the death. There can be only one victor. That is until Katniss finds herself in the arena and the Capitol’s hold on the gladiators and therefore on the people of the country goes up in flames. Katniss becomes the symbol of the revolution but will a war really solve any of the problems? Will things ever be right again?

I thought the book was really honest and believable. I didn’t necessarily like the way that things were happening, but I really can’t see any other way of handling everything. I was numbed by the seeming hopelessness of it all by the time I got the last chapters, yet I was with Katniss every single step of the way. Then, of course, the inevitable tears in that scene with Buttercup when the truth hits us full in the face – it is over but can never really be over. It is for this, the amount of emotion that comes through the story and transfers to the reader, that I give it 5 stars.

As far as the writing goes, I really thought that the first half of the book was a bit slow and could’ve been summed up more and the second half drawn out a little more. The author had an opportunity in a really intense scene but then suddenly we are with Katniss in the hospital… again. I felt a little taken aback by the abruptness. I also felt that the book really had very little hope, very little motive for Katniss to keep going for a long, long while. I didn’t really agree with that decision, but again this is the story that Suzanne Collins wanted to get across showing the brutal affects of war and hate. Real life isn’t all smiles.

The story was gory and dark and intense, but I guess I felt that the previous two books setup for that and so was expecting it. The only thing I would wish for is that one or two certain characters not to have died. I also thought the ending was too quickly wrapped up. The book is getting a lot of heat for the lack of romance in the third book, but I can’t say that I really ever understood the Gale versus Peeta contest. I mean the book was always only ever about Katniss and how her interaction with people affected her.

Again, I don’t see how it could’ve ended any other way and was even satisfied by most of it. Now, I really need to figure out how to snap out of it. I think I may just have to read the trilogy through entirely again. I’m sure that will help.

Enjoyment Level: 5/5
Beginning: 2/5 – Wasn’t a very clear start and thought it dragged on a bit.
Middle: 3/5 – Still thought it dragged on a bit, but finally picked up. I was really depressed by this point.
Ending: 4/5 – Was very abrupt
Writing: 3/5 – for the above reasons.

Still I loved it and would recommend to those who I thought could handle it.

Kate

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
(c) 2010, Scholastic Press
Publisher Reading Level: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-0439023511
400 Pages