BOOK REVIEW: CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins

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CATCHING FIRE
by Suzanne Collins
Scholastic
400 pp.
Ages 12 - 17

Suzanne Collins continues the amazing story of Katniss Everdeen in the phenomenal Hunger Games trilogy.

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

MY REVIEW:

I seem to be reading a lot of sequels these days. I know I'm probably the last person on earth to read THE HUNGER GAMES series, but that's because I wasn't as crazy about THE HUNGER GAMES as everyone else. I read it back in 2010 and my response to it was lukewarm at best. I saw the movie, which was great but extremely violent. And so I put off reading CATCHING FIRE. In fact, I had no interest in reading it at all until it went on sale on Audible.com. The price was so low I figured, why not? So I downloaded it onto my Ipod and listened to it in my car.

The story starts off a little slow with Katniss milling about District 12 doing her usual thing, but the story quickly heats up when President Snow manipulates her into agreeing to marry Peeta. The love triangle between Katniss, Peeta and Gale really got to me when Gale's beaten by the peacekeepers. Argh! The story was really starting to get good, and then (I thought) Collins blows it by announcing Peeta and Katniss will go back into the arena for the Quell Hunger Games. I was like, What?! How uncreative could this author possibly be? And I almost ALMOST turned it off! That's how annoyed I was. BUT... I didn't.

And then the story explodes! Whoa! Katniss and Peeta may be back in the arena, but this isn't the same Hunger Games, not by a long shot. I loved Finnick and Johanna and the giant clock and the poisonous gas, and -- I was on pins and needles for the entire second half of the book. I sat in my garage late at night more than once just so I could listen uninterrupted. It was crazy! By the time the book ended, I thought, now I know why everyone loves this series. I totally get it now! And I'm dying to listen to MOCKINGJAY the third book in the series. And I'll probably be first in line to see the new CATCHING FIRE movie!

CONTENT RATING:

Violence:  High

Profanity: None

Sex:  Mild