Catching Fire: The Hunger Games, Book 2

I read The Hunger Games series before I had a book review blog, so I never wrote a formal review for any of the books while they were fresh in my mind. But this series, especially this book, affected me so much that I'm glad I had the opportunity to re-read it upon the release of the movie and share my review with you today (I literally finished this book an hour before we left to the midnight showing of the film, which is why this review is posting late today! P.S. I'm sleepy.). The second book in Suzanne Collins' dystopian young adult series, Catching Fire takes place a few months after The Hunger Games ends, finding Katniss Everdeen back in District 12, this time living comfortably in The Victor's Village. Her relationship with fellow victor, Peeta Mellark, is strained at best and she's fighting feelings for her best friend Gale after he's kissed her, exposing something that's been building between them long before The Games. But choosing which boy with whom to invest her time is the least of this seventeen year-old girl's problems. When President Snow visits her and threatens the lives of everyone she loves if Katniss doesn't play along with the Capitol's agenda to sweep her act of defiance under the table, Katniss realizes that she'll be playing The Games her whole life and must decide if she's brave enough to stand up for the things she believes in. When I began reading this book, I had no idea what to expect, but Collins delivered everything I could have anticipated and more. For one, I started this book completely Team Gale, but Collins did an excellent job of taking Katniss and Peeta and allowing them to organically grow together as friends and companions that I didn't know which guy to love more by the end of the book. Katniss, while obviously selfless in her decision to initially volunteer for her sister, has acquired a strong sense of survival which she tends to misconstrue (in my opinion) as selfishness. In comparison, Peeta is completely selfless, thinking only of Katniss, even when it means helping Gale. I love to see how Katniss grows by learning from Peeta. I think the only reason Katniss is ever identified as "selfish" (even if selfish means only thinking of her loved ones versus the whole country) is because this story is told from her point of view making her transparent; but I think she is better able to decipher her values because of her relationship with Peeta and his value system. This adds a new dynamic to their relationship and uncovers a lot of who Peeta is (and why we love him! ;)). But as I mentioned in my synopsis, Katniss' boy dilemma is the least of her problems. Her struggle with her value system is what brings this supernatural story down to a human level. The inconceivable is processed by a teenage girl like a teenage girl. I hate complaints that Katniss is too whiny, too insensitive to everyone's feelings, too pre-occupied with herself; if I were in her shoes I would have eaten the berries on day one of the 74th Hunger Games! I think she's allowed to struggle and her struggle uncovers her heart and her drive. To keep my book review blog spoiler-free (as is always my goal), I have to refrain from discussing some of my favorite parts of this book, especially regarding Katniss and Peeta's public relationship and the premise of the Quarter Quell. In short, I loved the way this book had so many powerful little punches that kept me on my toes and at the edge of my seat. The pacing is incredible, especially coupled with how much emotion is compacted into each forward-moving segment. There are so many details I had forgotten about in the 2 years since I first read Catching Fire, and I'm so glad I was able to refresh my brain before seeing the movie. Speaking of the movie, like the book it was everything I expected and more! I think the Catching Fire movie is so much better than The Hunger Games, especially because it didn't try to be artsy (i.e. shaky cameras and super close ups!! Who else HATED that?!). It put out the story (cutting most of what I expected) but it didn't change much. My only complaint is that, similar to the first movie, Katniss and Peeta's relationship didn't translate to the screen as well as I had hoped for. I guess what can I expect in such a short time frame, but that was my only disappointment nonetheless. I mean, I didn't even believe they were romantic, why would the Panem public? They did make Peeta so much more of an alpha-male than he is in the book, which I loved!! Sometimes I question Josh Hutcherson as Peeta when I see him in the media, but then when I'm watching the movie I just love him. Also, bonus fact about the movie: I noticed in the credits that a guy my mom used to date before she was married was in the stunts! HOW COOL, RIGHT?! I am trying to convince my mom to get back in touch with him muahaha! ;) Bottom Line: This series changed my reading life and if you haven't read it, my biggest recommendation on this blog is that you read it NOW. And then go see the movie! If you need a refresh before the movie, I highly suggest taking the time to re-read it because I think you'll appreciate the movie even more! 10 out of 5 stars lol.

Of course you don't. But after receiving this book in the mail today, I got so excited, I immediately plopped down on to the couch (after five minutes of difficulty in opening the package), planning to read the entire book through without any interruptions. Of course, that didn't work out, what with dinner, and phone calls, and such, but I couldn't care less, because this sequel makes me want to explode. In a good way. I have been waiting for this book for such a long time, and so I read the entire book today, the day I got it. And I honestly have on idea where to begin. I don't want to mention any spoilers in this review, but it's not hard not to, so I AM going to mention spoilers from the first book, The Hunger Games, so I wouldn't advise reading this review if you haven't read the first book in the trilogy. So... let's start with the beginning, which isn't really much of a spoiler. Katniss sits in the woods, on the day of the Victory Tour, reflecting on everything that's happened to her since the Games, and all the new developments. She's got so much to juggle on her plate, and, thanks to her new home and new riches, which are all prizes and rewards for winning the last Hunger Games, she's got plenty of time to think about it. Before the Games, she spent all her hours combing the woods, hunting illegally for food, lest she and her family starve to death. Now, with all the newly gained riches, she doesn't need to hunt. With all that time left over, all she can think about is how complicated her life has gotten since the Games. And that same day, just before the Victory Tour, she gets a surprise visitor, and, suddenly, things get even more complicated, but now, they get dangerous, and not just for her, but her family and friends, who could be killed if she makes one wrong move during the Tour. Okay, enough with the summarizing, let's get to the review. Since the last book left off where it did, I was immediately hooked upon this book, clinging to every detail, reading so fast, I had to go back a couple of times so that I could understand a sentence. And starting from the end of Chapter 1, things started to get interesting (remember the surprise visitor?). This entire book is nothing but twists and turns that readers can hardly anticipate. I'm continually impressed by Ms. Collins and her ability to lead the readers one way, but suddenly throw them off completely by introducing yet another startling... er... revelation? At any rate, this book moves along so quickly (especially in the second half) and for some reason, the humor just gets cranked up and I can't help laughing, especially at the interviews, though they weren't really that funny (don't dwell too much on that last part of the sentence, because there's a tiny spoiler there). Okay, so I'm probably making it sound like I think this book is perfect. It IS extremely well written, the emotions are strongly conveyed, and the reader can easily get lost in to this book. The one confusing thing in the book is how much new characters are introduced. Some are easier to remember, like Plutarch Heavensbee (though I'm not sure if I spelled that right) or Finnick, but others, like Brutus (I'm not even sure if that's the right name), are harder to remember. But if you're not too lazy, it's less confusing when you reread the book (though I haven't done that yet). Okay, and now for the big finish, in both this review, and in Catching Fire. I DID NOT SEE THAT ONE COMING. Okay, maybe, I did, just a little. But still, even if I could've predicted that, it still leaves you in absolute shock, making you stare at the book, mouth gaping, for at least a full thirty seconds (that is, of course, unless you have a heads-up, like I did). The Hunger Games left off at the train station, with Katniss confused about her feelings towards Peeta. CF, on the other hand, well, this leaves off with a total cliffhanger. Not that the Hunger Games didn't, but CF is different than THG. What I mean, is that the last sentence in the book reveals something so shocking and astonishing, it's like being doused in water while sleeping - just so abrupt. It is a bit of an odd place to stop the book, but just the fact that... Wow, it's really hard not to say a thing about it, but let's just say that, that it's unexpected. Though it is pretty clever. A sure fire way to get people to read the next book, unless people hate this one. But with a cliffhanger like that, even if I hated this book, I would feel compelled to read the next book, because I would never be able to keep myself hanging like that. It's like I NEED to read the next book because, if I don't, I'll forever wonder what in the world just happened. Five stars for being witty, well-written, unexpected, and overall, just wonderful.

Suzanne Collins has done it again; after writing her smash-hit novel The Hunger Games, she's released the second book of the trilogy, Catching Fire. Hundreds of thousands of Hunger Games enthusiasts have rushed to the second book after finishing the first, in hopes for more of the life of Katniss Everdeen. After the intensity and enthrall the Hunger Games held, I didn't think the second book would impress me nearly as much as the first. After reading it, I felt that I was right; the second book was wonderful, but it seemed tremendously more slow paced, less intense, and I found myself simply rushing through some parts that seemed lacking. Overall, a good read, but don't expect the same kind of intensity as The Hunger Games. After surviving the Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta return to District 12 in a blaze of glory, being the first District 12 victors in years. Katniss finds Peeta avoiding her after revealing that she was simply pretending to love him, and Gale seems to be holding her at a distance as well. She doesn't have much time to worry about this though, because she and Peeta have to work together again on the Victory Tour, and pretend they're star-crossed lovers as they visit each of the 12 Districts to convince everyone that they weren't trying to undermine the Capitol, especially President Snow. But things take a horrible turn as the 75th Hunger Games arrive, and with them the Quarter Quell, which will turn the lives of Katniss and Peeta upside down. At the same time, tiny sparks of an uprising are beginning to catch, and even though Katniss unintentionally helped create them, she doesn't truly know if she should try to stop them. Katniss has to figure out how to outwit the Capitol yet again in a game of life and death, but this time, if she makes so much as one mistake, everyone she loves could be hurt. When I was reading Catching Fire, I was reminded of The Giver. Both novels take place in a futuristic society that it extremely different from society today. Both novels are also under the rule of an extremely strict government that is trying to deprive its people of something (In Catching Fire, there's no freedom, in The Giver, no one really has any of their own emotions). The Games aspect of the book reminded me strongly of a manga, Mirai Nikki (which means Future Diary), in which 12 people are competing against each other to become God. They all have to try to kill off other diary owners and stay alive, and the last person left alive becomes God. Slightly similar to how 12 Districts are fighting against each other, and the last person alive gets a great deal of glory and riches to live off of, is it not? The reason that I didn't find Catching Fire nearly as good as The Hunger Games was because of the difference in the pacing of both books. In The Hunger Games, everything seems so much more fast-paced, and the novel progressed with a sort of momentum, similar to that of a train. Overall, everything seemed more detailed and more exciting. However, when it comes to Catching Fire, the metaphorical train seems to slam into a wall. During about the first half of the book, everything that happened seemed to lack extensive detail and to me just seemed incredibly boring. When Suzanne Collins told her readers about Katniss reuniting with Gale for the first time since the Games, I was expecting a much more detailed scene than "...my mother said "Your cousins can hardly wait to see you!" Then I turned and saw Gale and Hazelle and all the kids waiting for me, so what could I do but go along?" Collins could have definitely made that more descriptive and more than two sentences long. Up until about the Quarter Quell, I found myself reading simply to get through the book, and I kept thinking to myself, "When is something exciting going to happen?" I just felt that too few events in the novel were given the attention and detail they deserved, and were written off to be more minor things. Catching Fire also seemed to be lacking in detail on the characters. It didn't seem like any new information about the main characters was revealed, and some important characters seemed to be missing from a great deal of the story. Many new characters were introduced because of the Games aspect of this novel, but it didn't seem like many of them were heavily detailed, aside from appearance. For example, when Collins describes Katniss' first meeting with Finnick, she describes his appearance to be "Tall, athletic, with golden skin and bronze-colored hair and those incredible eyes." She also brings up how he won the games, and that he was loved by many girls in the Capitol, but to me it doesn't feel like she's trying to show the readers his depth as a person. If a reader were to read on into Mockingjay, the third book of The Hunger Games trilogy, they would find that there's much more to Finnick than his appearance and the fact that girls adore him. All the details about a character don't need to be presented immediately or directly, but it seems a bit much to stretch the description of a character and their personality into a whole other book. In some instances, it's easy to say who should or shouldn't read a book, based on things like genre, content, theme, etc. However, that's not so with any of the books in The Hunger Games trilogy. Due to the fact that the books are more or less based off of an annual event in which 24 children attempt to kill each other, I would say any of the books in the trilogy should only be read by people age 11 and up. However, that's about as specific as you can get when recommending or advising against reading this novel, or any in the trilogy. The trilogy is seemingly filled with role reversals and contradictions of what most people consider normal. The narrator of the novels is a girl, but the way she thinks and acts is much more masculine than feminine. Stylists and fashion appear often, yet so do weapons. Katniss is female, yet loves to hunt and trap, while Peeta is male, and has a passion for baking. You can't truly say a certain type of person should read the books, because they're so diverse and multifaceted. When it comes down to the wire, this book is not the best in the world. However, it's far from the worst in the world. Parts of it seemed immensely dull, completely lacking, and just boring. Yet at the same time, there were parts of the novel that were just as gripping, intense, and wonderful as I found myself hoping for. When it comes to trilogies, the first novel is always when readers are introduced to a whole new world of possibilities, and the last is when many readers wish wistfully for more after reading an epic finale. The middle novel is neither the end nor the beginning, simply the time between. Authors can try to write the middle novel so it turns out to be as fantastic as the beginning and the end, or they can choose not to put in as much effort and turn out something less than satisfactory. While Collins didn't write the novel in a way that exceeded expectations (Or mine, at least), she did manage to create a lovely piece of literature that held some of the same exceptional qualities as the first novel of the trilogy. Suzanne Collins, I applaud you on your work in this second novel, and hope that the rest of your ever-faithful supporters will, too.

All too often, I find that sequels just don't provide a worthy follow up to the original or that sometimes the original story is just so incomplete that I hardly have any desire to move forward for fear of never receiving a satisfying conclusion. For this reason, I often stay away from sequels and even series in general, at least in terms of books. I think this is part of the reason it took me so long to pick up Suzanne Collins' CATCHING FIRE (The Hunger Games Book 2) despite having read the original and seen both of the respective movies a long while ago. The CATCHING FIRE movie adaptation was one of the few movie sequels that I ever thought to be drastically better than the previous film in every way possible. That's not to say that it made me like the first any less, just that I felt it had improved in all aspects. And so I went into this book with timid excitement, hoping I would feel the same way. The book version of this story impressed me exactly as I hoped it would. It is an improvement on Collin's already fantastic narrative that feels fresh and more mature while also allowing readers to spend more time with her fantastic characters, world, and story. CHARACTERS Katniss and Peeta are back for another adventure. They've done the impossible together and now they have returned home, but things will never be the same. They are locked into a false romance where Peeta now realizes that his affections towards Katniss are only reciprocated when the pair are in front of a camera. He is made to feel even more alone than he did at the start of the games while Katniss deals with her own set of issues. Gale is now referred to as her cousin despite that being far from the truth. On one hand, this makes it easier for Katniss to be seen with him, but it also means they will never be together since it is ultimately her destiny to marry Peeta, whether her feelings for him are true or not. She and Gale come to the realization that there is something between them and Katniss realizes that Gale is another boy in her life that she has been hurting. Then there's the fractured relationship between the Capitol and the Districts which she is also forced to acknowledge when President snow appears in her home and threatens her loved ones if she doesn't play along with what he wants. Despite her surviving the Hunger Games tournament, the "games" aren't really over at all. She's still fighting for her and Peeta's lives, but now she has the lives of her mother, Prim, Gale, Gale's family, Haymich, and probably Peeta's family to worry about. She may also very well be fighting for the lives of every District in Panem. President Snow's role is quite big here which is a nice change of pace since he remained largely unseen in the first book. Then there's Plutarch Heavensbee, the new head gamemaker who is a bit more removed, but what parts he is in are quite good. Katniss also meets up with a variety of previous victors like the flamboyantly handsome Finnick, the aggressive Joanna, the clever Beetee, and deranged Wirress. Those who have already seen the movie know what circumstances Katniss meets these other victors under, but I won't spoil that part of the story since it is far more of a surprise in the book. The only other thing that can really be said is that each of these new faces is a wonderful addition to the cast and that they all have a lot to add to the story as a whole. WORLD/SETTING The world that Katniss returns to is not the same one that she left. She's a victor now which means she gets a fancy new home in a special section of District 12 and she must be part of the victory tour where the victor of the games visits each district and honors the fallen tributes before attending a lavish dinner party. It also means she will have to become a mentor to the future tributes of District 12. At least those are all of the things that would happen to a typical victor. This year is different, this year there are two victors because of Katniss's defiance to the Capitol. Her refusal to play by their rules means that she has Peeta to go through all of this with, but it has also sets into motion events beyond what she would ever be able to predict. Uprisings have sprung up in several districts in the spirit of following Katniss's example. District 12 sees a stronger security presence which imposes brutal restrictions upon the citizen's way of life. Nothing Katniss does seems to be right and nothing she says can quell the anger that builds up against the Capitol. She finds herself in an impossible situation where the world of the games and the real world are now largely one in the same. Katniss never escaped the arena, only set it loose upon the world and now she is the symbol of a rebellion that threatens to bring end to Panem. Although everything is different now, this book brings readers to a variety of places within Panem and introduces us to locations that were previously only mentioned. Collins paints each with simple, yet vibrant descriptions which will probably make you both happy and remorseful that they are on the brink of destruction. The destitution of 12 no longer seems as bad when other districts are portrayed as mammoth prisons where inmates are born into servitude of an unforgiving Capitol. PLOT/TONE The overall content and tone of this narrative is a few shades darker than the previous installment which probably says a lot considering the first one explored a gladiatorial tournament in which children fought to the death. Minor details aside, things are a lot more serious now since the stakes are so much higher. Before, readers worried about the lives of twenty four young tributes, but now they are presented with an entire world whose continued existence seems highly in question. Katniss, our once empowered heroine somehow seems so small now that the conflict involves forces far beyond her control. To be fair, they are beyond anyone's control, but Katniss finds herself especially vulnerable since she is the catalyst for all the terrifying changes going on around her. Katniss also can't just fake it till she makes it anymore. Peeta and her have to face the consequences of their lovers routine in the arena and try to come to an understanding, if not a salvaged friendship. Gale's involvement adds further complication for Katniss's already overwhelmed set of teenage emotions. All the other characters are also a bit worse off this time around which adds an additional layer of edginess to it all. Some characters are more in the dark than others about the events happening around them which leads readers into an ever-spinning web of secrets, lies, and manipulation. Even having already seen the film, I felt delightfully in suspense the entire way through this book, partially in thanks to being able to experience the events through Katniss's point of view which offers a fresh take on things. Again, there are a number of really wonderful surprises in store and if you haven't already seen this movie, then I won't spoil them for you here. If you're already familiar with this story, then I can promise that this ride won't be any less enjoyable a second time around. As a kind of aside to all this, it is worth noting that this book felt far less like a true YA novel than the first one did. There is significantly more nudity, stronger language and sexual references, and the depictions of violence are far more graphic this time around. Even the overall language and writing style that Collins employs feels quite a bit more grown up than her last book. Not that this series has ever really been known as kid-friendly, but parents might want to know that this one definitely pushes the limits of what can/should go into a YA novel. CONCLUSION I really do think this is a series that no reader should pass up on. If the first book didn't quite sell you, then I'd strongly urge you give this one a shot. If you loved the first, then it really only gets better here and I can honestly say that I am extremely excited to dive into the third and final book of this trilogy, though I may try and savor it a bit more whereas I kind of tore through CATCHING FIRE as though there was no tomorrow. The plot is more serious, the writing style and content are more adult, the new characters are a win all around, and this is just a book that I will probably love forever.

Warning: There could quite well be some spoilers in this review. This of course is the second book in what now has become a pretty well known trilogy. The book pretty much begins where the first book, The Hunger Games stopped. It would be difficult to consider this work a stand alone read and I certainly would not recommend starting the series here, but rather with the first book. This particular story (And I am referring to all three books) is one that most certainly can be classified as a "crossover" read. It was obviously meant for the YA group but it seems to have captivated adult readers as much as it has the younger set. I must include myself in this category as I found these books to be absolutely fascinating, haunting and I will tell you, almost impossible to put down once I started reading them. There are reasons for this, but more about that later. With over 800 reviews on this work so far it would be difficult to add any truly original thought; I can only add my opinion and attempt to pass on my pleasure in reading these things. Since the plot has been beat to death here I will not go into any depth at all in this review. Do be aware that the world of Katniss and Petta and the rest of the characters is pretty much the same here as in the first book but as the reader will soon discover, there is change in the breeze; their world is changing and it is obvious that these changes will be quite profound. The author does take us through another secession of The Hunger Games as played out in the first book, and it is even more twisted and evil than the first...so very much more cruel. There are a number of new characters introduced in this work and we get to learn much more about some of the originals as we read. Characters become more fleshed out and much more complex. Relationships take strange turns and not ever thing is as it seems. As has been pointed out in a number of very fine reviews here, this is the second novel in a trilogy. If you are a novel, that is a horrid place to be. Like all such works, this is a sort of transition book; one that takes us from the beginning and sets us up for the grand ending. Not an easy task for any writer (Even Tolkien had a few problems with "The Two Towers," in this aspect). This author pulls it off better than most though and I must say that while I may not have enjoyed this second offering quite as much as the first, I never the less loved it and it was absolutely necessary to read in order to get to the conclusion of the story. Now these books are popular...there are a lot of people who have read them and a lot of people who are still reading them. To begin with, this author is a very natural story teller and a very good writer when you consider the genre she is working with. Her story is believable and in a strange sort of way, logical. You can fully sympathize with all the "good guys" and really dislike the bad ones. The book is extremely entertaining (at least I thought so) and at the same time gives you some good food for thought on several levels. It is an easy read in a technical sense, yet the subject matter can (as it should and as the author meant it to be) quite emotional and troubling. I started this book immediately after I finished the first and when I finished this one I immediately read the last. I must say I enjoyed the entire trip and this will be a series of books that I will give a reread in the very near future. Don Blankenship The Ozarks

Legendary King Minos of Crete sent his son to compete in festival at Athens. The son dominated the games but was killed shortly after, and Minos blamed King Aegeus of Attica (father of Theseus). Minos's forces attacked Attica, and after protracted war Aegeus agreed to pay tribute to end the fighting. Minos's tribute was harsh: Periodically, 14 young people of Athens were chosen by lot and sent to Minos's palace at Knossos, where they would enter the Minotaur's labyrinth to die--slain, or starved to death. Citizens of Athens were increasingly outraged that the bastard son of Aegeus was the only youth excluded from the lottery. Theseus responded by volunteering to go, and he slew the Minotaur and retraced an unwound thread to escape the bewildering labyrinth. This story was a piece of Suzanne Collins's inspiration for "The Hunger Games." You have no business reading "Catching Fire" if you have not read the first book. The first book explains how post-apocalyptic America has become an empire called Panem (as in "panem et circenses," bread and circuses). The Capitol is as wealthy and self-indulgent as ancient Rome, and its 12 districts feed the Capitol's appetite for resources the way conquered peoples became subservient Roman provinces. Panem recovered from what we oldies call "World War III" by retrenching into a fortified central city. The Capitol protected the outlying areas in exchange for their commercial production, which increasingly specialized to serve the Capitol's needs. At some point, the relationship became inequitable, and what was presented as protection transformed into serfdom. The districts rebelled, which was futile. From there, the social structure of Panem became centered on keeping the workers feeling powerless. Thus the Hunger Games, presented as literally must-see reality TV. If you haven't read "The Hunger Games," don't read on here. The first delightfully original angle is that Ms. Collins' protagonist is a teen-age girl named Katniss Everdeen, and the entire two books to date are told from her first-person present point of view. Katniss is portrayed as a skilled survivor since early childhood, someone who was forced to learn self-dependence to live. Consequently, Katniss lives with a short-range focus, which is an essential element to this narrative. Much goes on in the conflicts of Panem, and most of it goes over Katniss's head. The story slowly pulls her out of her isolation as she becomes conscious of the appalling injustice of Panem's social and political structure. Katniss is a rare figure in fiction, a young female protagonist who is mortal and vulnerable, but heroic and compelling without being supernaturally endowed, or physically or mentally unrealistic. The only magic in this story comes from the Capitol, which has advanced far beyond our time in high technology. Katniss doesn't gush about a boy, or call from her parapet for a savior, or write unicorn dreams in her diary, or wonder what she's going to wear to the ball. But she still has a chance to revel in high fashion, get caught in a love triangle, need to be rescued repeatedly, and bond with the world's greatest stylist. I'm pretty sure no male author would have the imagination to bring so many feminine dimensions into the SF/action genre. The ways physical presentation and clothing design drive Capitol society, the importance of food throughout Panem--these are highly original elements of this tale, aspects which make the storyline unique and compelling. The narrative form poses one difficulty--if Katniss is telling the story, it's hard for the author to put Katniss's fate in jeopardy with any credibility. Instead, the reader comes to know a great number of well-made characters, and one by one, those players come under fire. As Katniss wins small victories, the Capitol's overwhelming technological advantage looms ever larger. Katniss's Hunger Games victory made her a symbol of defiance, and her victory tour appearances with Peeta inspire small episodes of civil disobedience--met with crushing retaliation from Capitol thugs. She cannot help but feel guilty, and feel pressure to defuse the uprising before people closer to her suffer. Whether she's in the Games, in the woods outside District 12, or even in her bed, Katniss must be ever wary of Capitol snooping. Even though President Snow is presented as the central antagonist, in many ways the Capitol is a faceless enemy. It becomes increasingly obvious that many Capitol citizens are appalled by the regime's capricious brutality, but even they cannot object with impunity. Even the sheltered are prisoners. Where "The Hunger Games" was about Katniss's personal triumph, "Catching Fire" portrays the broad relevance of her act throughout Panem. The reader gets much more about all the other districts--including the long-forgotten District 13--and many more characters play key roles. The story takes several stunning turns, and the climax is a powerful handoff to the final installment (due in August). If you were stuck on Peeta vs. Gale after the first book, "Catching Fire" is depolarizing. It becomes difficult to root against either, which is what I call an exquisitely painful dilemma.

*Note: There are spoilers in this review Catching Fire is the second in Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games series. I reviewed the first book, The Hunger Games, a few weeks ago. Needless to say, I was not disappointed by this book. The writing is as fast-paced and exciting as the first novel, and my heroine is the same in all her imperfect, defiant, and gutsy glory. I couldn't put Catching Fire down (and stayed up until 2:30am to finish it in a 3 hour stretch). In summary, once more we meet up with Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, only this time they are victors of the Hunger Games and back in District 12. They live in new houses, have plenty of money, and don't want for much of anything. But with the Hunger Games over and her very public relationship with Peeta in limbo, Katniss finds herself falling for Gale, her best friend, in secret. A best friend who is also in love with her. Unfortunately, it is a secret that is known by her enemies, particularly President Snow. To make matters worse, President Snow hasn't forgotten their stunt with the berries (forcing the Capitol to proclaim two victors in the last Hunger Games), and now he has warned Katniss that she must quell any inkling that the berries were any kind of symbolic act of rebellion against the Capitol, and instead only a simple wish of someone desperately in love. But the spark has been made, and Katniss can no longer contain the fire that results. She is unable to convince anyone otherwise, including the president. To regain control and squash any rebellion, President Snow forces Katniss and Peeta back into the Games, where they learn that they are part of something greater - a far-reaching plan to unseat the Capitol, and one that has its fingers not only in the defunct District 13, but also in the Capitol itself. Fighting for survival, Katniss manages to escape the Games with the help of other District allies but in the end, is separated from Peeta who is captured by the enemy. Book 2 ends with Katniss unwillingly becoming the symbol of the rebellion (headquartered in District 13), and its figurehead...she is the mockingjay. Catching Fire was thrilling from beginning to end. It was great to reconnect with the familiar characters from The Hunger Games and get to meet some new ones that were just as interesting as the old or even more so. While everything feels familiar, like the same style of narration, the novel is never boring or predictable. It does take a little adjustment and effort to work in the personalities and the ages of the new Hunger Games competitors but that in no means detracts from the pacing or the story itself. I did find that I wasn't as interested in the mechanics of the arena this time but wasn't sure that was due to the complicated nature of its clock structure or whether I was more interested in what was happening with the characters themselves (which is a big compliment to the author). This book also seemed to be a lot more violent than the first. Death is an accepted casualty, as is walking on skulls or seeing piles of dead decomposing bodies. It didn't offend me at all, it was just something I noticed. That said, I enjoyed the authenticity that it gave to the book - it felt real, like it was a darker and uglier world. Or maybe it was reflective that Katniss was growing up, and she herself was harder and viewing the world differently. I still retained the connection with Katniss in this book - she stayed true to herself (as well as to her personality the previous novel) and while she does seem older and wiser, at the core, she doesn't change. She is still headstrong and compassionate and just as awesome. Catching Fire was a great second installment of the series! Well worth the read, I would rate it 5 out of 5 stars. I already have Mockingjay in hand so stay tuned for my final review. Hopefully it will measure up to its predecessors. Check out my profile info for my website and more reviews.

The second book or movie in a trilogy is usually the weakest of the three. This is true for almost every trilogy except for the original Star Wars, where Empire Strikes Back is the best of all the movies. After a perfectly average opening to The Hunger Games I wasn't expecting a whole lot out of the rest of the series. The only reason I kept reading was because I bought a kindle. This book was only seven bucks and near the top of the list in the kindle store so I figured "why not." Now I can think of two trilogies where the second book is the best of the series, Star Wars and The Hunger Games. Catching Fire kind of cheats though because it has two climaxes. For some reason that escapes me, the book one climax is in the beginning of book two. The book one climax occurs when Snow is talking to Katniss in her new house. It's a solid scene and made me excited to read the rest of the book. It's the scene that needed to end off the first book so that I would have been more eager to read the rest of these kid killing stories. The plot of the second book starts out with Katniss and Peeta (still the worst character names of all time, especially Pita Pit Peeta as I call him) going around to all the districts on a victory tour after winning the Hunger Games. I loved where it was going with this. They started at district 11 and what happened there was the most solid story telling in the trilogy. The only other comparable scene was at the beginning of this book with Katniss and Snow. If this is what happened at the first district then I couldn't wait to see what happened in the other districts. Too bad they don't really talk about it too much. Everything gets skimmed over. This is the beginning of a trend that plagues the rest of the books. Skimming. Instead of saying what goes on she just sums things up so that you know all the important parts and she can spend some unnecessary time trying to make me care if Katniss ends up with Peeta or the other guy. I'm sure he has a name but his role in the books is "the other guy." The skimming isn't as bad in Catching Fire but in the third book it is beyond an acceptable level. Despite this there are still lots of things to love about this book. Of course Katniss and Peeta end up back in the games fighting for their lives. I knew this would happen before I read the book. It's on the back cover isn't it? So I wasn't excited because I wasn't sure how the stakes could be raised any higher than they were the first time. The author was able to do that by, surprise surprise, being creative with the arena the game was being played in. The arena was amazingly entertaining compared to the first book where the location barely had a factor in how the game was played. She also raised the stakes by complicating the relationships between the people playing the game. Using the old victors as the tributes raised the stakes because they all knew each other and some were even good friends, but the added factor was that some of them weren't playing the game the way the Capital thought they were playing. It's all a little complicated. I don't expect you to understand what's going on. The protagonist doesn't even understand what's going on half the time. I love the very last line of the book. It sets up a massive cliff hanger which was absolutely perfect and ended the book on just the right level of hopelessness that the second part of any three part story needs. The Hunger Games in Catching Fire are the best of the series. The climax at the end of the book is the best of the series. The characters are the least annoying in this book. The settings are the most interesting, and finally, and most importantly the story is the most entertaining.

Capa bastante fina, sem orelha. Muito bonito e chegou rapidamente. Amo Jogos Vorazes!!!

Currently, I am re-reading the entire 'Hunger Games' series for the third time. With most trilogies, after having already read the books twice, they would be undeniably dull by the third time, but not 'The Hunger Games' and certainly not 'Catching Fire'. Katniss Everdeen has returned to District 12, living in a huge house in the Victor's Village, with all the food, money and luxuries she could want- her reward for being joint champion of the last Hunger Games, alongside fellow District 12 tribute, Peeta Mellark. But Katniss is far from happy. She is barely speaking to her supposed 'star-crossed lover', subsequent to an argument they had on the train, in the previous novel. Security has been heavily enforced in District 12, leading to increased suffering and punishments for all its residents. And there is unrest in the districts, stirrings of an uprising against The Capitol, that Katniss has unwittingly caused. With the threat of the snakelike President Snow hanging over her, Katniss knows she must face up to her actions and pay the price for the spark of rebellion she has created. And pay the price she does, but not in the way that she expected... An unexpected twist in the third Quarter Quell, the 75th anniversary of The Hunger Games, means that Katniss and Peeta are once more thrust into the arena, alongside 22 other tributes, all of them victors from past Games. This time, Katniss knows she has no shot at survival. Is this the end for the girl on fire? I really love this action-packed sequel to the brilliant 'The Hunger Games', although it is not as good as its predecessor, in my opinion. It does come a close second though. My favourite character is still Katniss, and she has really come along as a character, and the way she handles certain situations, such as her speech in District 11 and the news about the Quarter Quell are very mature and well-written, so it's as if you're experiencing each event through her eyes, and the same goes for all the horrors she faces in the arena. You forget you're sat against your radiator at home- Suzanne Collins' storytelling makes you believe you're fighting for your life in a ticking timebomb of an arena, alongside Katniss, Peeta and their team of allies. I have also gotten increasingly fond of Peeta, as well. His relationship with Katniss has developed a lot and a sweet friendship lies behind their ongoing staged romance. I liked the way Katniss was striving to sacrifice herself, so that Peeta could be crowned victor, whilst Peeta was determined to give up his life for Katniss. I loved the development of my other favourite characters too. In fact, one of my favourite parts of the whole book was when Katniss and Peeta were watching a replay of the second Quarter Quell, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Games, in which District 12's very own Haymitch Abernathy was crowned victor. I liked this bit because I discovered more about Haymitch as a character- how he managed to become champion, how the horrors he witnessed in the arena made him into the sarcastic drunkard he is today, and how there is actually a sensitive, emotional person underneath his cold, prickly exterior. I also liked the introduction of new characters, particularly Finnick Odair. He made a great addition to Katniss and Peeta's team, and within the space of a few chapters, he developed from the shallow, self-absorbed prettyboy that Katniss and the rest of Panem sees him as, to someone friendly and helpful, who has real feelings and a deep concern for others. I particularly felt for him during the jabberjay scene. I really liked the concept behind the book, particularly all the thought Suzanne Collins has clearly put into the arena and the horrors it contains. Each chapter brings a new key event in the story- there isn't a dull moment during the Games. But here comes the problem, just the little teeny problem I have with this book. The bit which is the actual Games only begins about 3/4 the way into the book. The book is 472 pages long, and the Games begin on page 321. Only the last quarter or so is in the arena. That leaves a big chunk of the book to talk about Katniss adjusting back to life in District 12, and her Victory Tour. Whilst all this stuff is engaging and interesting, I felt it was dragged out too much and I wish there had been more arena time. But that's the only issue I have and it isn't enough to drastically bring down my rating. Definitely a worthy successor to the incredible 'The Hunger Games', even if I did prefer the original. I would rate the book..... 9 stars out of 10.

I am once again blown away by this series. This sequel was so intense I didn't know what to do with myself. (Not to mention that I had the great idea to put the soundtrack of the movie as background music, which made it even harder for my heart to cope.) The plot was really surprising and fast-paced and I was always on the edge because I was terrified for the characters. I love Katniss and Haymitch but absolutely adore Peeta. The new characters (especially Joanna and Finnick) are also absolutely brilliant. The different plottwists throughout the story really make everything all the more exciting. As for the Hunger Games, they were simply horrifyingly amazing. The author created something completely mindblowing and I was as surprised as Katniss with each new incredibly smart thing she discovered. I am terrified for the third and final book, I'm not going to lie, but I also can't wait to get my heart broken somehow. I highly recommend this series! Best dystopian I've read so far. “You know, you could live a thousand lifetimes and not deserve him.”

All three books were great and this was no exception

Most people picking up The Hunger Games books probably already know the general premise or have seen the films—but the books offer something deeper, especially for readers old and new to the dystopian genre. Firstly this is an affordable paperback edition. When I purchased it, it was on sale at $12. The stakes rise sharply in this second book. We see more of the political undercurrents and unrest in the districts, and Katniss is increasingly caught in the role of a reluctant symbol for the rebellion. The Quarter Quell twist is genuinely clever and escalates the tension. A great trilogy.