Books I Read: Catching Fire

Title: Catching Fire
Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Published: 2009
Content Rating: PG-13 for violence

After barely surviving the Hunger Games, Katniss finds herself in even worse trouble. The Capitol blames her for uprisings in the Districts, and they want her to fix things on her Victory Tour. She has no love for the Capitol, but the last thing she wants is for anyone to die because of her, least of all her friends and family back home. But when a simple show of respect for a Hunger Games' ally triggers a minor rebellion, she doesn't know what to do. Can she make things right? Could she run away with those she loves? Or could she become the leader the Districts are aching for?

I was worried about this book at first. I thought the Games themselves were what I loved about the first one, and I wondered if any political tension would be as compelling. About the end of chapter 3, though, I was just as hooked. Turns out it's also the Big Brother-esque Capitol that I like -- the realization that the only happy ending would be if the Capitol was overthrown, while chapter after chapter the Capitol proves that will never happen.

So I really liked it. Every time I thought the story was slow or predictable (which was rare, but it happened), something occurred to make me sit up and go, "No way!"

With one caveat: I felt like Katniss was kinda thick-headed towards the end. It's not that she should've seen the end coming (I didn't see most of it coming either), but once it came Katniss just didn't seem to get it, even after it was explained to her. I guess it's her character -- she never figured out about Peeta until the end of the first one either -- but it felt overdone to me in this one. It didn't ruin the book for me, but if she doesn't pick up on things quicker in the third one, I might be upset.

3 comments:

Amie McCracken said...

But that's what makes you as the reader so on edge. Because she never believes anyone.

(Just found your blog, enjoying it!)

Amie

Adam Heine said...

Thank you, Amie! It makes me VERY happy that you're enjoying your time here :-)

I totally agree with you; Katniss' disbelief did keep me on edge mostly. It was just at the very end there when I was afraid she was going to wreck the whole thing with her disbelief. She started crossing the line (for me) from wrong-but-understandable to bull-headed.

And it may just be that I don't like stubborn characters. It bothered me a little in Boneshaker as well. Hm, learning things about me everyday...

Joshua McCune said...

Yeah, she did go kind of stupid toward the end... and not just stubborn stupid, but stupid stupid (though not 3 stupid stupid)... I didn't really notice though, b/c it was such a fun ride.