Book Review: Catching Fire

Catching Fire (Book 2 of the Hunger Games trilogy) by bestselling author: Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire is the second installment of Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games. This story picks up about six months after the games have ended, as Peeta and Katniss are about to be taken on a victory tour to the other districts. When Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mallark were crowned victors of the recently concluded Hunger Games, they thought everything else would be perfect.

But they were wrong. As soon as they emerged as champions in the arena, President Snow of the Capitol have targeted Katniss because of her act of defiance on the Hunger Games. This pertains to the act where Katniss & Peeta willingly swallowed some poisonous berries after the Gamemakers announced that there should only be one winner in the game. But since Peeta & Katniss don’t want to kill each other, they thought of rather dying so as no victor will emerge.

This act angered the Gamemakers and President Snow because Katniss has made the capitol looked like fools and were very unhappy with her performance in the games and she came to realize what a huge price she was going to have to pay.

And there's Peeta's public wedding proposal to Katniss, where she had to go along so as not to anger the Capitol further. Somehow, I feel the intensity of the love triangle on this book - Peeta, Katniss & Gale. I can see the developmental difference in Katniss, an older, wiser, more observant girl while still retaining that fire. I thought her confusion over Peeta and Gale well done and age appropriate.

I could feel her emotion for both boys--her respect, camaraderie, in sync feelings with Gale and her protective, guilty, grateful feelings for Peeta--and why she could not give up nor disappoint either one. I enjoyed learning more about Haymitch and seeing more of the danger Katniss' district faced for her unintended rebellion. In Hunger Games I felt intense concern for Katniss whereas here in Catching Fire, I felt it for her whole district. Of course, with a more dangerous story, there is definitely more gore. Once again, not appropriate for younger teens.

Although the entire concept is somewhat disturbing, The Hunger Games and Catching Fire are two of the most captivating books I've ever read. And this also applies to the next book - Mockingjay! Collins has left her readers with a doozy of a cliffhanger. This had me thinking...  Will she be able to bring it together and pull it off triumphantly for the final installment?

Of course she had! Tune in to my review of the third book this weekend.

My rating for Catching Fire:  5 bookmarks!