Saturday, October 22, 2011

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Wow.  I haven't done this is in a very long time.  I actually stayed up all night reading.  That's right: all.  night.  There is definitely something to be said about plot-driven novels.  They're intense, suspenseful and downright gut-wrenching.  Not to say that there is no character development to be found in Collins' work - there is, certainly!  I think, however, it's the plot that propels us through it.  By the time I got to the end of Catching Fire, I was almost rabid for the third instalment; it wasn't until I turned off my beside lamp that I realised it was well past sunrise; my alarm ten minutes later confirmed it.  And you know what, poppets?  It was all worth it.  I look forward to Mockingjay.


*SPOILERS! DO NOT READ BELOW if you care*

The second instalment finds Katniss and Peeta back in the Hunger Games arena, due to the evil machinations of President Snow.  This time, they're already heroes and are up against previous victors.  May I say, that I simply loved Katniss' reaction to the news - who hasn't felt like screaming into a rag when faced with the futility of life?  There's more proof that Katniss is a badass and that Peeta is as soft as they come (standing on a platform, waiting to be rescued?  ugh).  I find Peeta quite annoying.  He's so completely useless in an arena situation.  And while I can appreciate that Peeta and Katniss have taken the stereotypical feminine and masculine roles, Peeta is also the reason I usually hate the useless girls in actions movies.  Kill something already!  He bakes pretty cookies for chrissakes!  (I swear, if Katniss rejects the wicked Gale for this sissy, I'll die.  Especially if he doesn't do something to prove himself soon.)  And at the end, we find ourselves in yet another incredible (but very believable) twist.  I don't know what to really say about Catching Fire - like the middle books of most good trilogies, it is full of everything tasty.  Can Collins come up with an ending to it all that will satisfy without being saccharine?  Will it be hopeful or tragic?  With most YA movels, I do find a leaning toward to the happily-ever-after, so Katniss will probably live.  Too bad this isn't full-on contemporary fiction, where Katniss could very well die - I somehow don't see that as an ending.  The question isn't if she will survive, but how?  can't wait to find out!

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