On August 24th I dashed to my local Borders (no I didn't go to an independently owned shop, I'm a horrible person) between classes and snatched myself up a copy of Suzanne Collins' newly released Mockingjay.
In the first book of the series, we're introduced to Panem, a country that takes up present day United States. There are twelve districts of Panem and they exist to support the Capitol. A thirteenth district is mentioned, but was allegedly destroyed years prior. The districts provide food, textiles, and fuel respective of each district's natural resources and products. The districts also provide the Capitol with tributes, a boy and girl from each whom the Capitol chooses, for the annual Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games is a televised event in which the two tributes from each district fight to the death in arenas with various obstacles. The Capitol maintains the games as a twisted way to remind the districts of its authority. In the games, it's every man or woman, or more often every child, for themselves. The story of the Hunger Games trilogy begins when the main character and our narrator, sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister, Prim's place as the female tribute from District 12. Katniss' life changes forever as she is propelled into a role first as a tragic contender in the games to an unexpected victor who enrages the Capitol. Throughout the trilogy, Katniss becomes an icon likened to today's celebrities. She is known nationally as the girl on fire, the girl who ignited the Hunger Games and eventually Panem's mockingjay, a bird viewed as a symbol of rebellion.
The trilogy chronicles Katniss' fight to keep her loved ones alive and the rebellion's fight to overthrow the Capitol and end the Hunger Games.
There were some parts that were almost too easily anticipated. Also, one of the characters, Peeta, is the son of a baker; I had a hard time overlooking this name choice. There was a great deal of detail that often threatened to slacken the pace of the books. One of Katniss' biggest personal challenges is a love interest conflict between two young men, Peeta and Gale, which was far too similar to the Twilight series for my taste. I was bouncing around the internet earlier looking for information on the supposed film that is to be produced based on the books and stumbled across a "Team Peeta or Teem Gale?" fan-made image; we are NOT going there with "teams." Nu uh. But that's really not a criticism of the book, so I digress.
In the books' defense, there was a constant intrigue that kept me reading and reading until it was over. I really couldn't put it down. Despite the anticipation in some places, still others took me by surprise and (especially at the end of most chapters) there were major hooks that propelled me forward. I had a hard time not skipping ahead from the top left of a page to the bottom of the next. The amount of detail is commendable, even if it was a little tedious in places. To Collins' credit, she did a glowing job of presenting the Katniss-Peeta-Gale triangle by effectively developing each character, giving them reasons to exist apart from their love interest, and providing valid explanations for their actions towards each other and their decisions.
The Hunger Games trilogy offers beauty, at times wit, others despair, there's sadness, there's also joy, and overall it is a fulfilling experience. I would highly recommend this series to anyone, male or female, teens to adults.
May the odds be ever in your favor.
Signed,
RF
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