28/100 The Mockingjay (book review)
May. 25th, 2012 01:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
phynckeThird and final book review in this series.
Mockingjay (Hunger Games book 3)
by Suzanne Collins
Book Review
Set in one possible future when North America has dissolved away to the country of Panem, a realm where the decadent Capitol dominates 12 provinces through the mechanism of exacting tribute through the Hunger Games. The tribute are children, offered up in combat to the death in an arena. Two, a boy and a girl, from each district and only one can triumph. The games are televised, broadcast live for all to see. This system has been in place for seventy four years, ever since the districts revolted and lost the rebellion. Before the revolt, there were 13 districts but one was obliterated by the Capitol in the war.
This book continues just where the second one leaves off at the end of the quarter quell. Katniss and a few of those in her alliance are rescued by the rebels and this is where the books follow the path that I had guessed at. We find out that there is a full scale rebellion happening and that Katniss is the rallying point (symbol) of that rebellion. She is the Mockingjay and the spark, which lit the fire which got the rebellion moving. This book follows her experience as a political figure and is not so much about the Hunger Games anymore...it is about the establishment of a new political order. We find out that District 13, supposedly destroyed, survived the cataclysm that had been visited upon them. They had negotiated their way out of that because they had the bargaining chip of a nuclear deterrent. The Capitol could not risk an all out nuclear attack from them and so left them alone. In return for that they had to live under the earth's surface and not contact the other 12 districts. But inherent in this set up was the future demise of the Capitol as District 13 would be able to organize and foment a second rebellion. They were waiting for something to happen in the Hunger Games and Katniss/Peeta were this opportunity. Unfortunately Peeta has been captured by the Capitol and turned against Katniss. The rebels use Katniss and ultimately are victorious over the capitol. Peeta and Katniss are reunited and the ending is a bittersweet yet happy one for the main character.
This book is more political than the other ones and less about Hunger Games than the situation that the characters are embroiled in. It was predictable to me but I found it to be a satisfactory conclusion to a really good story. It kept some of the elements of the Hunger Game structure in there...the aspects of the game so that is interesting. I poured through all of these books rapidly and lived and breathed them. I am writing this review after some distance on the material. Collins is logical about where she takes the story. It follows a pattern in political theory and the rise and fall of states and empires. So that works. The one thing I like is that we are always with Katniss, always in her head and her thoughts are very real. This is a series well worth staying with and finishing.
Overall rating:
Good!
Recommend:
If you read the other books!
Warnings:
Story is violent and disturbing.
Companion Video: Haymitch's Second Quarter Quell (warning, very violent! strong warning!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mUjssn86h4
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post 28/100 in the 100 things challenge
Mockingjay (Hunger Games book 3)
by Suzanne Collins
Book Review
Set in one possible future when North America has dissolved away to the country of Panem, a realm where the decadent Capitol dominates 12 provinces through the mechanism of exacting tribute through the Hunger Games. The tribute are children, offered up in combat to the death in an arena. Two, a boy and a girl, from each district and only one can triumph. The games are televised, broadcast live for all to see. This system has been in place for seventy four years, ever since the districts revolted and lost the rebellion. Before the revolt, there were 13 districts but one was obliterated by the Capitol in the war.
This book continues just where the second one leaves off at the end of the quarter quell. Katniss and a few of those in her alliance are rescued by the rebels and this is where the books follow the path that I had guessed at. We find out that there is a full scale rebellion happening and that Katniss is the rallying point (symbol) of that rebellion. She is the Mockingjay and the spark, which lit the fire which got the rebellion moving. This book follows her experience as a political figure and is not so much about the Hunger Games anymore...it is about the establishment of a new political order. We find out that District 13, supposedly destroyed, survived the cataclysm that had been visited upon them. They had negotiated their way out of that because they had the bargaining chip of a nuclear deterrent. The Capitol could not risk an all out nuclear attack from them and so left them alone. In return for that they had to live under the earth's surface and not contact the other 12 districts. But inherent in this set up was the future demise of the Capitol as District 13 would be able to organize and foment a second rebellion. They were waiting for something to happen in the Hunger Games and Katniss/Peeta were this opportunity. Unfortunately Peeta has been captured by the Capitol and turned against Katniss. The rebels use Katniss and ultimately are victorious over the capitol. Peeta and Katniss are reunited and the ending is a bittersweet yet happy one for the main character.
This book is more political than the other ones and less about Hunger Games than the situation that the characters are embroiled in. It was predictable to me but I found it to be a satisfactory conclusion to a really good story. It kept some of the elements of the Hunger Game structure in there...the aspects of the game so that is interesting. I poured through all of these books rapidly and lived and breathed them. I am writing this review after some distance on the material. Collins is logical about where she takes the story. It follows a pattern in political theory and the rise and fall of states and empires. So that works. The one thing I like is that we are always with Katniss, always in her head and her thoughts are very real. This is a series well worth staying with and finishing.
Overall rating:
Good!
Recommend:
If you read the other books!
Warnings:
Story is violent and disturbing.
Companion Video: Haymitch's Second Quarter Quell (warning, very violent! strong warning!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mUjssn86h4
---------------------
post 28/100 in the 100 things challenge
