Mockingjay

Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins
Series: The Hunger Games (#3)
Publisher: Scholastic
How Received: My library got their copy in a week early to have on release date, and my boss loves me, and lent it to me.

This is a SPOILER FREE review.

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.

May I say that being able to read this book early was a privilege, an honor, and an absolute torture? (The only reason I did was because I knew I wouldn't have access to it for quite some time, and why not use what resources you have available to you?)

I switched teams as I neared the end of the book, as characters began to change and developed. Just watching this whole thing play out - the intricacies behind it, the things I didn't catch, watching Katniss realize what had happened, watching the effects of the former Hunger Games catch up to all of them, watching all of the characters (even the dead ones) come back to play a part...

Suzanne Collins is a genius. I absolutely and irrevocably loved it, every bit of it. I didn't put it down - I couldn't put it down! - and just seeing all of the little things that I never noticed come into fully effect the Game was fantastic.

I only called ONE plot point, and that was one about Prim. It's not a hard one to figure out, but it tied the book together, made it make more sense. And when things began to jumble as you near the end, only to be explained a few pages later, it's okay. It works. Because it's what should be happening, what has to happen.

My love of Haymitch has increased tenfold. I love Cinna even more, too. (It's possible.) The dynamics between the GalexKatnissxPeeta love triangle were amazing. Like I said, I switched teams - but with good reason. You'll see. I still love my original team, but in the long run, the team I switched to was better for Katniss.

I can't say much more without getting spoilery, so I'll stop now.

But guys, remember what Suzanne Collins said, guys.

One of the most important things to me is that everyone in the world is going to be able to experience the final book of The Hunger Games all at the same time, and be able to discover what happens in the book without hearing about it elsewhere first. Word will certainly travel fast, but I urge you – before or immediately after August 24th – to please respect the other Hunger Games fans worldwide and avoid sharing any spoilers, so that the conclusion of Katniss’s story can unfold for each reader the way it was meant to unfold.

So no matter what happens, keep it spoiler free.

Overall Rating & Final Comments: 10/10. It lives up to the rest of the books in the series, and gives a fantastic conclusion.
Movie worthy?: They had better do this series justice. Yes, movie worthy - but only if you guys cast Kristin Chenoweth as Effie.