Hunger Games: Mockingjay book review

Mockingjay is the third and final installment of the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. The events of Mockingjay take place a few months after where Catching Fire ended beginning with Katniss visiting the ruins of her home, District 12. District 13 has risen from the ashes and is ready to destroy the Capitol once uniting the districts to strengthen the already growing rebellion, though, they need Katniss, a national symbol, to be willing to be their pawn in order to help further their plans. The Capitol tries to keep the rest of Panem in check "peacefully" at first by having Peeta, who was taken hostage by the Capitol at the end of the last book, to warn them of the travesty that would occur if the country goes to war amongst itself. But alas, the rebellion continues and we lose many characters in some way or another along the way.

The pacing of this book was rather odd, in my opinion, because it was dragging in some places and too rushed in others causing you to miss some details both important and insignificant. Seriously, I did not realize that Finnick Odair was killed until it was stated a few pages after the fact causing me to have to go back and find out how he died the first time I read the book. The early days in District 13 are especially slow in pace because not much is going on in the beginning because it is mostly her explaining her daily life, her worries of what is happening to Peeta and the rest of the captured Tributes/Victors, District 13 officials trying to convince her to be

the public face for the rebellion among other things.

District 13 seems to counter the traditions upheld by the Capitol. The Capitol is all about living in excess even if it disfigures ones morals and appearance while most things in District 13 is restricted and given in small portions along with having a somewhat militaristic society. The leader of District 13 President Alma Coin unlike President Snow, who likes to take immediate action once someone goes against him, decides to mostly sit back as others fight and destroy the country. Though, neither end up being good for the people of Panem since they would basically be trading one evil for another.

A couple things that annoy me are Katniss' naïvety and the love triangle. One of the characters, I think it was Gale, actually had to tell Katniss that she actually held a good amount of power over District 13 officials which should have been evident after seeing how people reacted towards her during her Victory Tour and being repeatedly told by Snow that she had inadvertently started a rebellion, so, District 13 would do anything to have her on their side. Also, she repeatedly said that Coin did not seem to like her and other things of the sort and yet she was shocked when she realized Coin was planning to either break or kill her because she could not risk Katniss going against her since she knew who the citizens would follow.

Though, the love triangle, if you can even call it that anymore, is not that noticeable if you are not paying much attention to it, but I still find it an trite plot device even when it does make sense for it to be there. I mean, Peeta is the boy that has saved her life so many times since they were eleven and Gale has been her best friend since she was twelve, so, I could see why she would at least admire these guys, but that is more hero worship than love. Also, the fact that Peeta was returned to her and the rebels programmed to kill her does not really help his case, yet, she still cares and hopes they will return to what they once were even though for a while he called her a mutt and believed that she was out to slaughter them all and has bouts of madness, though, he later gets over the prior. Gale is no better seeing as his hatred for the Capitol has stemmed so far he has no second thoughts about sinking to their level, possibly, setting off the bombs that killed young children and Katniss' younger sister Prim. Really, it is just about choosing who would be better for her in the long run. Peeta who understands what she has gone through and will try to help her every step of the way and she the same with him or Gale who will constantly remind her of her sister's death and she figures he might not be good for her in the long run. But, that seems like a good ending for the love triangle because it spent more time on her and Peeta than her and Gale.

Even with the odd pacing I still enjoyed the book, especially the epilogue because it not a happy or sad ending and shows some of the life that Katniss now lives. Though, the ending or the story for that matter might not please everyone. Once again, I recommend the series.