Mockingjay is the final book in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, and certainly is an explosive end to a fantastic series.
Katniss has become the face of the rebellion, whether she wants to or not. She is put into situations to inspire people and want them to join the cause, while all the time attempting not to simply fall apart – not only because of what the Games have done to her, but knowing that her enemy – President Snow – still has Peeta and is using Peeta’s pain to break her.
Still, Katniss performs as she should and her life just gets more and more complicated when Peeta is rescued. It was all a little too easy and the reason why doesn’t take long to reveal itself; this is not the same boy she left behind in the arena. With enemies both within and out of the rebellion, Katniss must find a way to stay alive long enough to make good on her vow to kill Snow, regardless of what the consequences for her are.
Battling her way through the obstacles and losing people on the way, however, means Katniss knows there is every chance that she will never achieve her agenda. Her failure might not even be because of the Capitol and their soldiers, but from someone closer to her. She was the girl on fire, now she is the girl where everyday is a struggle to get through.
Collins truly has a talent with writing things in the first person perspective. Katniss literally spends most of the book having a break down or ending up in hospital while being classed as mental unstable. Yet there is never a point where that becomes annoying, or feels like that sympathy is being demanded from her. Collins’ approach to writing her is flawless and the reader is taken on the journey with her rather than watching from afar. The only time it could potentially drag on too long is averted by Katniss having a burst of determination.
Having wanted to read the trilogy for so long, I am pleased to say it did not disappoint. So much hype is around the films, and now I can see why for the books are fantastically written. The plot is fast moving and intense, and Collins does not shy away from the brutality of war and the innocents being caught in the crossfire. The tension is maintained throughout all three books and reaches a new high in Mockingjay, where there is literally no predicting who is going to survive the war. The way the book is written means that –despite it being from Katniss’ point of view – there is no guarantee she will make it through either.
A fantasy world constructed with painstaking reality, The Hunger Games should definitely be a trilogy that anyone liking romance, violence, rebellion, fantasy… The list goes on, it covers all eventualities, appeals to all audiences and is definitely a fantastic read.
A fantastic trilogy with a brilliant concluding book.
A Rambling Reviewer 