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Loading... Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games) (edition 2009)by Suzanne Collins
Work InformationCatching Fire by Suzanne Collins
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The second book in the Hunger Games franchise is considered by many to be the best one in the franchise. What do I think of it? Well, I obviously like it. I mean, who doesn't? However, I'd say I slightly prefer the first book. This one's probably a low 7/10 while the first one is a high 7/10 for me. Pretty much everything I like about the first book is present here as well. Suzanne Collins's writing style is great, albeit a little monotonous. The characters are incredibly well-developed, and the world is as complex and exciting as ever. The political themes are subtle and profound, never once feeling on-the-nose. Unlike James Dashner, Collins has learned the valuable lesson of "Show, don't tell", and her stories benefit greatly from that fact. Katniss Everdeen becomes a better and better character with every entry. I'm almost certain that some people who read the first couple pages of the first book thought she would be a Mary Sue, but that is not the case, not even slightly. She has many negative traits that make her severely dislikable to a lot of other characters; she is extremely quick to anger and, occasionally, quite acrimonious. However, despite all her flaws, you can't help but root for her. Almost every single one of her actions is motivated by a desire to keep her loved ones safe. At the beginning of this book, that's her primary motivation, but as the story progresses, she also starts getting motivated by the desire to take down the Capitol. While that rebellious nature has always been in there, she's always been too concerned with her family's safety to do anything rash; however, after all the suffering the Capitol has inflicted on everyone for so long, she finally snaps. The last arrow fired in this book makes for an epic finale, and it's done even better in the movie, in my opinion. I also like how we start seeing the entire country of Panem rebel here. This book is very aptly named "Catching Fire" as it is essentially when the rebellion begins. While Book 1 is almost entirely concerned with the Games, this is when the story starts to move in its ultimate direction. By the end of this entry, the rebellion is in full-swing, allowing the final book in the trilogy to be the showdown between the rebels and the Capitol. The trilogy, as a whole, is very well planned out and constructed. The main problem I have with the first book is the pacing in some sections. Unfortunately, that problem is amplified here. Where only the first third of Book 1 involves various preparations in the Capitol, leaving the next two thirds to the Games entirely, the Games don't start until the final third of this story. The first and second thirds involve the Victory Tour and the preparations for the Games, respectively. Sure, there are a lot of interesting things that happen throughout to keep you interested, and the foundations of the rebellion need to be laid down, but there are times when you are just avidly waiting for the Games to begin. Also, this book doesn't feel as self-contained as the first one. Where the first one feels like a full story that could stand on its own, this one feels like that only up towards the very end. It ends very abruptly, waiting until the final book arrives to tie off its loose ends. We don't really find out what happened at the end of the Quarter Quell or in District 12 until the next book. I know some may argue that having a massive cliffhanger leaves the reader excited for the next entry, but I somewhat disagree with that. I don't know. It just felt like this book needed an extra 5 or 10 pages in the end just to feel more complete. Despite the problems I have with this book, I still think it's a really exciting read, and I think it does a great job being the middle chapter of an epic trilogy. I didn't remember liking this book better than the first one. But Peeta shines so damn much. '...if it wasn't for the baby.' My boy knows so much hahaha. I felt so much compassion for Katniss and her ability to always try and see the best in people even if she doesn't know that she's doing it. She is just a piece of the games, but she an Peeta refuse as much as they can. I didn't care for Gale as a friend or a romantic interest for Katniss, he's so egoist where Katniss and Peeta are so selfless. Onto the next one! I really liked this book. I enjoyed The Hunger Games so much that I was glad that she included another Hunger Game. Although Collins creates another game, the circumstances are completely different from the previous and she can be creative at the same time giving her readers what they want. The best thing about this series, for me, is the fact that while Katniss Everdeen is a strong, smart, and talented teenager, she IS a teenager and not the most perfect person ever. She needs the help of others to survive, to give her advice, and to help her understand what is going on around her. She also falls into the trap of trusting a little more than she should to those who have the best of intentions, and to those who have the worst. Catching Fire is a great follow-up to the first book.
Collins has done that rare thing. She has written a sequel that improves upon the first book. As a reader, I felt excited and even hopeful: could it be that this series and its characters were actually going somewhere? The author describes her wearing a series of Cher-worthy costumes in which she confronts poisonous mists, deranged monkeys, and a flock of ''candy pink'' birds equipped with long beaks used to skewer human necks. Great stuff, this. Unfortunately, such startling apparitions too quickly appear and disappear, baubles randomly affixed to a story that's been stretched to gossamer thinness. Sequel just as gripping -- and brutal -- as the first. Belongs to SeriesThe Hunger Games (2) Is contained inHas the adaptationIs abridged inHas as a studyHas as a student's study guideHas as a teacher's guideAwardsDistinctionsNotable Lists
By winning the annual Hunger Games, District 12 tributes Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have secured a life of safety and plenty for themselves and their families, but because they won by defying the rules, they unwittingly become the faces of an impending rebellion. No library descriptions found.
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A great book! Just as good as the last one, but with a HUGE plot twist with the victors being the tributes.
This book is the birth of the Mockingjay!
A banging book, 5/5 stars! ( )