A fitting conclusion to an interesting trilogy. There weren't too many surprises except that my emotional response to the last few chapters surprised me. I hadn't felt entirely invested in these characters until this time but the ending really got to me. I won't say any more than that about that part. I found the outrageous methods of propaganda used in the story and how it was dramatized fascinating. Although maybe not as significantly dramatized as one might think when you look at today's news and television. If you really think about it, it is almost scary how you could almost see how our society could degrade to this kind of worst case scenario. It does give you something to think about. Overall a very admirable story that's easy to read and pretty much guaranteed to hold your attention. I would highly recommend these books to older teens and up.
Review by Jenson_AKA_DL (LibraryThing), October 10, 2010 I must say, that I think that these books improved with each volume. The first book was fast paced, and sometimes almost difficult to read (in a good way), but the issues and the writing ability increased in each of the next two. I feel that the final book managed to produce a few twists that the reader sincerely didn't see coming, more so than the last two. So I was rather pleased with it.
Review by Trojanprincess (LibraryThing), October 8, 2010 Yes, I will miss Katniss Everdeen, our fiery young heroine, but with that said, I didn’t think this concluding book, in the popular [Hunger Games] series, ended as strongly as I would have liked it. Where the first two books were exciting and intense, this one is much darker and more brooding. War, deception and death, have stripped these teenage characters of their youth and vibrancy, which was probably the author’s intent, but for me, wasn’t quite as satisfying. Coincidentally, I also just wrapped up [Deathly Hallows] and there are definite similarities between the books but I thought the Potter books wrapped up more successfully. I’m still a fan of this YA series and if you have not given them a try, by all means, go for it!
Review by msf59 (LibraryThing), October 7, 2010 Injured. Healed. Gripe. Injured. Healed. Battle. Injured. Gripe. Healed. Battle. Injured. Heal. Save the world. Injured. Healed. I think that about sums it up. Though, to be fair, about half the "injuries" are of a psychological nature. Oh, and Gripe includes the "lectures" that Collins is sharing with us: about individuals standing up for what is right, governments being bad, power-hungry people being bad, and... hmmm... oh, yeah, young women are smarter, faster, stronger (oh wait, isn't that Jamie Summers?)...
Review by crazybatcow (LibraryThing), October 7, 2010 The last book was a departure from the usual formulas of the other two books, but it worked for me. Collins brings another adventure that I could not put down. It is filled with action and the last hunger games ends up not to be a game but rather a war. A war in which anything goes and psychological warfare has all the characters questioning how much they trust each other. I loved the new complicated relationships that the characters had with each other. Katniss does a lot of reflecting in this book that she does not do in the other two. She also shows more compassion and vulnerability. I struggled with rating this one. I wish that I could give half stars. I loved this one, but it was not like the other two and I would have to say I liked the other two a tiny bit more. I am a little sad that the journey is over for Katniss, Peeta, and Gale, but the end was satisfying. I would love to thank the author for the epilogue as well, it was what I needed to be able to say good-bye to a wonderful trilogy.
Review by taramatchi (LibraryThing), October 5, 2010 The breathtakingaway conclusion to Suzanne Collins series. It was so good I read it in a day. It was impossible to put it down. One of my favorite series ever...
Review by PattyLouise (LibraryThing), October 5, 2010 Shocking, dark, and sad.
Review by sdbookhound (LibraryThing), October 5, 2010 After Collins dropped a few bombshells on us at the end of Catching Fire (SPOILER: District 12 is gone, and District 13 does exist, contrary to popular opinion), reader were dying to know how Collins would end the Hunger Games trilogy. In Mockingjay, Collins picks up right where she left off: a thrilling page-turner that leaves readers on the edge of theirn seats. Katniss become the leader of the rebellion, and, by extension, the most wanted person in Panem. She must deal with her feelins for Peeta, Gale and her family as she attempts to infiltrate the Capital and assasinate President Snow. SPOILER: Her choice to assasinate President Coin instead of Snow was one of the things that baffled me, especially because I thought Snow's death by laughter was a major plot hole. Overall, I enjoyed Mockingjay just as much-- if not more than-- the previous two books in the series. I enjoyed watching Collins' writing mature through the series.
Review by 06nwingert (LibraryThing), October 3, 2010 The first two books of this trilogy were fun, the first more so than the second, but I was never a die-hard fan like most. I was intrigued most by the potential of rebellion that was foreshadowed from the start. The Hunger Games was a symbol of the wrong that needed to be righted, and this book, Mockingjay, was the potential answer. This book was as much, if not more, violent than the previous two though I could excuse it easier because the game was for real this time. Still, the depths some characters go to enslave and cause pain to others strains believability. I don't know if this version of the human race is worth redeeming. I was satisfied with how the larger story was resolved, and especially how the author showed the damaged results of the very-flawed Katniss, but I was irritated how the story arrived at its conclusion. Too many plot corners and motivations were glossed over or cut entirely so when the BIG moments happened I felt, at best, confused and, at worst, cheated.
Review by Daniel.Estes (LibraryThing), October 3, 2010 A grim but satisfying end to the popular series.
Review by DHann2911 (LibraryThing), October 2, 2010 MOCKINGJAY is the third in the Hunger Games series. I thought it was important to read the other two books before reading the last of the series. This one, for me, is more about the war and how Katniss is the pawn between both sides. It was a satisfying end to the series with room for more story lines to come in the future. I recommend the series to my 8th graders, but think it's a little grusome for the 6th graders.
Review by AnnRig (LibraryThing), October 1, 2010 ** spoiler alert ** Warning: Don’t read this if you haven’t read the book. It was impossible to write any sort of review without spoilers. But if you haven’t read it, I highly recommend that you do! Let’s start at the end and then go back, because really it’s the ending that matters most when you end a series like this. I didn’t particularly like the ending. Obviously I expected the book to be very dark, and that there wouldn’t be a miracle happy ending, but to be honest it wasn’t the darkness of the ending that bothered me. I’m a sap for some good romance and living happily ever after, but was perfectly willing to accept that that wouldn’t be the case here. No, what bothered me about the ending was this: it just felt too rapid and didn’t provide enough closure. That has bothered me with the other two books in the series as well, but I wrote it off as part of a series, and an author trying to lead directly into the next book and keep the readers on the edges of their seats. But now there’s no reason to do that. More answers, more details, even more time to mourn the deaths would have been nice. From the moment that Katniss shoots Coin on, I was disappointed with the book. I wanted answers: did everyone really think that Katniss was just mad when she shot her, or did they realize what District 13 was doing? Should we take everything that President Snow said as true? Who else was on Coin’s side, and did District 13 cause any other problems later down the road? It almost felt like the war wasn’t really over when the book ended, though the epilogue seems to say otherwise. Katniss seems to be able to get through life, but what is the state of the world like? Has there been any more fighting or war? Maybe that’s a lot to address, but one of the things I hate most about reading a book is unanswered questions. As for Katniss’s personal ending, it was okay. Kind of inevitable, of course she’s not going to be magically happy all the time and live a fairy tale life. Kinda obvious that she would end up with kids, I knew it the moment in the first book that she swore she never would. But I suppose her consenting to it is at least an indication that things are better in the world. Now on to other stuff. I knew the book would be dark but even I was surprised at just how terrible things were. A lot of things, like the government control, I had likened to 1984. To me, 1984 was a book that was truly horrifying. However, the horrors and terrors in Mockingjay were so much worse, it almost made 1984 look like child’s play. I’d like to think that our world and our society will never deteriorate to such a state, but perhaps that is naive thinking. I’d like to think it’s true. Of course there will be pain and there will be war, but to such an extent? I can only pray that humanity can withstand it. The romance: I had been looking forward to seeing the resolution of this a lot, and it was definitely downplayed. It wasn’t nearly as important as in the other books. In the end, I actually had the resolution I was hoping for (I was Team Peeta), but it wasn’t particularly satisfying. It almost felt as if Katniss went with Peeta out of default, not because she had genuine feelings for him. He was there and had been there for her for so long that it just seemed obvious. I could never really picture her with Gale, but I would have liked to have seen a least a little more happiness with Peeta for her than what we were given. I was surprised in the beginning to see how unwilling Katniss was to really be a rebel. She didn’t want to do anything, and the impression I had in Catching Fire was that she was really starting to embrace the rebellion. It seemed like a surprising shift in her personality, but then again it did seem believable. It just wasn’t at all what I was expecting to read when I started. The fates of the victors. In the earlier books, even in the face of something as brutal and terrible as the Hunger Games, there was always a bright ray of hope that things would be okay for at least one person. One person would live and would be rewarded and able to live a decent life. And then we learn that even the victors were never left alone or untouched. Haymitch lost everyone he loved. Johanna. Finnick’s terrible fate. And when we learned that, it showed me how truly dark this series is. That’s when I knew that there was no chance of a happy ending. The war might end just as the Hunger Games always ended, but nothing would ever get better. District 13 made me angry the entire book. I am not sure if I would have fought for them if I was Katniss. Their strict security measures were a turn off, but after the incident with Katniss’s prep team I was so angry. These people were clearly not a threat and were doing no real harm. They were just scared human beings, and look how they were treated. District 13, to me, was just as bad as the Capitol. And maybe that’s one of the points Collins was trying to make. But then is there no good in this world? Can we never hope for someone to be fighting for justice instead of power? It is hard for me to see why people like Katniss would go on with the fight, although they may have had no other choice. But considering District 13, who wants to live like that or fight for that? Finnick. His character grew on me so much as we learned more about him. To lose him was a terrible blow, but worse to consider that he had been reunited with Annie. I cried a lot. But I can accept it as part of what happens in war. I just hated that we didn’t really get to see what happened afterward. One brief line about Annie and Finnick’s baby, which tore my heart. To picture her, mentally ill and heartbroken, with a newborn child. What happened to Peeta was almost too terrible to think about. To me, that’s the worst fate imaginable. To be so mentally altered as to not know what’s real and what isn’t. His love seemed so strong in the earlier books, for something like a love so powerful to be changed is truly terrifying. I was kind of surprised at the deaths. I had predicted that the major death would be Gale. And very possibly Haymitch. But never Prim. From the beginning, the series has been set in motion because of the need to keep her alive. For her to die seems so cruel. It almost screams that none of this should have happened in the first place. Katniss could have let Prim go into the Games and died, and without Katniss involved the rebellion would not have had a face. In the end she lost Prim anyway so it seems like all they worked for was futile. I can’t even be pleased about the rebels winning because District 13 is so creepy. This sounds really negative. I loved the first two books. I’m torn about this one. I think it’s just because of how completely dark it is. I can’t really find any ray of light to give hope. And while war and all of these things are terrible, I still want to believe that there is some good in the world. I prefer a world where a girl like Anne Frank can still believe that people are good heart, despite what has happened. But Mockingjay gives me nothing, no hope. Sure, people live. Katniss and Peeta are together. But it’s not written or presented in a way that gives any reassurance or hope. People do go on living for a reason, despite all of the horrors and pain our world can present. But where is that reason here? Whatever my personal reaction, the book was really well written and definitely succeeded in its attempts to terrify and horrify me. A lot of people will probably disagree with my negativity! In some ways it was absolutely brilliant. But just so dark.
Review by beckykolacki (LibraryThing), October 1, 2010 People planning on reading this book will be totally unaffected by any reviews. At this point, you either love the series or you don't, and if you don't, you probably won't pick up the book regardless of what anyone says. On that note, I love the Hunger Games series. It was one of the best series I've ever read. It was beautiful, I waited and waited for Mockingjay to come out, and here it is. Now to the book- Mockingjay. It was okay. It was depressing and slightly boring. I didn't like the ending. I can't say much more since it will spoil it for those who have yet to read it. Back to the series, did I mention I love the Hunger Games series? Regardless of what I felt about Mockingjay, the series was incredible. Series 10 stars out of 5. (Yes, I did write that). Mockingjay- 3 stars out of 5.
Review by Readingfanatic1 (LibraryThing), September 30, 2010 No, I have not been punched in the face, thank you. I just need waterproof mascara.
Review by lindsaydiffee (LibraryThing), September 30, 2010 It looks as though the reading public is split pretty evenly on this one. However, I thought it was a fitting end to one of the best young adult series out there (and that is not a compliment to be taken lightly as I only love about 1/4 of the young adult books I read). The character of Katniss has evolved throughout the books and I think some are disappointed because she's not as bad ass as she was in the beginning of the trilogy. However, I think this is fitting. In the first book, Katniss is a somewhat introverted, anti-social character who only volunteers for the Hunger Games to save her sister, Prim, from being chosen. Katniss never chooses to be a Big Damn Hero. Her first and foremost priority is the survival of her family. By the time we reach the end of the trilogy, Katniss has been through the mental, emotional, and physical trauma of the Hunger Games, the Quarter Quell, and the sadistic threats of President Snow. Like a soldier who has seen the worst humanity has to offer, both within the self and within others, Katniss is suffering from PTSD. She's not as assured and ruthless and, as the politics of both sides ramp up, she's no longer certain as to who she can trust. At the hands of the rebels, Katniss is reduced to an ineffective emblem, a rallying point around which the rebellion hopes to win over the general populace. As the Mockingjay, Katniss is removed from real combat and reduced to little more than an ad campaign--but one that is effective. That Katniss has been weakened by the horrific events in her life and by her use as a pawn makes her relatable. Everyone has a breaking point and it may be that Katniss has reached hers. While Katniss has suffered, Peeta has been completely broken. Tortured by President Snow, Peeta now associates Katniss with danger and as a threat to his life. This conflict adds an interesting angle to the relationship that was developing between them in Catching Fire. I will say no more as the love triangle between Katniss, Gale, and Peeta provides much of the novel's suspense. The ending was pitch-perfect, but I won't say more than that as it, too, may ruin the experience for many readers. There is violence and bloodshed, but this is ultimately a book about the ruthlessness that exists hand-in-hand with absolute power. The epilogue is also beautifully written and I think nicely ties up the loose ends to the reader's satisfaction In The Hunger Games Triology, Collins has created a series of books that is well-written, inventive, and intelligent--something we see too little of in the young adult section of any bookstore.
Review by snat (LibraryThing), September 28, 2010 I guess what the ending came down to is the question of whether or not peace can really last? Can we remember the lives lost and have no more struggles for power? I doubt it. There will always be those who see the "big picture" and see people as numbers or faceless sacrifices. I also think there will also always be those who, whether by nature or nurture, have gone corrupt somehow and are too thirsty for power and control to let peace rule. How do we as humans find the balance between turning the other cheek completely and letting ourselves be ruled by a desire for vengeance? I loved this series for bringing up these questions and presenting them in such an enjoyable way with great characters. I'm definitely sad that it's over but pleased with its end. May the odds be ever in your favor.
Review by tap_aparecium (LibraryThing), September 28, 2010 In this Hunger Games grand finale, Katniss fully becomes the symbol of the districts' rebellion against the Capitol and its cruel ways. District Twelve has been destroyed and Katniss, along with her family, best friend Gale and the remaining survivors adjust to life in the long-lost District Thirteen and prepare for war. However, Katniss worries for Peeta, her Hunger Games co-champion and fellow rebel, who has been taken prisoner by the Capitol and slowly begins to realize she can't trust and depend on everyone she thought she could. I appreciate how Collins doesn't try to pretty things up or gloss over the not-so-happy aspects of war, death and destruction. The ending wrapped the trilogy up in the most believable way. The pacing of this installment was not as exciting as predecessor's; the first third or so of the novel progresses rather slowly. But once things took off, it was impossible to put down. Collins is truly a master at hooking readers and holding them to the very end. Her writing is not only action-packed but also very visual. She describes scenes in almost a movie-like fashion and that is very much a part of her appeal. The Hunger Games series is best-suited for a high school (and older!) audience. It's perhaps too gruesome and, particularly this last one, too violent and emotionally complex for a younger child to digest
Review by elenaazad (LibraryThing), September 27, 2010 Plot: Katniss has managed to survive the horrors of the Hunger Games but in the process she has become a very public symbol of resistance against the Capitol which has kept the 12 districts enslaved. She is taken to the mysterious district 13 and asked to become the Mockingjay, the public face of the rebellion, in order to inspire the troops. But war is not so different from the horrors of the games and both sides are willing to do anything to control her, no matter who it hurts. At the end of both the Hunger Games and Catching Fire (the first and second books in the series), I was left with the feeling that there was nowhere Collins could go, there was no way things could get any worse. And each time she proved me wrong. Like the two first installments, Mockingjay is both heartbreaking and riveting. The action is fast paced and exciting. No one is safe, which is unfortunate because Collins makes you care about her characters… almost all of them anyways. Her villains are quite nasty, not misunderstood or human beneath their villainous exteriors. It’s very hard to feel any sympathy for them. Usually I would complain about that , I’m not a fan of one-dimensional black hats, but the book is enough of an emotional roller coaster without caring for the bad guys too. I almost made it through the book without crying this time but Collins managed to break my heart again in the end. Though there is a wonderful cast of characters, Katniss really carries the book. And that too is a testament to Collins’ skill as a writer. The problem with having a character like Katniss who is inspiring and adored by almost everyone in the book is that the author has to make the reader believe it. You can say she is all these wonderful things but if the reader doesn’t actually feel it they’ll be quickly bored and they might actually grow to hate her. But Collins actually makes it work. Katniss isn’t perfect, far from it. But she has incredible instincts, an unfailing moral compass and above all the ability to survive, no matter what is thrown at her. You cannot help but cheer for her. This is a very satisfying conclusion to a wonderful series.
Review by roguelibrarian (LibraryThing), September 26, 2010 Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins is the third in The Hunger Games Trilogy. The author has referenced her experiences with war and entertainment as inspiration for the series. This book really is a "war" series. No one wins in a war. Prim's death was an excellent example of a casualty of war. The mental impact of the war on both Katniss and Peeta was also a very accurate depiction of what happens in war. It was frustrating to see how Katniss reacted during much of the book and I had to remind myself that this was actually a very authentic portrayal of post-tramatic stress syndrome. It's unrealistic to think that someone who had experienced the mental and physical challenges she faced would be able to just bounce back. They did a great job showing how instinct and adrenaline sometimes take over. Although I missed the Hunger Games element found in Books 1 and 2, I thought Collins did a nice job incorporating the action aspect into the Capitol mission segment. I was very satisfied with Coin's death having anticipated it from the beginning of the book. The return of Katniss to District 12 and her ultimate decision to be with Peeta seemed very appropriate. It was a place they could heal together. She never wanted to be a hero or the center of attention. I always felt that Gale was more of a "best friend" type of person and won't be able to provide the deep, ongoing support system that Katniss needed. Overall I think Collins did a wonderful job inventing a world like and unlike our own. Although she was clearly inspired by general topics associated about war and politics, I found the lack of a religious element or specific political connections very refreshing. I think it's difficult to rate individual books in a series and find it more useful to look at the "big picture" when the series is done. Overall I think it's a great example of how an effective trilogy keeps readers interested from start to finish.
Review by eduscapes (LibraryThing), September 26, 2010 Not a particularly satisfying ending for the loyal fans who've stuck with Katniss through this entire nastiness. Don't get me wrong; this is a good book and an especially good series. I just think that Collins got to the end and couldn't figure our what to do, so she didn't.
Review by herbcat (LibraryThing), September 24, 2010 A great conclusion to The Hunger Games trilogy. Highly recommend all three of them. Fortunately, this book doesn't feature any actual Hunger Games -- although the rebellion against the Capitol is almost as brutal as putting 24 children into an "arena" and getting them to fight to the death. By the end of the trilogy you feel battered and moved -- but not uplifted. I mean that as a compliment.
Review by jasonlf (LibraryThing), September 21, 2010 This is the last and best of the Hunger Games trilogy. Collins does an excellent job describing Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), which are the hallmarks of today's wars. She shows the corruption of politics and the way war traumatizes and corrupts even those fighting on the "right" side. I don't know if she had Cuba in mind when she was describing District 13, but I sure did as I read it. It's well this series started out as YA because it's the young ones who have to fight our wars. Maybe reading these books will take a little glamor out of the push for patriotic martyrdom.
Review by Citizenjoyce (LibraryThing), September 21, 2010 Reviewed by Josh (Class of 2011) Twists and turns that no one can see (without reading ahead). About the middle things seem to wrap up...just to then fall apart. The end has a lot more twists than any other in the series. Few book series can compare; none have been as emotional, as simple, and as confusing as life itself.
Review by HHS-Students (LibraryThing), September 20, 2010 the hunger games series was so much better than i ever imagined it would be. this last book was excellent. didn't want it to end. now that the series is over i think it's gonna be a while before i can get into anything else because i was so engrossed with the books!!!!
Review by dawnlovesbooks (LibraryThing), September 20, 2010 Good ending to a great trilogy. These are considered young adult but so worth reading by everyone.
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