Mockingjay, a review by Jude

Title:  Mockingjay

Author: Suzanne Collins

Format: Hardcover

Price: $17.99

Plot

The final book of The Hunger Games trilogy takes place in the same post-apocalyptic North American nation of Panem, which is now experiencing a fully-fledged revolution.  After being rescued from the Quarter Quell along with several other tributes, Katniss Everdeen becomes “The Mockingjay,” a symbol of the revolutionary movement. Throughout the book, Katniss seeks to be more involved in the rebel cause, and is used to film inspirational “Propos” to further motivate the rebels. After continued success of the rebels to gain control of the districts, Katniss is enlisted into a special group of people including Gale Hawthorne, Finnick Odair, and certain soldiers from among the general rebel army. This team ends up in the capitol, racing towards President Snow’s mansion to finally put an end to the war. Intense fighting takes place throughout the majority of the journey to the mansion, which results in the deaths of most of the group. In the end, chaos ensues, Katniss suffers a great loss, Snow is captured, but Katniss makes a sudden choice that leaves everything in confusion. In the end, she returns to what’s left of District 12 and settles there for the remainder of her life.

Character Analysis

Katniss has changed immensely since she started out as a simple 16 year old girl living in a poor district in Panem. After living through two Hunger Games and being the face of the revolutionary movement, she has suffered unimaginable loss.  She blames herself for the thousands of deaths caused by the war, and at times becomes self-destructive. She gets caught in an odd love triangle, and is heavily motivated by protecting Peeta and Gale, as well as her family and friends. In the end, she has matured greatly, perhaps too much for a girl her age, and she must live with ever-haunting memories of tragedy and violence.

Theme

To me, this book relayed messages pertaining to the realities of war, as well as revolutionary movements. Collins portrayed the brutal violence of the story somewhat bluntly, not trying to lighten the realities of the intense violence. I also found the corruption on both sides of the war a major part of the book’s theme. As President Snow’s regime was obviously harsh and oppressive, President Coin of district 13 didn’t have the best of methods or ways of gaining power, and showed some obvious corruption. Even though you overthrow the oppressive regime, if you’re not careful, the new order may turn out bad as well, causing only more problems.

My Opinion

Overall, I thought the book was all right. I did, however, find it disappointing in comparison to the previous two books, which I think are phenomenal.  The biggest thing about this book that I don’t like in relation to the previous two is how different the feel is. The first two were all about independent survival, and needing to use cunning and stealth to survive in an arena full of murderous teenagers. This one felt too militaristic and political to complement and give a good ending to the series. I did enjoy the portion of the book leading up to the climax, but the climax itself and the ending were both disappointing. Everything happened too abruptly, and everything seemed rushed without much real thought going into it. Not only did it end too abruptly, but I hate what actually happens in the end.  I would definitely read other books by Suzanne Collins, but in this book it seems as if she was trying too hard to make it an epic and crazy ending, and ended up with a mediocre to poor conclusion to an amazing series.

3 out of 5 chocolate bars.

I enjoyed the cover, as it correlates to the feel of the book as well as the theme of the entire series.

The only questionable material Mockingjay involves is, at times, intense violence.