{Review} Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay
by Suzanne Collins
Series: The Hunger Games #3
Pages: 390
Release Date: August 24, 2010
by Scholastic

THIS SUMMERY CONTAINS HUGE SPOILERS!  DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT READ THE SUMMERY UNLESS YOU'VE READ THE FIRST TWO BOOKS!!!!  My review isn't spoilery for the first two books!

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My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead. Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding. It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans - except Katniss.
The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. she must become the rebels' Mockingjay - no matter what the personal cost

After such strong first and second books, I was expecting this one to completely blow me away with the action and the story line.  Sadly, that didn’t happen.  This book, while still amazing, was not up to par with the other two.  It was boring.  It was weird.  And it didn’t make sense most of the time.  But, somehow, I still love it.  I think it’s because the first two books were so good, and because I am so invested in this world and Katniss’s struggles.  I must admit, the situation in this book was very interesting, and very dangerous.  There were a couple action scenes that I really enjoyed in the beginning of the book, but, other than that, this book didn’t have much to offer.  To be honest, it was kind of a mess.  I found myself skipping parts because it was boring, and also because the writing wasn’t that engaging if something big wasn’t happening.  The ending though…wow.  It was good, but so heartbreaking.  I will admit, I cried during this book.  Hard.  The emotions in this book were just all over the place, and if you’re really into the book, you’re gonna feel it.  And boy, did I ever.

To be honest, I didn’t like Katniss very much in this book.  This book really featured the love triangle, so of course that meant that Katniss spent a long time going back and forth between Peeta and Gale.  And, as you guys probably know by now, I hate it when that happens, because I feel it’s very unfair to the two guys.  So, for me, Katniss was annoying, not as strong, and kind of nuts.  Like, actually crazy.  She did not appear stable or coherent most of the book.  I struggled for most of this book trying to pick which guy I liked better, and I’ve finally decided that I’m Team Gale.  He’s just such a likable, nice guy, and, in my opinion, perfect for Katniss.  Peeta is a nice guy too, but for me he just wasn’t as good as Gale.  Anyway, I know who Katniss chooses, so I’m not going to say any more.

I am seriously so sad to see this series go, and, even though there are going to be movies, it just isn’t the same.  The books are/will be so much better than the movie(s), and I will definitely be re-reading this series again and again.

5 pink flowers

Quotes:

“I am going to be the Mockingjay.”

And in doing so, I give him the weapon he needed to break me.

“Fire is catching!” I am shouting, determined that he will not miss a word.  “And if we burn, you burn with us!”

“Better not to give in to it.  It takes ten times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart.”

This is one of the best trilogies I've ever read, and I can tell you right now that I will be re-reading these books for a very long time.  Words cannot describe this series...it's just that good.  Ugh.  The feels!