Mockingjay

Introduction

Mockingjay, written by Suzanne Collins and published by Scholastic publishing company on August 24th, 2010, is the last of The Hunger Games trilogy. There was once again just under a year between the release dates of Mockingjay and its predecessor, Catching Fire, and I believe this installment to be the best of the original triology. I am continuing with the Spoiler-Free Thoughts section of these reviews, so anyone who hasn’t read this book can go to that section if they would like to know what I think about it. That being said, I cannot promise that the events of the previous two books will not be occasionally referenced in the spoiler-free section. Those who have read this trilogy and want a deeper insight as well as specific examples on why I feel the way I do about this book can continue on to the Thoughts section.

If you are interested in learning more about Suzanne Collins and her upcoming work, you can visit her website https://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/index.htm.

Plot

Panem is at war, and everyone has their own agenda. Katniss will be their Mockingjay, but is she prepared to lose it all for freedom from the Capital and their Games?

Spoiler-Free Thoughts

The plot of this book is interesting, but the pacing seems uneven at times. With war raging across Panem, there are often action-packed chapters between long stretches of strategizing and waiting. It seems appropriate, but it wasn’t my favorite aspect. In my opinion, one of the best parts of this book is the range of character dynamics.

Right off the bat, the effects of the past two books are evident in that Katniss simply seems broken by what she’s lost. Even still though, her drive to protect combined with her ever-present emotional outbursts remind me of exactly why she was the one chosen to be the figurehead of the rebellion, even without considering her actions in the games. Peeta was always the mediator to keep the peace within her, even though I don’t believe either of them did or could completely recover from the trauma of the Games and the war. The themes of surviving hardship and trauma are possibly the most prevalent throughout this book. I will mention that as far as the supposed love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale goes, I find it increasingly unnecessary.

Peeta’s personality never wavers from the caring, protective boy who just wants to do what’s right, no matter the personal cost. When Peeta wasn’t himself, Finnick was the one to help him, and while I think it should have been Katniss, I know why it wasn’t. She was hurting, and her worst fears had been realized. Their relationship changes completely for the majority of the book, and Peeta’s different personality is made harder to bear when experienced through Katniss’ perspective.

Katniss’ biggest supporters in this book are Haymich, Prim, and Finnick. I miss what Katniss and Haymich’s relationship used to be, but it does creep back to their normal throughout the course of the book. At the end, we see that they are truly back to where they need to be because Haymich makes the choice to put his complete trust in Katniss without question. Prim has grown so much since the events of the first book, and while she does still seem young, she is also so much more capable. Finnick and Katniss also have the shared trauma of the Games and the loss of war, but their friendship is never more than that. It’s critical for the sake of their mental health that they have one another.

Finally, Katniss and Snow get to have their confrontation. He is absolutely despicable, but simultaneously one of the most intriguing characters in the entire series. As promised, he doesn’t lie to Katniss, and he is the reason for many revelations at the end of the book. The way the book ends for him could not be more fitting, and I am completely satisfied with the conclusion of this story.

Given everything I have mentioned regarding character dynamics and (to a much lesser degree) the plot, I’m giving this book a 9/10.

Thoughts

It takes trial and error, but even through their differences, Haymich is the one to remind District 13 that Katniss is at her most inspiring when she is protecting and loving those around her. Their fight had me absolutely devastated because they may not always see eye-to-eye, but Haymich has always been essential to Katniss’ support system, and he is one of the only people who truly understands her. This is especially true without Peeta around. Peeta and Prim have always been the ones to remind her of the goodness in her, but without them, she is left alone with her inner turmoil. This comes through most clearly while Katniss is in District 13 before Peeta’s return.

An argument could be made for the inclusion of the love triangle in the first and second books, but in this one I find even the background references to it irritating because it seems clear to me that even with Peeta hijacked, Gale was never the one for Katniss. They obviously care for one another, and I would never deny their friendship, but they simply aren’t in sync anymore. The final deciding factor was Prim’s death, and regardless of whether or not it was Gale’s bomb, it was his plan, and his parting shot at Katniss was the last nail in the coffin of their relationship.

The relief when Peeta returned was immediately squashed by his attempt to kill Katniss. The real or not real game was a smart one for Finnick to play with him, but the idea that Peeta will never be the same again is heartbreaking, but this is the cost of war. At the end though, he stops her from taking the nightlock pill because he remembers that his job is to protect her, and he does that for the rest of their lives. Another point to Peeta being better than Gale; he never pushes Katniss past her comfort level. When Gale makes snide comments to Katniss, he does so with complete autonomy, but when Peeta does it, it’s under Capital manipulation.

I took an immediate dislike towards Coin. She is no better than Snow with her barely-veiled threats, and she too only seeks to use Katniss to further her own agenda. And when Katniss no longer serves an active purpose, she sheds no tears over putting Katniss in harm’s way. Her death, espeically following the revelation that she dropped the bombs that killed Prim, was an incredibly satisfying plot twist. Boggs, on the other hand, acted as the father figure we never saw Katniss with prior to this book, and though we didn’t know him for long, his death still created an impact. With Katniss and Haymich at odds, Finnick fills the role of telling her what she needs to hear, which is fitting given that I don’t think Haymich could tell her that she loves Peeta as more than a friend. This only serves to make his death more tragic, especially as it follows so closely behind his wedding and the conception of his child. He was genuinely one of my favorite characters in the series, and his death remains one of the hardest for me to get through. Prim’s death is particularly devastating because she was Katniss’ reason to live for several years. She was the reason Katniss went into the Games and continued to play the Capital’s charade after the fact. When she dies, it really feels as though Katniss has lost everything. All of this shows that death does not discriminate between good and bad, and nothing is safe when the world is at war.