Review : Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Title : Mockingjay Author : Suzanne Collins Reading Dates : 13 Oct - 14 Oct 2012 Total Pages : 390
Catching Fire The Hunger Games Catching Fire Mockingjay
From Amazon : Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge...This thrilling final instalment of this ground-breaking trilogy promises to be one of the most talked-about books of the year.

Book Review of Mockingjay.

Mockingjay was an unbearably sad read for me. The ending, which all things considered is supposed to be a good one, didn’t feel like that to me. There were just too many needless and senseless deaths in Mockingjay.

If I could wish for anything regarding The Hunger Games series, it would be for a different ending. So many of the characters, including my favourite, dies brutally and tragically. And the toll that the Districts demands for ending the war is barbaric as well. Worse, when I put myself in their shoes, I can actually understand their need for vengeance. In the end, it all seems to be such a terrible waste because nothing much changes, only the role of victim and persecutor. While the good guys will not always win, I still prefer happy endings or at least endings where I can feel that most of the people got what they deserved. In Mockingjay, it seemed that the heroes suffered a fate worse than the villains.

As for Katniss’s choice for her life partner, it doesn’t come as a surprise to me. It was pretty clear to me by Catching Fire who it would be considering the way she thinks. I’m still disappointed though when she makes her choice. More than anything, it seems to symbolize that nothing changes in Katniss’s world because she lets past events dictate her choice.

To sum it up, The Hunger Games had me wanting to watch the movie while Mockingjay has me reconsidering. The story might have been good but I’d have preferred a happier ending.

My conclusions :

• Would I re-read the book ? Yes, but not as frequent as I'd like.
• Would I want to read the next book in the series, if there were one ? Yes.
• Would I want to own my personal copy if I didn’t already own it ? Yes.
• Who would I recommend this too? Young adult and dystopian readers.
• For those looking to read the book, would I recommend buying or borrowing the book? Buy it. The series is a keeper.

In My Mailbox

Teaser Tuesdays

Challenges : 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge