The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (#2)

Daniel Por

In this book review, I reread Suzanne Collin's sequel to the wildly popular The Hunger Games, where a dystopian Panem seeks to rebel against the tyrannical Capitol.

THE SHORT

While The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, may be a continuation of the Hunger Games series, it breaks new ground in every way. This time, Collins chooses to focus more on Katniss's impact on the Districts, rather than the actual Games themselves. Collins slowly enthralls you with her writing, as she gradually reveals the fact that the Districts are rebelling. This style of writing is both amazing and wonderful, as Collins uses her writing amazingly to flesh out her plot. Her plot also leads convincingly from one point to another. Utilizing the 75th Hunger Games excellently as a device to build tension and to parallel the Districts teaming up against the Capitol, and also to lead up to the climax. Eventually, Collins manages to deliver a masterpiece in writing as this sequel is just as great, if not greater, than the first book.

THE REVIEW

Collins manages to create an excellent and diverse set of characters, who are so amazingly fleshed out that even the most minor of characters can affect you emotionally. Katniss, the protagonist, gains a completely new definition in Collins's writing, as she develops over the course of the novel from one prepared to run to a rebel, ready to defy the Capitol. Speaking of development, most of the characters all undergo some sort of development over the course of the writing. This is a major plus point for Collins, as she defies expectations by going where no writer has gone before, redefining her characters in this well written, thrilling novel. As for the antagonist, President Snow, Collins seems to have modeled him on various Roman Emperors, as well as Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars. She somehow makes him a threatening character, yet never reveals too much of him to neuter him like Lucas did with Darth Vader.

Now for the main theme of this book. While this book is a YA book and therefore never overtly presses a moral theme on you, you get the sense that Collins was trying to write in an allusion to contemporary Roman history, with the evil Emperor and the common people. She also wrote in a theme about sacrifice, when Katniss decided that she was going to save Peeta, because it was for the greater good of the rebellion. While not very obvious, the main theme of the book had to be the price of freedom, and what people would do to rebel against the rulers who suppressed them. This can be seen from the very rebellion in the book itself, where a small act was enough to incite a rebellion against the Capitol. The political situation in this dystopian future parallels real history and politics in the world, further showing the full range of Collins's writing ability.

The plot in this novel is wonderfully convincing, as Collins provides decisions and consequences so grounded in realism, it's almost though the novel really could happen in real life. Perhaps the greatest plot twist in the novel was the tension packed climax where Katniss realized that the real enemy was the Capitol, and the fact that she had the ability to rebel, to revolt against the Capitol. Amazingly, Collins ties up all loose ends in her ending, explaining all unexplained things and leaving enough things unknown to entice us to read the next novel. From beginning to end, the plot is solid and perfectly written out, perhaps helped by Collins's writing abilities.

All in all,  Suzanne Collins successfully writes a sequel to the first book, and also leading us on to read the third and final book in the series, with her writing and plot. In a world where sequels often fail to live up to expectations, Collins not only defies those expectations, but sets the bar high for other YA authors to meet.

Rating: 9.2/10

Advice: Just read it!

I honestly can say that I never expected this novel to be that good.

Next week: I return to the magical world of Harry Potter, where a murderer is out for his blood, and no one is as they seem...in the third novel of the Harry Potter series: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban!! Will J.K. Rowling manage to live up to her wonderful two previous books as she delves into darker territory? Or will the book flop and sputter? Find out next week in my book review of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban!!