Mockingjay

Suzanne Collins

I finally finished the last book in the Hunger Games trilogy.  At first I was ready to give this book a bad review.  I was growing very tired of Katniss and her lame narration, I hated just about every character (possibly with the exception of Peeta and Finnick) and I was beginning to notice that every chapter ended in the exact same format.

I was annoyed that the girl we follow everywhere was so unaware of herself and those around her.  She’s always blaming herself for everything, and if she can make a situation harder, she usually goes that route.  At the end of the novel, when everything that could possibly have gone wrong has gone wrong, I began to realize that this story captures my attention for more reasons that trying to figure out faults in the main character.  I genuinely like the tale about a lost society trying to find its way into the future.  I like most of the characters.  I want them to be happy, and to win and to finally get to rest in safety.

The last couple of pages really make the story complete–and I can tell you I never saw that coming.  It was there that I was reminded that Katniss was tossed into this mess as a teenager, and by her own thoughts admits to being imperfect.  I’ll forgive her faults in exchange for an entertaining story.  While she may sometimes make me wish horrible deaths upon her, I’ve decided that her will to continue fighting to create a better future for Panem counters some of her flaws.

There were a lot of deaths in this series, especially in this book.  While Katniss constructs her book of memories, I found myself remembering them all too.  I was happy to remember them, even if I longed to read lines where they lived again.  The series was entertaining, and this book might just be my favorite of the three.  I recommend them to anyone looking for a high-energy read about a dystopian society trying very desperately to right itself.  I give this novel a 5/5