Mockingjay | by: Suzanne Collins

This review, despite the hype behind the book, contains no spoilers, but perhaps a few slight ones from the previous books of the trilogy (The Hunger Games, Catching Fire) will. (This is so difficult to write about without spoiling, and I don't like the way it sounds, so anyone who didn't want spoilers better be happy even though it's written in an odd way!)

Sparks have turned into flames. Katniss Everdeen and her fellow tribute, Peeta, have been the face of a rebellion against the Capitol. Now, the rebels are gaining power, and Katniss is beginning to accept her role. Emotions tear at her constantly with this new turn in events, despite her strength, because she's human. But she is also the Mockingjay, the face of hope in the revolution.

Thank you so much for this spectacular reading experience, Suzanne Collins.

Suzanne Collins has created a masterpiece, yet again. But I must say, that sometimes I am angry with her. The revolution was not peaceful because it's a revolution. Tragic things happen because that's the way life is. So why am I angry? Because I cared way too much, and it's all Suzanne's fault, with her beautiful writing and fearlessness in creating the plot, and those characters! Katniss, Finnick, Peeta, Gale, Prim, Haymitch. How was I supposed to not love them?

Of course, her writing is immaculate all through Mockingjay, and the plot remained just as action packed as the other two novels. But Katniss has so many emotions in this one, and all were displayed clearly. I felt everything she did. Fear, sorrow, worry, love. Reading this book almost hurt, because I hurt when Katniss hurt. She is a strong heroine and always will be, and I don't believe that she broke in this novel, as other reviews I read mentioned.

One character that was introduced in Catching Fire I never liked until reading Mockingjay: Finnick. Behind what you originally see in him lies so much that it broke my heart. I loved him, and I loved seeing his relationship with Annie. That's all I'm going to say about him, but the bottom line is that he's so... great. And everything that Peeta had to go through made me feel horrible, as it did Katniss.

I'm happy with the ending. I just wish that it wasn't so shadowed by everything that happened in the past, all of the depressing moods and thoughts from two pages before the epilogue were still piercing my heart. (Why did so many have to die?) I didn't want this long-awaited happy ending spoiled by the horrific events that took place. However, I am overjoyed that she and *I'm not going to spoil it* end up having a beautiful life together. I always suspected that in the end, she would be with him, but I also loved the other character that she could've loved. Well, until he made me very angry at the end. Well, she picked my favorite, so I'm ecstatic. Obviously, Katniss' love interests are not the main focus of the novel, but I have to admit that I've been itching to see how this ends. Want to know exactly why I'm happy with this character? Read the novel. You will not regret it.

The last few pages of the novel, I bawled. Many tissues were needed. It ended up being so happy and sad all at the same time, and I couldn't take it. It was too much for my emotional equilibrium to stay stable. Never have I cried so much over a book, with the only exception of Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. That book and Mockingjay made me a completely insane, crying mess. But I guess Mockingjay had the strongest effect, since I cried even though my dad was in the room (thinking that his daughter has lost it), and I basically cried myself to sleep. Had nightmares about only the sad parts, only that the book was just ended with those, no happiness. I'm even losing control of my tears as I write this.

Although I already thought about this in the past, Mockingjay helped me decide that I can't see the film adaptations of this trilogy. It means too much to me. Even if one thing isn't the way I imagined it, it could be ruined. This is the first time I read a book without wanting to see the movie. I need my personal vision of it, and nothing else.

I will give Mockingjay the same rating that I've given all of The Hunger Games books, despite that each individual book is so important to me, made me realize so much, and feel so much raw emotion. All are worthy of infinate stars.

5/5 Stars


Collins, Suzanne. Mockingjay
New York: Scholastic Press
2010