Bookish Review: Mockingjay

The final book in the Hunger Games trilogy did not disappoint! Katniss is finally going to have to choose between Peeta and Gale--if they all survive the war, that is. District 13 wants to use Katniss to help rally the rebel effort, but she's not sure she wants to let them use her like the Capitol did. When she realizes it may be her only option to save Peeta, she acquiesces, but not before naming her price.

There has been a lot of backlash over the violence in this book, and the series as a whole. I think this is ridiculous. It's not that the books aren't violent. because they absolutely are. However, the books are about war, about what is worth dying for--and what is worth killing for--and how far is too far, even in war. Guess what? Wars are violent. Men, women, and children die, often in horrible ways. That is reality, and if these books can bring that reality home to a few people, maybe we'll have fewer wars and less violence, not more of it. It's a beautifully done series. Highly recommended.

Bookish Review: Catching Fire

This is the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy, and it's probably even better than the first. Katniss and Peeta survived the Hunger Games, but their defiance of the Capitol has not been forgotten, and it seems that uprisings are inevitable and Katniss will be held responsible. How will Katniss keep her family, Gale, Haymitch, and Peeta safe? Will she have to pretend she loves Peeta forever? When she and Peeta are sent back to the Hunger Games, will either of them be able to survive again? (Well, it is a trilogy, so it seems likely Katniss isn't going to die, right?) Will Katniss be able to figure out how she feels about Gale and Peeta? The action and tension are high, just as in the first book, and when Katniss and Peeta have to travel to the other districts, I actually shed a few tears. Can't wait for the third one

Bookish Review: The Hunger Games

I had heard a lot about The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins before reading it. (As I'm sure you have, unless you've been living under a rock.) The trilogy is a sensation, and most of the coverage is wholly positive. Having read the book in one sitting, I can't say I disagree!

The book is set in a dismal future on what used to be the North American continent. A failed uprising has lead to 12 "districts" (the 13th was bombed into oblivion) toiling in service of the Capitol. Every year, the reaping occurs. One boy and one girl from each district are entered in the Hunger Games, where they will all battle each other to the death. Every year, only one can survive. When Katniss Everdeen's sister is chosen, she volunteers to take her place. Katniss has been taking care of her sister and mother ever since her father's death. When the boy from District 12 is chosen, it is the one person who showed Katniss kindness and helped keep her family alive soon after her father's death. How can she repay his kindness by killing him?

The book is fast-paced, well-written, and interesting. A definite page-turner, teens (and adults) should love this one.