Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay
(The Hunger Games #3)

Author: Suzanne Collins

Publication Date: August 24th, 2010

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Genre: Dystopia

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Synopsis:

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding. It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plains--except Katniss. The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay--no matter what the personal cost.

My Thoughts: This book took me a little bit longer to read than I thought it would. Not because I didn't like it, because I did like it, loved it even. As the final installment to the Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay is an emotional roller coaster. When the book begins, Katniss has been "rescued" by District 13, which does exist as it turns out. I say "rescued" because technically, she goes from one situation of being used, to another. I can really appreciate Katniss' strength and will to live in this book. She is constantly being used by everyone, and most people seem to just want her dead.

After being rescued, Katniss discovers that Peeta was not rescued, he was captured by the Capitol. When a program is aired, he comes off sounding like a traitor, calling for a cease fire. I'm not really sure why everyone saw him as this, I mean, he's a prisoner of war. Thus he is most likely being forced to say these things with threats against those he loves, basically, Katniss.

So Katniss decides to give the rebellion what they need, and becomes the Mockingjay, the symbol for the rebels. She gives hope to those that need it, and mostly just gets hurt, a lot. It seems like the majority of this book has Katniss healing in the hospital wing, she seems to be a magnet for trouble. But she still continues to be the symbol of hope and rallies the troops.

One of the things I've liked about this trilogy is that it doesn't revlove around the love triangle, everyone knows it's there, but  it isn't shoved in your face and the main sotry doesn't need it to still be a great story. That being said, Mockingjay's plot is basically a war. Let me tell you, Suzanne Collins is not afraid to kill off loved characters, much to my hormones dismay. Toward the end it is especially emotional, I still can't believe some of the people who die *sob* Will the rebellion win out? Or will the book end like so many dystopians, with the Capitol winning, showing that you can't overthrow the power. You'll have to read it to find out, but it's a great read along the way!

*Spoiler!*
Now, the love triangle. If you've read my other reviews, you know I'm rooting for Peeta, I was not disappointed, I love how the relationship worked it's way out, especially when it looks pretty hopeless for either of the boys at one point. But things happen and Gale knows that Katniss will never be able to devote all her love to him, and she and Peeta basically have to start over. It's not clear who she would pick until the end, with either of them. At times I thought she would just pick neither and go live in solitude until she died. But, things have a way of working themselves out, and I was happy with that.
*End Spoiler :P*

I've read a lot of reviews with people saying they didn't like the end of the trilogy, I'm not really sure why. Yes, loved characters die, I  spent the last chapter in tears because of one death, but it  just goes to show you how much you loved a character if you can cry about their fictional death. Suzanne Collins clearly wrote the characters well for us to connect with them so strongly. Maybe people didn't like how the war ended, I did, I think it all worked out for the best. Saying much of anything would probably give away too much, so I'm not going to say anymore about the plot.

If you are still slacking about reading this trilogy, you need to! It's an amazing story of standing up for what you believe in. It's full of action, happiness, sorrow and a little bit of romance. Only a little bit though! Your husbands/boy friends/brothers would probably even enjoy reading this book. So stop procrastinating, get it read! You'll want to before the movie comes out. I'm regretting taking so long to finally read it, but am so glad I finally did. I recommend this book (and the entire trilogy) to everyone.