I put off reading The Hunger Games series for a little over a year now, mostly because I was so warped with Harry Potter ending and all, but eventually too nervous to pick up another series so quickly. Was I betraying Harry? Or I could never get drawn into a series like that again. Not even Twilight could sustain my interest for long before I came to realize the lameness of that. (Sorry if you're a fan of that series.)
But The Hunger Games was different. After reading the first book in the trilogy I was hooked. I was so hooked that I ran to my computer and quickly ordered the last two books from Amazon because I knew now I would be reading the entire series consecutively, with the cliffhanger ending Suzanne Collins has provided in the first book. So I tore open the Amazon packaging and dove right in to Catching Fire. Which had me yelling and laughing out loud, pausing ever so often to think things over and to guess what may happen next. It was another excellent read from the series and it set such high hopes for the final book to the trilogy.
But maybe my expectations were way too high because I didn't feel any satisfaction from Mockingjay. There were definitely some highlights that made it worth reading, and I still really liked it because them. But it was almost a chore to read. I had to push myself to read on, maybe it will get better. But after about 100 pages in, I was hoping it would just hurry up. The book did pick right off where it left off and catch my attention in some parts very well like the propos and Peeta,) but otherwise it seemed to drag in some areas, or parts I wanted explained more were skipped and just mentioned briefly by secondary characters. And I just was waiting for it to get to the ending, because I'm sure it should be epic somehow. But the ending for me is way too...depressing. Yes, there is a sense of a wrap-up, but its a wrap-up to me that is too abrupt, ends too lamely tied together, and not enough explanation to satisfy my curiosity. And my favorite character, Katniss whom I loved from the first book is written into a state that isn't even recognizable as the girl on fire. It was more like the girl who lost everything (well almost everything) and now just bears to live through it. I'm guessing if this book was to show how war and terror could tear a strong-willed character to mere depression, then its perfect. But I guess I just expected too much. It is suppose to be depressing and cruel and full of war, I just thought maybe there would be this whole big battle in the end. A series that can have such two strong books, the finale should be epic right? But right now all I feel is like I'm hanging, like the victim in The Hanging Tree song. Just waiting for something come.
So sorry if this post is a bit depressing. Still love the series and the way Suzanne Collins can command her words in a way that is so mesmerizing and addicting to read, and her first two books definitely have us wrapped around her finger, even the third book has its high points, its just the ending...I think overall, the only reason why I only rate this book as 4/5 stars, I so terribly want to give it five, its just I wanted more for Katniss to go on than what she got. And I think that's what's making me have all these mixed feelings as that part is still fresh in my mind. Oh well I guess, and this is where you may here a big sigh. Maybe there's a fourth book I don't know about yet ha.
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