Catching Fire

by Suzanne Collins

By now, I sure many people have either read Catching Fire or at least read a few reviews of the book already, but I have to add my own take on the book and it is kind of long.

I loved it. Plain and simple- I thought it was phenomenal. The book starts off pretty much where it ended in the first book. Katniss and Peeta have returned to District 12. They put on the public appearance that they are a happy couple, but otherwise do not interact much. Katniss still sneaks outside the fences to meet Gale on Sundays, she still hunts illegally, only it no longer is needed by her family to survive. Katniss’ family has taken up residence in the wealthy area of District 12, where Peeta, Haymitch and the mayor’s family also live. Then, Peeta and Katniss have to start making the rounds of visiting all the other districts before the Quarter Quell begins. I did not find this part of the book especially interesting (although, neither was I bored), but I did cry when Peeta and Katniss visit Rue’s district and Katniss makes a speech about how she will never forget Rue. (I loved Rue’s character.)

For me, the book started picking in pace when Gale has a run-in with the new Peacekeeper for District 12 and is publicly punished. I did not expect this scene and I was worried that something might happen to Gale before the readers would really find out what his role would be in the series. This is around the time when Katniss discovers that other districts are uprising against the Capitol, and with the introduction of new Peacekeepers into District 12, you know that the Capitol is tightening the noose around the district, just waiting for an excuse to make an example of District 12 and Katniss.

But, before you know it, Katniss and Peeta have to go back to the Capitol for the Quarter Quell game.

**DO NOT READ ON IF YOU WANT THE BOOK TO BE A SURPRISE**

Only Katniss and Peeta don’t get to celebrate as former victors, they have to once again compete, for this is part of the Capitol’s revenge. Katniss and Peeta are by far the youngest two victors who compete again in the Games, and they do not feel comfortable having to compete against any of the participants as they begin to know them. When Peeta and Katniss go before the Gamekeepers to show off their skills, both use this moment to make a statement. Peeta’s again almost made me cry, and Katniss’ served more as a warning to the Gamekeepers.
Then comes the moment when Katniss is supposed to be put into the Game’s arena, but first the Capitol has a little surprise for her – and this truly upset me because it happened to a character I really liked- a little demonstration for her again showing the Capitol’s displeasure with Katniss and her crew. So, Katniss is loaded into the game still reeling from the display and not exactly focused on the game or surviving.

I thought the layout for this game was pretty ingenious. It was interesting to see that the game more so than the contestants was the thing to beat- as the game killed the contestants more than they killed each other. I liked the characters that ended up aligning themselves with Katniss (except for Joanna)- and I thought Katniss was incredibly dense not to see that there was a bigger struggle going on beyond the Quarter Quell and that she didn’t have to worry about being killed by any of the people in her alliance.

Overall, I really liked how Catching Fire ended in comparison to the Hunger Games. I was excited to see Gale at the end of the book, I was a little surprised as to the outcome of District 12, and I cannot wait to see how District ** plays a role in the 3rd book. I want to know how big the uprising is, if a certain designer is still alive, if we will see Peeta again and under what circumstances, and just what exactly Katniss’ role is going to be now that she is out of the games, District 12, and everything that was normal for her.

What surprised you about the book? Did you like it as much as the Hunger Games?