Counting Down with Catching Fire

There's just a little more than a week until the first installment of the Hunger Games comes out as a movie. In the meantime, I'll be finishing off the series in preparation to view the beginning of the trilogy on the big screen. I read Hunger Games (by Suzanne Collins) during my winter break and was pleasantly surprised. With the second novel, I was captivated and even downright obsessed. This second novel is Catching Fire.

Catching Fire follows Katniss as she's been dealing with the life style of a Hunger Games' winner. The only problem is that everyone else must slowly starve and Katniss filters her goods to her friends and family, knowing that she'll be taken care of because of her fame. Katniss begins hearing and seeing flashes of rebellions going on within other districts and because this year is one of the "quarter quells" (an anniversary celebrated every 25 years), there will be a special celebration Hunger Games. While Katniss is concerned about who may be picked from her district to participate in the quarter quell, the Capitol shocks everyone and goes back on its promise of exempting Hunger Games winners from future games. Instead, it demands that one surviving male and female from each district's winners be picked to fight to the death in the quarter quell. Even more unbelievably, Katniss and Haymitch (Katniss's mentor) are chosen to participate on behalf of district 12, but Peeta volunteers to take Haymitch's place.

In the meantime, Katniss debates her options and become resolute on running away before the games so that she can be with her long time male friend, Gale. Gale reveals the weaknesses in her in that Katniss can't take everyone that she cares about, which makes Katniss realize she must take the government head-on to save those dearest to her. At first Katniss is depressed in this realization and then she channels it into motivation. She sees suffering and starvation surrounding her, but she knows she must do what she can to keep Peeta and Gale as safe is possible. In order to do this, Katniss prepares to sacrifice herself at the quarter quell. I loved how Collins built the tensions within the districts and she described how out of touch the citizens of the Capitol are. She describes scenes ripe for revolution with huge discrepancies between the ruling power and the workers in the oppressed districts. This book has substance. It's not just another teen fluff novel. It shows the sacrifices involve in standing up against injustice.

I don't have the heart to spoil the second book for you. However, I can tell you this much: the love triangle between Katniss and her two suitors grows more passionate and no, she doesn't choose one in this book. Also, yes, there is a building rebellion in this book and there are also some great new characters with real depth-- Finnick, Annie, Beetee, Joanna, etc.

*This post was originally written 1 week before the premier of Hunger Games, but because of time constraints, it was unable to be finished and posted until after the premier of the movie.*