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Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Homophobia, Miscarriage
To say this book is sad is putting it mildly. It isn't even that the deaths are more profound than any other death in Suzanne Collins repertoire of breaking our hearts, but rather it feels worse to us, the reader, because of the heavy dramatic irony. We know how each of those characters is going to end up 25 years from now, but what we didn't know was how everything could come together almost seamlessly for Catching Fire. It's unclear how much of Haymitch's story Collins knew of when writing the trilogy, but regardless it fits well together. It made me - as well as many others - itch to read the main series again to piece everything together with fresh eyes.
The theme from the book is propaganda, and it's very clear within the first five pages of the book. The use of media and how it is used to manipulate the masses whether it be for government control or as protest. As someone who majored in politics in university, I couldn't help but apply my studies to the material. Collins clearly does her research. From a sociological standpoint that book will surely be the subject material for many uni/high school students dissertations. From a literary standpoint it's also fascinating. I know many people will pour over those pages for the never-ending references to one of the most studied poems of all time, 'The Raven' by Poe. I feel like this would be even more important in my mind if i had read A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes as I know the Covey use music to pass down tradition and it's seen as the most dangerous form of protest (in Snow's eyes, I would argue).
Speaking of the Covey, I know everyone jokes that the people of Panem suffered because of Snow's failed not-much-of-a-situationship, but really it is absolutely fascinating how the reminder of his own obsession controls him. He is, as always, a terrible person but of a very interesting mind.
I can't imagine reading this as a standalone, but I'm curious to the effect it would have on the reader to read as that, or to read all books for the first time in chronological order. That would change the experience of the whole storyline because, again, dramatic irony. However, I don't believe they would find it as heart wrenching as those of us who read them in the order of publication. I wonder this book would just seem more pretentious that way, considering the times we are in as of Sunrise on the Reaping's release. I will also say, if you are expecting this to be YA... while it technically is YA... the first audience grew up, and Collins knows that. The book is mature in the sense that it is told by an adult to adults after several years of traumatic revolutionary events. Even though the characters in the story themselves are children, it is told exactly as it happened. When I read the word 'rape' in this book I was floored. I think it's the first time Collins explicitly said that was a torture option, even though we all knew it already, had been told of and seen the Capitol murdering and bio-engineering people and animals alike... to hear that explicitly said was indicative that Collins, while still mindful of the age group she primarily writes for, is done coddling us readers. That to me, was her own poster. (IYKYK.)
All in all, if anyone liked reading the main trilogy even a little, this book is HIGHLY recommended. And I feel that now I will have to read Snow's prequel, to further see how his psyche breaks everything down. Because if there's one thing Hunger Games fans know about Suzanne Collins works, is that the private thoughts of the characters are what make the book that much more rich, and the films simply cannot capture that.
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Gun violence, Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Torture, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, War
Before this, I saw him as a kind of inconsiderate, slightly useless mentor.
I also oddly liked his writing style more than Katniss’s. Katniss, in comparison, feels more like a textbook rebel leader—even though she’s not that at all. Haymitch’s narration just hit different. It was less polished and more emotional.
The message of this book? Snow always lands on top—but it only takes a bit of flame to burn it all down.
It reflects both the Capitol’s seemingly unshakable power and the quiet, smoldering potential for revolution. (Cough cough, looking at you, Katniss.)
What’s been sitting heaviest on me is how unfair it all was. Haymitch wasn’t even supposed to be in the Games.
And that makes the revolution feel all the more necessary.
All in all—I loved this book. It’s absolutely going on my favorites list. 🔥
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Alcohol
Minor: Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Death of parent
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Classism
Minor: Bullying, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Torture, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Murder, War
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol