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A review by savage_book_review
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I may have managed to confuse myself a bit by reading this at the same time as having the films on... but I still know this is my favourite book in the series. From the slow build of rebellion to that ending, this book is a ride and I love it every single time.
I know I had a lot of 'new' thoughts about Peeta while reading this. The main one being about the stark contrast between his and Katniss' families. I kept coming back to the fact that, while Katniss has moved to the Victor's Village with her mother and sister, Peeta seems to live in his new home alone. Indeed, there are several mentions/inferences of him going to visit his family at the bakery. And in all the talk of planning to run away, while Prim, Katniss' mother and Peeta are always considered, his family aren't. I know there are suggestions that perhaps his mother is a bit of a battleaxe, but his father sounds like he's meant to be decent enough, so for all that Peeta is supposed to be the best of them and the one that sees the good in everyone, I'm a little perplexed as to why he wouldn't be sharing in his 'good fortune'. I'm certainly not one to advocate keeping toxic people in your life because they happen to share DNA with you (DEFINITELY NOT!), but I feel like something is missing here... and so for the first time, I questioned Peeta's character more deeply. Is he really as good as he seems?
I think the whole idea of the Victory Tour, the stoking of revolution and then the stark contrast between the Districts and the Capitol is masterfully written. Indeed, the story never really stops building and, while the main bulk of the action takes place in the last third of the book, the tour and the other elements introduced during the first two thirds remain compelling and engaging, even after several rereads over the years.
Like every citizen of the Capitol, I adore Finnick Odair. His character is just perfectly developed and you cannot help but like him, even while you're wary of what threat he might pose to our star-crossed lovers. Joanna Mason is awesome too - though she is far more outspoken and obviously 'bitchy' in the films than she is in the book. The introduction of the various new characters only serves to heighten the enjoyment of the books, the jeopardy of the Games and the depth of the world, and those who do play a more pivotal role are all just *chef's kiss*.
Basically, I think this book is a perfect middle chapter; the story is self-contained and you get some kind of resolution, while at the same time it flows seamlessly from the previous book and on into the next. It develops the characters further, adds to the shock and awe value of the series and generally does everything the first book does, but on a firmer footing.
I know I had a lot of 'new' thoughts about Peeta while reading this. The main one being about the stark contrast between his and Katniss' families. I kept coming back to the fact that, while Katniss has moved to the Victor's Village with her mother and sister, Peeta seems to live in his new home alone. Indeed, there are several mentions/inferences of him going to visit his family at the bakery. And in all the talk of planning to run away, while Prim, Katniss' mother and Peeta are always considered, his family aren't. I know there are suggestions that perhaps his mother is a bit of a battleaxe, but his father sounds like he's meant to be decent enough, so for all that Peeta is supposed to be the best of them and the one that sees the good in everyone, I'm a little perplexed as to why he wouldn't be sharing in his 'good fortune'. I'm certainly not one to advocate keeping toxic people in your life because they happen to share DNA with you (DEFINITELY NOT!), but I feel like something is missing here... and so for the first time, I questioned Peeta's character more deeply. Is he really as good as he seems?
I think the whole idea of the Victory Tour, the stoking of revolution and then the stark contrast between the Districts and the Capitol is masterfully written. Indeed, the story never really stops building and, while the main bulk of the action takes place in the last third of the book, the tour and the other elements introduced during the first two thirds remain compelling and engaging, even after several rereads over the years.
Like every citizen of the Capitol, I adore Finnick Odair. His character is just perfectly developed and you cannot help but like him, even while you're wary of what threat he might pose to our star-crossed lovers. Joanna Mason is awesome too - though she is far more outspoken and obviously 'bitchy' in the films than she is in the book. The introduction of the various new characters only serves to heighten the enjoyment of the books, the jeopardy of the Games and the depth of the world, and those who do play a more pivotal role are all just *chef's kiss*.
Basically, I think this book is a perfect middle chapter; the story is self-contained and you get some kind of resolution, while at the same time it flows seamlessly from the previous book and on into the next. It develops the characters further, adds to the shock and awe value of the series and generally does everything the first book does, but on a firmer footing.