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A review by emzilia
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
In my rereading of THG trilogy, I considered leaving this one out. It truly is four hundred and fifty odd pages of bleakness. Of a seventeen year old being puppeteered for a war effort, whilst struggling alone with the overwhelming trauma that death, loss, murder and manipulation brings. I could hardly read the last fifty pages through my tears.
Katniss’ predicament makes sense of course, and the conversation Collins presents about war and enemies and victors I agree with, but it needs saying that this conclusion of the trilogy has such a bleak and dark plot that I am left feeling empty.
Despite the love I have for this series, I forgot and am disappointed in how shoehorned in the love triangle conflict is. In a series about a child living in famine, thrust into murder for sport - twice, who becomes unwittingly thrown about as a pawn for the rebel cause surrounded by adults who are largely unfussed by her unaddressed trauma, and then is off to battle in the war herself in a series of mishaps- Of course! We must remember this protagonist is a girl, so we must save room for the only two male friends in her life to compete as love interests. It is a sad feature in most YA novels with a female protagonist.
Katniss’ predicament makes sense of course, and the conversation Collins presents about war and enemies and victors I agree with, but it needs saying that this conclusion of the trilogy has such a bleak and dark plot that I am left feeling empty.
Despite the love I have for this series, I forgot and am disappointed in how shoehorned in the love triangle conflict is. In a series about a child living in famine, thrust into murder for sport - twice, who becomes unwittingly thrown about as a pawn for the rebel cause surrounded by adults who are largely unfussed by her unaddressed trauma, and then is off to battle in the war herself in a series of mishaps- Of course! We must remember this protagonist is a girl, so we must save room for the only two male friends in her life to compete as love interests. It is a sad feature in most YA novels with a female protagonist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Murder