Audiobook Special: ‘Catching Fire’ by Suzanne Collins
RATING: 9/10 – Excellent, this will remain on my bookshelf forever
SUMMARY:
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. (Goodreads)
REVIEW:
The entire trilogy is narrated by Carolyn McCormick, who is a superb narrator. She really encapsulates Katniss’s essence, the pace and the highs, lows and horrors of the story. I was sucked in and wrung dry through each book, barely able to press the pause button on my iPod.
As the winners of The Hunger Games, you would think that Katniss and Peeta’s lives would be simple now. With more money than they could ever need, never having to worry about themselves or their families being hungry again. The only tedium being the celebrity interviews they are required to attend. But of course life will never be that simple for Katniss. Unwittingly Katniss’s act of defiance at the end of ‘The Hunger Games‘ has led her to become a symbol of the rebellion that is rapidly growing in strength. The ruthless President Snow cannot allow this to happen. In fact, he will manipulate Katniss into doing just about anything and threaten all those dear to her to save the his reign and the lives of the people in The Capitol.
This first half of this book spent a long time building the story and the complexity of the plot. But a little bit too much time for my liking was spent on the awkward love triangle between Katniss, Peeta and Gayle. This trilogy for me isn’t about the love story, but the stark dystopian setting, political games and fight for survival.
I know I’m going to be going against the grain with this, but I’m afraid I’m team Gayle. There’s something a little like a lost puppy about Peeta. He unequivocal love and selflessness towards Catniss is charming, but he does not have the grit and fight of Gayle. I look at Gayle and Catniss like two halves of a coin. Where Peeta and Catniss are not equal partners, forever circling around one another’s plans.
The character that surprised me by really growing on me in this novel was Haymitch. You begin to understand the surly alcoholic. This reason for his loneliness and empty existence. What it must have been like year after year to send two children from district twelve to their death, barely able to help them. You realise he doesn’t want to be sober, because he has no reason to. And surprisingly I began to really like him.
I didn’t see the twist in the middle of the book coming, and my heart nearly broke for Katniss once more as she become the victim of President Snow’s vicious manoeuvrings, as he desperately tries to quell the uprising.
This book throws in some great new characters, my favourite has to be the handsome and charismatic Finnick, he adds a new dynamic to the story. Can you, can’t you trust him, who is the man behind the flirty facade?
Katniss is quite naive at times, but just when I was shaking my head at her for not keeping up, the storyline dealt me a revelation that had quickly passed me by and I realised she was not the only one who had been kept guessing. Actually there are quite a few surprises in this book, the ending itself was a shocker and I was glad I had the third audiobook lined up to listen to straight afterwards.
VERDICT:
A fabulous second instalment in this very well written trilogy. Katniss keeps bouncing back no matter what is thrown at her and is no doubt a survivor. This book will throw some shockers at you and the second half is tense, gritty and action packed.
4 Comments
Catching Fire is my favorite of the three in this series. I am eagerly awaiting the Hunger Games movie's debut next March!
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I agree with your entire post. This was so good and I too enjoyed each of these characters. What a fantastic read and so many thoughts and feelings toward the society itself. How did you feel regarding the audio vs the reading?
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Sorry forgot to add Laura's overall comments on the audiobook narrator etc – have added it now
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@Helen's Book Blog I am really interested in how the movie is going to turn out too, always interesting when a book you really enjoy gets translated to film. Although I preferred the first book more than this one.
@heavenisabookstore thanks! Well I haven't read this book to compare, but as long as you get a good narrator I really enjoy audiobooks when I'm driving to and from work. A bad narrator can spoil it though. But this was excellently produced.
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