(This review doesn’t contain spoilers by my usual definition of the word. I know some people are still trying to avoid any information about the content of the book– they might want to avoid this post, although I give no specific information and very little general info)
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Absolutely stunning.
I downloaded Mockingjay as soon as it was released, and I didn’t go to sleep until I finished reading it. About 5 days later, I downloaded the audio and listened to it as well.
I’m amazed by this book, and the more I think about the details, the more I think they work for me.
Mockingjay is a very different kind of book than The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. More than anything, it is a book about war, and the damage it can do to the people involved.
I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that people die in this book. Even more, the book is about the effects on those that are alive. This starts with Katniss, a protagonist that has already been deeply damaged by her participation in the hunger games, and now has more demanded of her than any person can be expected to give.
If Katniss is damaged, the person her partner Peeta used to be has been destroyed. Katniss’s best friend Gale is captivated by the ideals of the war– the chance to procure a future of true change. He’s willing to play by the rules of war that his enemy has defined, those rules that have damaged Katniss and Peeta so badly.
I love that Mockingjay looks at some of the serious problems of war and of power. I think it shows the kind of damage that war can do to individuals and a society.
I thought the characters were true to their previous selves, given the effects of what they have each experienced.
I found Mockingjay to be a powerful end to the series.
(I’m considering writing a discussion post, to give some specifics of my thoughts about the book. We’ll see!)
Amanda
September 3, 2010 at 4:56 am
I’m glad you loved it! With so many negative reviews going around, I’m very happy to see another good one.
Jenny
September 3, 2010 at 8:18 am
I have a feeling I might like this book the best out of all of them based on this and the other reviews I’ve read. I did start reading the first 50 or so pages but had to set it aside (ugh!) to get other books read first!
Meg
September 3, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Though I had some quibbles with the plot, I really enjoyed this one, too! A fitting conclusion to a wonderful series.
bermudaonion
September 3, 2010 at 5:56 pm
I haven’t even started this series. My husband said Mockingjay started slow for him, but about halfway through the book, he couldn’t put it down.
Ruth Helfinstein
September 3, 2010 at 10:31 pm
I love your analysis. Looking from that perspective makes a lot of sense. And since I really don’t like war, it figures that this book was troubling for me.