Book #30: Catching Fire
“The bird, the pin, the song, the berries, the watch, the cracker, the dress that burst into flames. I am the mockingjay. The one that survived despite the Capitol’s plans. The symbol of the rebellion.”
The second installment in Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games trilogy follows Katniss’s life after her victory in the 74th Hunger Games. She is back in District 12, but this time living in the Victor’s Village along with Peeta and Haymitch. She has found that adjusting to life back in District 12 is not as easy as she had hoped. With Gale working in the mines, she is now hunting alone during the day to provide for Gale’s family, an arrangement that he is not exactly thrilled with.
Before the requisite Victor Tour, where the victors tour all the districts, Katniss receives a visit from the president. He demands that she steps up her act of being in love with Peeta or there will be severe consequences. Despite her best efforts, she fails to satisfy the president’s demands.
Due to this failure, Katniss is forced to face some extremely difficult situations. She has to face challenges of love, survival and morality. She must fight for those she loves, the people of her country.
Collins is an excellent writer who really knows how to keep a story going. Catching Fire has so many twists and turns that you are never left with a dull moment. Catching Fire is obviously quite similar to The Hunger Games, but it is just different enough to be enjoyed in its own right.
