(Originally Published 2009, Paperback Edition 391 pages)
It was impossible for me to visualize anyone else but the actors who
portrayed the characters in "The Hunger Games" movie. However, this did
not detract from Ms. Collins's second book of the popular trilogy. The
story is written in a manner that it's unlikely you'll need to look up
the meaning of any of the words. However, the complexity and suspense of
the story is first rate. "Catching Fire" is not a stand-alone work and
reading the first book, "The Hunger Games" (or seeing the movie,) is
necessary to truly understand what has transpired before the "Catching
Fire" story begins.
The book is written in the first-person narrative through the eyes of Katniss. Once again, like "The Hunger Games," the reader has no understanding of what is going on beyond the protagonist's perspective. This format works very well in developing the tension, suspense and mystery throughout the story. The author also convincingly shows the mental trauma of being a survivor of the Hunger Games. The main antagonist, President Snow, is given more attention than in the first book and his odious nature adds a great deal to the suspense. New characters are also introduced that are very difficult to ascertain if they are on Katniss's side or not? Ms. Collins does an excellent job of tightening the multiple nooses around the heroine's neck and had me wondering how in the heck Katniss and her allies would get out of this complex mess?
"Catching Fire" is an Orwellian book for teenager readers, but still highly entertaining for adults. The work is not meant as high-brow material meant to be discussed with the champagne crowd. A fun, edge-of-your-seat story that is as good if not better than the original. Please note that "Catching Fire" leaves off as a cliffhanger and intentionally was written for people to read the last book "Mockingjay" to find any kind of resolution to the story.
The book is written in the first-person narrative through the eyes of Katniss. Once again, like "The Hunger Games," the reader has no understanding of what is going on beyond the protagonist's perspective. This format works very well in developing the tension, suspense and mystery throughout the story. The author also convincingly shows the mental trauma of being a survivor of the Hunger Games. The main antagonist, President Snow, is given more attention than in the first book and his odious nature adds a great deal to the suspense. New characters are also introduced that are very difficult to ascertain if they are on Katniss's side or not? Ms. Collins does an excellent job of tightening the multiple nooses around the heroine's neck and had me wondering how in the heck Katniss and her allies would get out of this complex mess?
"Catching Fire" is an Orwellian book for teenager readers, but still highly entertaining for adults. The work is not meant as high-brow material meant to be discussed with the champagne crowd. A fun, edge-of-your-seat story that is as good if not better than the original. Please note that "Catching Fire" leaves off as a cliffhanger and intentionally was written for people to read the last book "Mockingjay" to find any kind of resolution to the story.
(Meyers - A few years ago, I started writing, under the pseudonym Franklin the Mouse, short reviews at Amazon's web site. This is my most recent review #385)
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