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A review by immabehazzie
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
5.0
After making it out of the 74th Hunger Games alive and with Peeta by her side, Katniss tries to acclimate to being a victor. Navigating her new life in District 12 as her once close friends start to act differently, faking a romance for Capital citizens to keep her friends and family alive and realizing that she may have accidentally sparked rebellions amongst her district and the others. However, one thing was guaranteed once you win the Games; you’re free to live your life but what happens when the Quarter Quell comes around with different rules that guarantee that she has to enter the arena again?
I was afraid that I would be bored as I reread this trilogy again. After all, I first read it when I was 12 and I’m not in the habit of rereading books. However, I could never get enough of this trilogy or really anything to do with this story. ‘Catching Fire’ was my favorite when I was younger and I was reminded as to why that was. ‘Catching Fire’ provides more lore into the world of Panem and delves deeper into the characters we were introduced to in ‘The Hunger Games’. Suzanne Collins manages to expand and stay true to the characters that are already in the story while adding new ones in.
No new character felt like a throwaway, even if they were in the actual story briefly. Everything held weight and as the story continued not only do the characters feel the tensions building but the readers can feel the ache everyone in the story feels for a rebellion.
On the topic of the romance, I have always felt like it was similar to Twilight (just much better written). Just like Edward was railways going to be the endgame for Bella, ‘Catching Fire’ makes it clear that Peeta is the endgame for Katniss and yet that doesn’t take away the love she has for Gale. Katniss, though, is a teenage girl. A teenage girl who has been through Hell and back but is still a girl with feelings she doesn’t understand. Suzanne Collins never forgets the confusion and mix of intense feelings that course through teenage girls.
On this reread, I felt more emotional because I knew what was going to happen and the impact some of these characters have on the story and each other. I found my heart swelling and breaking every time Mags appeared or laughing and becoming annoyed, in the way only a younger sister can when she has an older sister when Joanna said anything.
‘Catching Fire’ is, despite popular belief, not the book in the trilogy that is packed with action, and following ‘The Hunger Games’ I feel as if it’s perfect.
I was afraid that I would be bored as I reread this trilogy again. After all, I first read it when I was 12 and I’m not in the habit of rereading books. However, I could never get enough of this trilogy or really anything to do with this story. ‘Catching Fire’ was my favorite when I was younger and I was reminded as to why that was. ‘Catching Fire’ provides more lore into the world of Panem and delves deeper into the characters we were introduced to in ‘The Hunger Games’. Suzanne Collins manages to expand and stay true to the characters that are already in the story while adding new ones in.
No new character felt like a throwaway, even if they were in the actual story briefly. Everything held weight and as the story continued not only do the characters feel the tensions building but the readers can feel the ache everyone in the story feels for a rebellion.
On the topic of the romance, I have always felt like it was similar to Twilight (just much better written). Just like Edward was railways going to be the endgame for Bella, ‘Catching Fire’ makes it clear that Peeta is the endgame for Katniss and yet that doesn’t take away the love she has for Gale. Katniss, though, is a teenage girl. A teenage girl who has been through Hell and back but is still a girl with feelings she doesn’t understand. Suzanne Collins never forgets the confusion and mix of intense feelings that course through teenage girls.
On this reread, I felt more emotional because I knew what was going to happen and the impact some of these characters have on the story and each other. I found my heart swelling and breaking every time Mags appeared or laughing and becoming annoyed, in the way only a younger sister can when she has an older sister when Joanna said anything.
‘Catching Fire’ is, despite popular belief, not the book in the trilogy that is packed with action, and following ‘The Hunger Games’ I feel as if it’s perfect.