Catching Fire is the second novel from The Hunger Games series written by Suzanne Collins. This science fiction novel continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, a young teenager who just survived from the annual event: the Hunger Games. However, it seems like her actions from saving her and a fellow District 12 tribute, Peeta Mellark, from the previous book, The Hunger Games, spark some rebellion among the other districts against the Capitol... Now, back in the Games once again, she and and Peeta faces new dangers, new allies, new enemies, and maybe face the biggest one yet.
The character I'm interested in other than the main character, Katniss Everdeen, is the one of the supporting characters, Finnick. On his "introduction", my first impression of Finnick was like "did he win by seducing other tributes with his looks or something?" This twenty-four year old man shows a "sexy guy" to the the fans and viewers and is from District 4. Other than the fact that he was well known for his looks, he was one of the youngest Hunger Games victors, winning at the age of fourteen. Because he is from District 4, which was in charge of fishing, his abilities were one include fishing. His other talents include using the trident and trapping his enemies with his handmade nets. Besides his outlooks, he really is a caring person and despite the fact where he "sleeps with other people", he actually is in love with a contestant from the same district as him. Of course, the reader would assume it would be some busty girl with incredible looks. However, the girl, name Alice, was actually had a mental disorder that was caused when she was in the games. With such a traumatic experience, she was never the same before. Other than that, not much is really known how Finnick fell in love with her. It shows he is not just some flirty guy that has no feelings of real love. I admire how he stays calm, but it shows he is human when he heard a mockingjay with the same scream as Alice's. Everyone has someone or something to care about and for him, it was the mental girl that no one would whom Finnick fell in love with. I also see how despite of his outer personality, he shows deep concern for others and trys his hardest.
In my opinion, the weakness of the book will probably how long it took to start the next stage of the book. I was somewhat disappointed, but I will continue reading the book. Half the book was about the rough life back in Katniss's district, while the other half was when she was back in the Hunger Games. I think there has some meaning on how it Katniss's life has changed after the Hunger Games, but I don't think it was necessary to extend that far as half the book. Also, I was interested in how the Hunger Games will turn out. The results were pretty interesting, but I was somewhat disappointed, especially I was awaiting for a certain character's death. I think the character's death should remain dead, showing more of Katniss's dramatic emotional change. However, if that did happen, there would be few changes, but I would really want to see that. There weren't really a lot of deaths that would affect the characters, so there wasn't such a big emotional change for them. As for some of the characters in the story, I really so not see ANY progress or any improvement whatsoever throughout the first and the second novels. I thought there will be some use for them later in the story, but I will hope there will be in the last of the trilogy. As for the main character, I like how Collins shows the somewhat changes in her personality before and after her first experience in the Hunger Games from the first book at the beginning of the second book. However, Collins didn't have any changes in the character, Peeta's personality after the Hunger Games other than having some nightmares that barely had any affect on him. He seems all calm and doesn't show any much difference after such a traumatic experience other than finding his other talents (decorating cookies and painting).
Other than Catching Fire, I have read the first of the trilogy, The Hunger Games. Compared to this, I actually prefer The Hunger Games probably because there were more plot than the second book. However, I do see that the whole point of the second book was like a starter for the main plot of the trilogy. In the first novel, there was a lot of suspense and action, no wonder it will be a movie soon. The second book doesn't show much suspense and action until the second half of the book. What it did focused on more on the first half would be the development of Katniss's changed lifestyle back at home and her feelings towards to some of the close characters. In the first book, it shows what Katniss's life is like before facing such a traumatic experience. The second book shows how The Hunger Games affected Katniss both physically and mentally. I like how there was a before and after affect of the tournament. However, I am not satisfied with one of the character's before and after effect. I also see how much the Games affected her so much as to the point where she can't really let her guard down like how she was afraid that is she were to enter the game again, she cannot rely on her allies or she'll die, unlike a certain character. Catching Fire is just as terrifyingly good as the first book, but it delves even more into the history and politics of the Capitol and the Districts, and you'll discover the lengths the Capitol is willing to go to in order to crush any sign of a rebellion. As for both of the books of the series, Hunger Games series perfect for its intended audience, and a very refreshing change from all the paranormal romance garbage that's currently being cranked out of the publishing houses for young adults.
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