Book Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

The final book in the ground-breaking HUNGER GAMES trilogy, this new foiled edition of MOCKINGJAY is available for a limited period of time. Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.

After how the Quarter Quell ended, the Capitol and Katniss’ followers are finally at open war. Katniss is kept safe in District 13, but the Capitol is using Peeta, torturing him and having him appear on public TV in order to break her and win the war.

Political intrigues are more important in this book than ever before, but what really got me were the characters. They have evolved considerably since the first book, and the imperfections of each one are what make them real. We see a hurt, defeated, and remorseful Katniss, trying to do her best but feeling guilty and tired of the fight. There is still some love triangle intrigue but the story is more focused on other things, like Peeta’s survival and sanity. We encounter a more mature Katniss, still not very likable in some aspects, but more human than in previous books.

After not so great a second book, this has been a very satisfying end of the series. There were surprises along the way, and the characters’ interactions were sublime. The rhythm of the story is also much more balanced than in the previous book. This one kept me glued to my headphones, and I was sad when it ended, as I wanted more.

Some people may not be happy with the ending. It is true that many things were lost along the way, like in every war, but I think Katniss’ future was very fitting to the story and how the characters evolved.

I listened to Carolyn McCormick’s version, which I believe is the original. I have read some complaints about her style, and that the re-recording is better. I found McCormick’s adequate to showcase Katniss’ sullen demeanor. Every character had a distinctive voice and style, and there were no technical issues. I am pretty happy with this narration.

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lomeraniel

My name is Elena. Since I was a little child I loved science fiction and fantasy, and I can’t resist a good novel. In 2015, while wait I started to listen to audiobooks and I discovered the pleasure in being able to read while doing my daily tasks, so there’s always an audiobook playing on my phone. If you see me with my Bluetooth headphones on, please be gentle, I get easily startled.

I live with my boyfriend, which I met during my six-year stay in Belgium, four cockatiels, eight lovebirds, and a hamster in Madrid, Spain; and I like to spend my free time knitting and sewing while listening to audiobooks.