Book Review: Catching Fire (beware of spoilers)

TITLE: Catching Fire
Book 2 in the Hunger Games Trilogy
AUTHOR: Suzanne Collins
PUBLISHED: 2009
CATEGORY: Young adult
GENRE: Science fiction, adventure
PREMISE: Katniss is dealing with the outcome of her win at the Hunger Games as whispers of rebellion against the Capitol start...
MY REVIEW: Well, as you know I absolutely loved The Hunger Games when I finally picked it up last month (late to the game as always...). Catching Fire...is actually BETTER then The Hunger Games. It topped it and took this trilogy in many surprising ways.
For example I totally wasn't expecting another Hunger Games. I mean after they started talking about the Quell and Snow started to talk about punishment I started to dread they might pull something like that but it was as much of a shock to me as it was Katniss and Peeta. I sort of saw the rebellion starting but that was only because when you rule in such a way that the Capital is doing...you're bound to get a rebellion on your hands. You would think the Capital would have read up on their history...I loved how Collins had it all play out though. I also totally wasn't expecting the District 13 angle either.
Now as for the love triangle, I am still Team I Don't Give a Damn. I would also like to say THIS is how you do a believable love triangle. I will be the first to say I am more then a tad tired of the love triangle bit which has been overdone/overused in the past few years but Collins does it RIGHT. Gale and Peeta both have their good points and their bad points. You can actually see how the triangle came about and (this is a really important detail) you can actually see Katniss with BOTH OF THEM. Far too often with love triangles the author does one of the following: a)tilt odds in one guys favor so the girl (and the reader) basically go to him no matter what), b)have second guy be downright annoying so the girl doesn't even really like him and she eventually gets rid of him, c)has one of the guys offed (I'm hoping Collins doesn't go this route but I have faith in her abilities so I don't think this will happen). In other words the triangle is merely used as a small plot device and then when the author gets bored with it goes for the cop out.
Getting back on topic, the second book has excellent pacing. New characters are introduced, the plot goes in a completely different direction and it all leads up to one major cliffhanger that has me dying to read Mockingjay. Luckily I only have to wait August 24rth. I feel for those of you that got into this when the first book came out...you guys must be frothing at the mouth in anticipation by now. I feel your pain, I was that way with the seventh Harry Potter book. August 24rth cannot come soon enough...
WHO SHOULD READ: those that have read The Hunger Games
MY RATING: Five out of Five mockingjays

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