"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

BOOK TITLE: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

AUTHOR: Suzanne Collins

YEAR: 2010

GENRE: Fiction

SUBGENRE: Dystopian

GRADE: A

I said this with the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy and I’ll continue to say it with this final installment: reading dystopian fiction feels weird in 2021, when COVID-19 has the world in a stranglehold and right-wing politics are at an all time high. And wouldn’t you know it, the Hunger Games world looks every bit as nightmarish as the real one. Oh sure, President Snow and the Capitol have a rebel army to contend with, Katniss Everdeen being the ultimate symbol of resistance known as The Mockingjay. But what good is a rebellion if the people in charge of said rebellion are just as disgusting and violent as their oppressors? Both sides have strict rules. Both sides are not above sacrificing their own to achieve their goals. It’s just a perpetual cycle of abuse that’s passed on from generation to generation, regardless of who’s aligned with who. That paints a very realistic picture of what war is like: there are no winners, only dead bodies. Somehow Katniss must find a way to stay true to her own beliefs and individuality through all of this. Not an easy task, but one worthy of an entire book series. Katniss truly is a symbol of resistance, but on her own terms.

Circling back to the idea of nothing changing, it reminds me of something George Carlin once said while performing standup comedy: “If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you’re going to have selfish, ignorant leaders. Term limits will do you no good, because you’re just going to get another crop of selfish, ignorant leaders every time.” This seems to be true no matter who we elect as our leaders: they’re either too soft on right-wing extremism or they are themselves right-wing extremists. Maybe it’s a little bit of both. The Hunger Games holds a mirror up to our worst parts of society and it makes its readers uncomfortable. But sometimes a little discomfort goes a long way. The truth can sometimes be an ugly thing, but that doesn’t mean we don’t eventually have to come to terms with it. Katniss and people like her can only do so much. Yes, she’s the hero of her own story, but she can’t do everything. She, like the rest of us, has to rely on her allies to do the right thing and they don’t always do that. Can Katniss achieve true rebellion? Only time will tell.

But no matter what shape the ending of this book takes, you can always count on the fact that Katniss Everdeen is a strong female character. I don’t mean strong in the sense of having muscles and a surfboard-sized sword in each hand. She’s well-written. She has flaws, ambitions, interests, and most importantly, a sense of individuality that makes her stand out from the rest of the character cast. She makes mistakes and doubts herself like any normal human would, but none of her errors result in being comically stupid. And when she messes something up, she fixes it like the responsible adult she grew up too quickly into being. Individuality is what leads to true resistance, not guns and bombs. Any artist will tell you that, because creativity cannot exist without individuality. Same goes for standing up for what you believe in.

I very much enjoyed what I read in this book, whether it was Katniss’s realness, the action sequences, the ugly truths behind politics, or even the fact that every chapter ends in a cliffhanger of some sorts. I know that last part seems like such an obvious thing to do, but it’s really noticeable in this book and it keeps me coming back for more, which is important for any book to accomplish. Suzanne Collins is an excellent writer who has created a bleak world, one where the media really does control people’s opinions and violence is disturbing no matter who it happens to. Mockingjay gets five stars out of five, no question about it.

"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

 BOOK TITLE: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

AUTHOR: Suzanne Collins

YEAR: 2009

GENRE: Fiction

SUBGENRE: Dystopian Sci-Fi

GRADE: A

Throughout my reading of this particular novel, I kept joking to anyone who would listen about how it feels weird reading dystopian fiction during dystopian times. As of this review, it’s December 2020 and there’s one month left before Joe Biden is sworn in as president of the United States. Corona Virus, Donald Trump’s presidency, police brutality, wildfires, these are all things that qualify 2020 as a dystopian year. I’m sure it feels even weirder for Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, the two survivors of the first Hunger Games book. They have to go on an elaborate PR campaign for the Capitol and President Snow while also leaving subtle hints at a possible rebellion against the tyrannical futuristic government. Punishments for any sort of rebellion can include lashing, bombing, tongue mutilation, and even death. The fact that Katniss can inspire hope and individuality to everyone she meets even in subtle ways speaks volumes as to what kind of powerful character she can be. She’s not going through the motions; she’s an active character with opinions, believes, and skills to back them up. You feed your children a steady diet of Hunger Games books and wonder why they want to grow up to be like Katniss. Generation Z definitely has their fair share of Katnisses and it’s glorious!

But more often than not, some audience members will remember The Hunger Games series not as a playbook for dissent, but as a YA novel with a…(gasp)…love triangle! Everyone enjoys making fun of love triangles, because they’re so tropey and cliché…or so I’ve heard (I can’t confirm this). It’s true: there’s a love triangle going on between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. Her relationship with Peeta is out of necessity to keep the Capitol from suspecting dissent while her relationship with the coal miner Gale is one of genuine love and romance. Get your laughs out while you still can, because I actually believe this love triangle was done effectively. Of course Katniss has to keep up appearances! Fooling the Capitol into believing they have her wrapped around their fingers is part of how she stays alive! But more importantly, it’s a way of keeping her family and Gale alive simultaneously. Katniss wears a lot of hats in this book and if even one of them slips off her head, she’s toast. And besides, even if she was romantically interested in both Gale and Peeta at the same time, so what? Is polyamory really such a bad thing? Do we really want to teach our YA audience that love is to be suppressed and shaped into a puritan image? If Katniss can rebel against an entire dystopian government, I’m sure she has no problem with rebelling against a chuckling audience.

Can we talk about the violent aspects of this book for a minute, please? Can we talk about Gale getting lashed over a dozen times for doing something minor and insignificant to anger the Capitol? Can we talk about the concept of Avoxes, who are butlers and maids with mutilated tongues? Can we talk about Katniss breaking her tailbone and heel long before the Quarter Quell begins? What, you thought the Hunger Games were over in the first book? Oh, are you in for a shock! We’ve got more bloody battles to attend to! Trident warfare, knife throwing, acid rain, archery, and electrical shocks can all be expected in this brutal novel. Although this book can be categorized as an action-adventure of sorts, the violence is meant to disturb, not entertain. Every blow the characters feel, the audience feels tenfold. It’s a reminder of how barbaric violence as a whole can be. It’s even worse when the characters realize it’s the only way they stand a chance against an oppressive government under President Snow’s rule. There’s only so much one can take before they push back even harder against their attackers. You poke the bear long enough, the bear is going to maul and eat you alive. While Katniss doesn’t have the physical intimidation of a grizzly bear, she does have the emotions of one and that will serve her well throughout this rebellion.

Remember how I said it felt weird reading dystopian fiction during dystopian times? It still is an uncomfortable experience. But at the same time, it’s necessary. We need to make our voices heard. We need to bring change despite overwhelming forces holding us down. While I wouldn’t recommend shooting bows and arrows at people or electrifying them in beach water, I do recommend rebellion as an idea. Every success we’ve ever had in this world is because we fought for it. Those in charge aren’t going to give us what we want until we fight for it. It’s true in real life and it’s true in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Yes, it’s a YA novel, but anybody can get behind the message regardless of their age. I give this book a solid five out of five stars. I’ll probably do the same for the third book in the series, whenever I get around to reading that one too.