Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

♥♥♥♥♥

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Year Published: 2010
Format: Physical
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian

Review*:
   I am now a firm Hunger Games fan. I haven't felt this way about a series since rereading Harry Potter and finding myself craving time to sit down and get back to it and also feeling so deeply for these characters.
   Katniss really grew in many ways specifically in this book. I think a lot of it was self reflection, either from her being in that age group or because of her circumstance I'm not sure. I feel more connected to her as a character than I did in the first two books and I think a lot of it is the decision making she had to do while the slower moving parts in this story start to ramp to a conclusion.
   I am also, pretty officially on team Peeta. I don't really see how you could be on team Gale if you really paid attention to how Katniss changed as a person. His character was by far my most favorite in the series. It was like he was introduced in certain situations as a means for Katniss to find a guiding light when she felt the most unfocused or blind. Specifically when he mentions on the roof in book one, that he wishes to not be a piece in a game for someone else that really speaks as to who he was as a character in this series.
   Gale's character was also pretty heavy. Katniss realizes the comfort she seeks in Gale is more-so to justify the fire that lives in her own heart. I think thats the link for these two characters that she held onto, that they were somewhat two pieces of the same cloth. When the rebel group was in Tigris's cellar and Peeta and Gale talk about Katniss while she pretends to sleep is really the head to her discovering why she's drawn to Gale. The confirmation in her heart is when Gale give her the single arrow to kill Snow and they discuss the trap that ended up killing Prim. 
   My only issue that I noticed more-so in book 3, is that there was some story jumping that threw off a bit of cadance of the story. As I type that though, I didn't mind it because it also fed to my impatient and blunt need to get to the fucking point. Part of me wishes to dwell a little more in the detail of the moment but at the same time, I know thats where I can loose myself in a story. 
  I definitely plan on reading the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, however I want to wait for it to come out in paperback before purchasing it. Evangeline from Thatnerdydragon really solidified me wanting to see what Collins put out there with her cosplay of Lucy Gray.

*This review may contain spoilers.