A Book A Week

Over the past few years, The Hunger Games has become a high profile franchise on the same level as Twilight and Harry Potter. The combination of young adult fantasy and political thriller has helped the series to capture the imagination of fans of all ages. After hesitantly reading the first novel in the series, I too found myself sucked into the political and emotional turmoil that permeates the trilogy. 

Mockingjay, the final installment in the Hunger Games Trilogy, begins where the previous novel left off. Katniss Everdeen has escaped the horrific arena of the Quarter Quell and joins her family in taking refuge with the rebels of District 13. President Snow and the Capitol's power are extremely weak, and  Panem is on the brink of another Revolution. The rebels of District 13, led by their elected leader President Coin, have all the resources to battle the Capitol and free the enslaved citizens of the other twelve districts. Katniss, they believe, is the final piece to their intricate battle plan. As their "Mockingjay", Katniss would become the face of the revolution, a symbol of the resistance, and the person who unites the citizens of the other districts in their fight against the Capitol regime. 

But Katniss isn't sure that she's up for the challenge. Two appearances in The Hunger Games have left her physically and emotionally exhausted. Her body is still recovering from the bolt of electricity that allowed for her escape from the arena. Her heart aches from her frayed relationship with her childhood friend, Gale. And poor Peeta, who sacrificed his own well being for Katniss's safety, was left in the arena during her rescue. Now he is in the custody of the Capitol, being tortured and used as a mouthpiece for President Snow. With the fate of the revolution lying in her hands, Katniss is forced to face her own demons as she fights for the freedom of Panem. 

This is the weakest installment in the series. While the previous two novels effortlessly flowed, Mockingjay moves at a tedious pace as Collins seems to struggle to complete her trilogy. I enjoyed the underlying political aspects of the story, but they seemed to weigh down the plot with unnecessary moments of exposition. After the events of the other books in the series, it was nice to see the characters finally reflect upon their actions, especially when Katniss is given the time to grieve for the loss of her innocence. Unfortunately, the chance for nail-biting action and suspense is lost as Collins tells the audience that certain events happen, rather than allowing for readers to experience the events firsthand. The ending inevitably ties up all of the loose ends of the story, but ultimately feels contrived and falls flat. Readers of the previous novels should definitely complete the series, but be prepared to be disappointed in the lackluster conclusion to this otherwise exceptional trilogy. 

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(2015, 1)