Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (reread and reviewed for the second time)

Overview

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

 

My thoughts:

Yesterday I finished my reread of the second book in the Hunger Games Trilogy.  I wanted to plan my reading so that it wasn't too fresh in my memory but also not forgotten before the movie.  Since the release date isn't until March I think I'll be good.  I actually thought it was coming out in the fall for some reason until I looked up the date today.

 

This time through I did the same thing I did with the last book which was to look for clues about what is coming that the other characters know but Katniss does not.  Last summer when I read Mockingjay I felt like I had forgotten parts of this book, but when I was reading it most of it came back to me so I'm going to have to see in my reread of the third book if I was really missing something.

 

Katniss has her feelings for both Gale and Peeta all mixed up.  I have to think that if she had never been in the Hunger Games she would have eventually wound up with Gale even with her strong desire to never have children.  They have such a strong bond and understanding between them and are such good hunting partners.  I think those feelings would have grown especially considering the jealousy she feels when she thinks about him being with someone else.  At the same time I also believe she genuinely cares for Peeta.  Peeta is just a little bit too nice and understanding for me.

 

There were things that I thought were in this book that weren't, so now I don't know if I made them up or if they come to light in the third book.  One thing I realized when reading the first book  is that my picture of Haymitch was off.  It states that he is middle aged, but I imagined him as being in his seventies the first time through.  Then in rereading I noticed that in book one it says District 12 hasn't had a winner in over thirty years and then in this one it says that Haymitch won the last Quarter Quell which was 25 years ago.  I am sure it was just a mistake in editing, but it seemed like those two passages were highlighted and jumped out at me.  (I can be nit picky for other writers but I am sure in my own writing I make the same mistakes, just like it is easier to proof read something someone else wrote.)

 

The book doesn't pack the same punch the second time through as it did the first time I read it.  I still enjoyed it, but the surprises and twists really kept it going last time because each one was so unexpected and new.  I can't wait to dive into the third book since this time I am doing them in order.