Catching Fire -The 2nd Book In The Hunger Games Trilogy

Catching Fire is the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. The story follows the events after Katniss and Peeta get back from the Hunger Games as victors. An uprising across the districts is brewing all because Katniss defied the Capitol by forcing them to allow both herself and Peeta to live.

The first question I wanted answer was who does Katniss choose? Peeta, the loveable baker who has demonstrated his devotion to Katniss time and time again? or Gale, her childhood best friend who she grew up with? I'm personally a Peeta fan myself...In this respect the book is kind of frustrating as Katniss struggles to come to a decision.

One plot-twist was so aggravating, that I didn't want to continue reading it. However, then I realized that I had to finish reading it because I was dying to find out what happened next. The aggravation lasted for all of five minutes.



Anyway, had the book been less action-packed and less creative, than its predecessor, I would have been admittedly disappointed, but decidedly understanding. Often times, after the success of the first book in a series, the author gets this attitude of do-no-wrong and their subsequent publications are not up to par with the original (See the Twilight Saga and Eragon). However Suzanne Collins has managed to write a gripping novel with intense action, gore, unpredictability, and surprises that is rivaled only by the first. Readers will not be disappointed and will be begging for the release of the final chapter in the trilogy.
Against staggering odds, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark of District 12 have somehow won the annual Hunger Games. But the fruits of triumph are bittersweet. Success in the arena means a life without want in the Victor's Village, but extravagant food and a nice place to sleep can only provide so much comfort when an increasing amount of one's life must be faked for the protection of those one loves. That's exactly Katniss's predicament, because she when she held up the poisonous berries in the arena, it was interpreted as an act of defiance against the Capitol rather than Katniss's strong will to life. And now the girl on fire has become the spark for rebellion--a rebellion the Capitol is determined to stamp out at any cost.

I must commend Collins for writing such a phenomenal sequel to The Hunger Games as Catching Fire is. It's everything I hoped for and even more than I expected. Katniss's legend lives on in this action packed, suspense filled drama in which one's friends are nearly indistinguishable from one's enemies and ambiguous meanings make life into one giant maze. Collins takes her portrayal of a dystopian future to the next level in this novel by highlighting the extent of the power the totalitarian Capitol wields and the beginnings of long suppressed dissent. Catching Fire is such an engrossing read, thanks to Collins's well written and executed plot, vivid and realistic characters, and the resulting sense of revolutionary fear. It's so easy to lose track of time while reading this novel, because the story just flows from the page so fluidly; I really enjoyed the many plot twists and the development of each character. The only times I had to pause while reading were due to the multitude of names and minor characters that are somewhat difficult to remember. But overall, Catching Fire is a story so overwhelmingly incredible, no reader will want to put it down.

Catching Fire and its prequel The Hunger Games are must reads for all readers not just because they are such interesting stories but because they show the nasty side of politics and culture not enough of us are aware of. This trilogy will be especially enjoyed by fans of the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, Cherry Heaven by L.J. Adlington, Shift by Charlotte Agell, Daylight Runner by Oisín McGann, and the Poison Study trilogy by Maria V. Snyder. I know that I, along with throngs of others, can't wait for the conclusion to this trilogy.