Imagine you are sent out to fight other teenagers to the death for the sake of television. A simple “game” designed to crush the spirits of civilizations and maintain obedience to a corrupt government. This is the world of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, the two newest victors of this cruel game. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins continues the journey of Katniss Everdeen as the second book in the world-renowned The Hunger Games series.
The story begins 6 months after the conclusion of the The Hunger Games. In District 12, Katniss and Peeta have settled into their new homes and prepare for the Victory Tour, an event held to celebrate the past year’s victor in preparation for the next annual game. The problem? Katniss and Peeta’s direct defiance of The Capitol in the games has inspired rebellion across the districts. President Snow threatens Katniss, insisting she embrace the ruse of her and Peeta’s love on the tour to calm down the people of Panem before the next games. This year's games, however, are different. For every 25th Hunger Games, a special game is held with a twist. This year is the 75th anniversary of the Games, and once the twist is announced, everything changes. Katniss must once again struggle with who to trust and how to survive in a society that is seemingly collapsing around her.
Overall, this book is a great continuation of Katniss’ story and lives up to the legacy of its predecessor, something many sequels struggle to do. It expands the already intriguing world by giving the reader a much closer look at the other districts as well as their people. Filled with twists and turns in every chapter, it left me eager to know what would happen next and how the fates of each character would turn out. Relating it to its movie counterpart, the book gives a greater connection to and understanding of Katniss through her thoughts that simply watching cannot portray. It felt as if I knew her and had been placed in the situation. Additionally, Katniss’ relationships with the other characters were expanded on and more defined, increasing both my understanding of Katniss and my care for what would happen to each character.
The book tackles important issues of trust, appearances, power, survival, and sacrifice. The dystopian environment allows the reader to see the impact of these and makes you think about how they relate to today’s world. I would recommend this book as it is one of the better post-apocalyptic/dystopian stories out there. If you enjoyed the first book, the movies, or any other dystopian fiction, then this book is likely for you. It however did not quite hit perfection, but it gets as close as it can.
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