Catching Fire was an equally easy read as The Hunger Games, and just as fast. It took me not even 2 days to read the entirety of Suzanne Collins’ second novel of this series. Again, its a young adult book, so its super easy to read. I also think it will translate to the big screen well in 2013 as it is mostly action. The internal dialogue should also be easy for Jennifer Lawrence to display with her interactions with Peeta and Gale.
But it is also a book that feels rushed. While Hunger Games had a quick pace, it had moments to breathe. The tributes acclimating to the new world and training, Rue and Katniss planning on destroying the careers stash, Katniss and Peeta recovering in the cave, all of those were times to breathe. Catching Fire starts off with the President threatening Katniss, and feels like we aren’t given a single moment to catch our breath. Something new was being thrown into the mix constantly, and often times it was a large change itself. The slowest time was probably when Katniss meets the two girls fleeing to District 13. District 13! That new bit of story is huge, and changes so many options, but then Katniss is immediately forced to try to sneak back into the city. While this kept me on my seat for much of the book, it was also exhausting.
The book was less enjoyable for me for one key reason: Katniss. I really liked Katniss in the first book and movie. A good reason is that the actress who portrays Katniss looks very similar to one of my best friends (who actually has an incredibly similar name). Katniss, from the first book, and my friend, also had a lot in common. The problem is in the second book, Katniss becomes very...confused to the point of whiny. Now, perhaps this is done to relate to teens more; but, in the first book Katniss was able to phrase why she didn’t want things. She was afraid of being involved with Peeta, because he’s the type that will probably want to get married and have children, and she doesn’t want that. And she goes into why she doesn’t want that (oh yeah, power to the author for creating a strong female character that does not want to be bound by a man). In the sequel though, we don’t get that. All we get is her talking about how choosing between Gale and Peeta is hard, without any true thought beyond that Gale has been her hunting partner since she was young. That’s the reason for and against Gale. Now, its viewed as teenager logic...but its way too simple, and again, in the first book, Katniss was capable of much deeper thought.
With that, she was also a bit more coherent. In the first one, she was definitely paranoid and in complete survival mode. I felt she should’ve been a little bit quicker on figuring out some of the stuff, but in her position I’m not sure if I would come to a different conclusion, specifically when it comes to Peeta’s “betrayal.” But in the sequel, I felt like Katniss was a much less intelligent person. Within weeks of her getting back, with a huge threat hanging over her head, she’s going out hunting knowing that its a crime that could get her killed? I can think of very few, stupider, things she could do. Without having knowledge where the story was going, I felt there were more than enough hints to figure out that multiple tributes were actually in on the rebellion. Even without figuring that out, her reaction to Haymitch and the rest of the apparent rebel leaders was nothing more than petulant. She is just a raving angry child, without thought, at that point. I hope the finale has her return to a more mature state of mind.
I also find myself rooting against Gale. I like Peeta. Perhaps he reminds me of someone I used to be. A relatively selfless person, who can see the big picture, and who is blindly in love with a person who won’t return those feelings. I’m not necessarily rooting that Katniss winds up Peeta; in fact, I hope the book ends with Katniss being alone with her two good friends, Gale and Peeta. I’m just rooting against Gale. It’s not that I don’t like him, but I would hate to see Peeta do so much, suffer so much, for Katniss for her to decide to go with Gale. A lot depends on what happens in the next book, but Gale’s critical mistake with me was that he doesn’t want Katniss’ happiness. When finding out about her engagement to Peeta, he is upset, and not happy for her. He throws her gifts back at her when Katniss also wants to save Peeta’s life. Meanwhile, Peeta is willing to sacrifice himself if it means Katniss will be happy. If Katniss wants to be with Gale, Peeta is going to be jealous, upset, and hurt... but he’s also still going to be there for her, as we see in the training and in the games. I would prefer the books to end with Katniss deciding to be single for now, but if she has to choose between the two, I want her to choose the man who wants her to be happy.
A thing I loved is the finding out that District 13 still exists, and that the Capitol has just blocked out any and all news related to it. As mentioned in my write up of The Hunger Games, The Capitol didn’t seem that smart to me. Knowing that they are using mass media to make the other 12 districts think the 13th district is completely gone, and that they have no true way to retaliate is actually quite intelligent, and very sinister. Still, it would probably be a lot less effort, and a lot fewer resources, to just make the other 12 districts happy than it takes to keep them imprisoned and afraid.
Over-all, I still enjoyed the book. While physically strong and capable, Katniss mentally regressed to a crying kid who doesn’t know herself near as well as she did in the first book. I look forward to finishing the trilogy, and hopefully seeing her grow again. I also am interested in the, while simple, plotline of the 12 districts fighting the overlord Capitol. I would greatly enjoy if the book touched into the consequences of whatever choice is finally made, e.g. if District 13 ousts The Capitol, what happens to the people of the Capitol? And what happens to the 12 districts intercommunity? I have my doubts that the book will touch such a grand scope, but I can hope that the book grows in maturity along with the characters.
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