Hunger Games
Book 3
Mockingjay

Author
Suzanne Collins

Having read the first two books in the trilogy, I was so sure I knew what the third book would be about, so I hesitated a little when it came to reading it. Many times when an author pens out a series, they often get lazy and their plot line suffers as it tends to become predictable. Well, I was relieved to find that Mocking Jay was not one of those books.
Suzanne Collins continues to relate the story in a vivid manner that gives the reader the ability to experience the book as if they took part in the events details in the book. She takes us the readers right into the trenches with the rebels, peacekeepers, and laymen alike. We get to share their pain, hunger, hope and even their fears.
I noticed the plentitude of bad reviews online. I personally think most people were disappointed when they did not get the fairytale ending they hoped for. If you really look at the story, you will realize that it was never about fairytale endings.
This story is about war and the consequences of volunteering and then becoming a pawn. The focus is on the devastations caused by war as well as communism and corruption. Mockingjay takes away any feelings of hope and faith that you may have left. Katniss finally makes the realization that she was a pawn for both District 12 and the Colony. She also becomes aware that evil does exist in other places too and not just in the Colony.
Collins portrayal of Katniss is in my opinion, dead on. There is no way that someone who goes through all that she experienced over the series would not change. It makes the story a lot more realistic. She does a great job of maintaining the focus on what may look as the dark and depressing side of the story. She could very much have switched up gears making it look like Katniss was not affected at all and her life continues happily ever after. Even though she took the dark route, she still was able to provide closure to the readers by revealing who it is that ends up with Katniss. I also enjoyed how although Katniss has been changed, she managed to move forward from her past experiences and tried her best to keep living regardless of the circumstances.
For the most part, this book is fast paced, heart racing and has a constant supply of twists as well as shocking moments. There are many good surprises too. However there are a few times when the book slowed down for me , especially when Katniss began to moan and whine about the struggles in her life. It was good to see, Peeta there with her through all the hard times always reminding her over and over again the goodness they were fighting to save. I have to admit as a reader the struggles touched my soul. You may find the book hard to read at times especially when Katniss is really put through the wringer. However Collins does an exceptional job in wrapping up this series in the most compelling and satisfying way.
This series was written to appeal mostly to teenagers, however I enjoyed it too. Be warned that there is a lot of violence in Mockingjay. You will also find action, adventure, drama, and romance. This makes it an all around great read. As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, there is no way I could have ever predicted the ending of this series. When I finally put down the book I felt shattered, empty and drained. It was also sad to finish the last book, as that was the conclusion amazing story. No doubt, this is a brilliant conclusion to the trilogy. This is one trilogy that I would recommend to anyone for an engaging read.
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