As promised, I'm listing a few short reviews of Catching Fire from a couple friends and myself. If you've read the book, please feel free to include your review in the comments. Why am I doing this? I feel like Suzanne Collins is a master of Suspense and wanted to explore the reasons why anyone I've spoken to about her books cannot put them down. Common attributes readers have enjoyed with Catching Fire include plot twists, writing style, relation to characters, and the concept of the book.
"Once again, I am not disappointed. Collins is amazing. I don't know how she writes in present tense and writes such dramatic scenes without sounding cheesy.
Katniss is great because she's strong but she still has her weaknesses (of which Haymitch is always more than willing to point out). Her faults are so opposite from Peeta's, but both characters are so likable. And I don't know what to think about Gale. I also loved the description of President Snow's smell. So clever."
- M. Gray
"I absolutely love these books. I get so drawn into them and really learn to either love or hate characters and then have my feelings change about them sometimes. This book was just as good as the first one, possibly better. I loved all of the plot twists. I'm sad I have to wait for probably a year for the next one. (I know Suzanne Collins signed a deal for three books so the next one will probably be the final book!)"
- Erica Hamblin
"I guess I really loved this book because I read it until late last night, at stoplights on the way to work, in the parking lot, and then stayed at a restaurant for 3 hours to finish it because I couldn't bear to put it down long enough to get home and read in the comfort of my own home. :-) There were a few parts where I really couldn't picture the scene well, but that's probably because I was reading too fast!
I like Peeta and Gale more and more but also appreciate the frank and open narrative from Katniss. It's the kind of story that makes me appreciate again all that is really important. Its themes are reminiscent of Animal Farm and other literary classics on oppressive government."
- Jacquie Giboney
"This book was just as good as, if not better than, the first book. The writing style is very refreshing to read. I liked getting to know the characters more in depth, and there were plenty of plot twists. In other words, I couldn't put it down! But do I really have to wait a year for the next book? Again?"
- Shalane Brower
Other friends I'm hoping to hear from soon: Cammie Larsen, Kim Stevens, and Alanna Smith.
Writers: how would you feel if someone wrote a comment like one above about a novel you wrote?!
I would love it, but my book doesn't have oppressive government in it. Dangit!
ReplyDeleteHa! I'm sure if you threw in some Nazis your plot wouldn't change that much, right??
ReplyDeleteLOVED IT! i'm so sad i have to wait for the next. i love stories with this theme, but i honestly did not know what would happen in this book. i loved that. so so clever. i can't decide if i like gale or peeta better. but i think it's peeta. strange. there's my highly scholarly review. =) oh and i love finnick!!! i picture daniel craig hehehe
ReplyDeleteHey, Mary! Here's what I put in my Goodreads review:
ReplyDelete"I have to begin by saying that I LOVED this book, so anything negative I say should be taken in that context, okay? The suspense was all there, the tension in the character's relationships continues to build, and the story was great. The only thing I felt that it was lacking was more new material. That was one of the things about the first book that blew me away was how well thought-out Collins' sci-fi world was; it seemed like she kept throwing new things at us that made perfect sense once you knew it. I was hoping for more of that this time, but instead I just got more of the stuff I already knew about-- the Hunger Games themselves, the JabberJays, the stylists, the Capitol and all that. But having said that, it was still an awesome read, I still raced through it in less than twenty-four hours, and I still enjoyed every minute of it. I highly recommend this book!
"So now I'm curious-- who out there is rooting for Peeta and who's rooting for Gale??? ;P
And now, after having read what everyone else wrote, I have to admit that I sort of took for granted the first-person, present-tense narrative, but you're right, I do think that's difficult to pull off and Collins does it beautifully. Extra points for that. And I totally agree with what Jacqui said about Katniss's very honest and frank narrative. Even when she's kind of self-centered, she always realizes that and hates herself for it, making me love her even more.
Such a great series! I, too, am way excited for Book #3!!!
P.S. I can't help but give my own opinion-- given a choice, I'd have to go with Peeta. He's just too sweet not to love!!! And while I'm sure Gale is a great guy, I just don't feel like I know him well enough, and what I do know of him is too much like Katniss to make for a very romantic set-up. It's more like he's her brother or something... What does everyone else think???