Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins starting on November 13, 2023.


Happy Reading!

Thank you!

I read this today (view spoiler)[I enjoyed it for the most part although it is my least favorite of the 3 original books. I feel like Katniss was a shell of herself for the better part of the book, she allowed Coin to dictate most of the things she did. The "love triangle" was a waste of words with the whole bomb thing at the end. Gale blew up his chances but let's face it, he didn't have a shot since the end of book 1, go Team Peeta!!! Finnik's death was annoying but not as much as Prim's was. The whole point to the series was Katniss making the ultimate sacrifice to save Prim then she just dies at the last minute anyway. So dumb.

What surprised me the most is how much I remembered the events of the books. It's been years since I read these the first time and I think I only watched the movies once, maybe twice, but I remembered most of the plot & significant events. Overall I enjoyed them, solid audio across the board. I am interested to see what I think of the prequel, this will be a first time read for me. (hide spoiler)]

Starting today! Through Chapter 9--(view spoiler)[Really strikes me more in this reread, just how much District 13 is like the Capitol... and in some ways, less honest about it... Kind of like totalitarian communism and totalitarian monarchy are both totalitarian, and have a lot more in common with each other than they don't. The control, the punishments... extreme forms of government are still extreme, still unfair and unhealthy...

I love seeing how bad Katniss is at acting, and how the cameras catch those moments of genuine truth in her regardless, and so... creepy almost, how her team turns it into propaganda--like that conversation they have about how to "spin" Gale in her life... makes me think of reality TV shows and how they are so not "real"--and how public figures have to act their public selves all the time...

There's also a random line in chapter 2, I think, about President Snow trying to warn Katniss... his... not quite rivalry, but antagonistic understanding... with Katniss is a really interesting tone in these books... makes me more interested in seeing the movie... (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 14--(view spoiler)[Katniss & Gale are having The Talk! Or maybe A Talk, because The Talk usually refers to parents & kids--but they're talking about Relationships! And Peeta! And yeah, Gale, you never had a chance. (hide spoiler)]

Through Chapter 22--(view spoiler)[The whole "mission" is trippy... I do like the parallels between Coin and Snow--I almost feel like Snow is more honest; he doesn't try to present himself as a "good guy" and Katniss always knew if she slipped up he'd kill her... while Coin smiles and sends assassins...

In a way, this chapter reminds me of the scene near the end of book 1, with the homunculus wolves bearing the downed champions' eyes. Surreal.

Finnick dying seriously pisses me off. He just got married! He didn't have to die here! Kill someone else instead! Kill Gale, for crying out loud. No one wants him around. (hide spoiler)]

Nirkatze wrote: "Through Chapter 22--The whole "mission" is trippy... I do like the parallels between Coin and Snow--I almost feel like Snow is more honest; he doesn't try to present himself as a "good guy" and Kat..."

Completely agree about (view spoiler)[Finnik. Very annoying and unnecessary death! (hide spoiler)]

Finished! Glad we're commiserating about (view spoiler)[Finnick, though I think I disagree on Prim... her death really... brought the book full circle, in a horrible way. Like you said, it practically negated her initial sacrifice, but I feel like that underlined how horrible the whole system was--especially with Coin's suggestion that they start the Hunger Games up again--using children from the Capitol.

Still hate the love tripod though. Go #TeamPeeta!!! Forever! (hide spoiler)]

In the same boat on the next book--really curious to see how it goes now!

started and I have finished part 2 (view spoiler)[ I like how traumatised Katniss and everyone is. Finick and Joanna and now Peeta.

I didn't remember the love triangle having that focus but every time Gale seems down she kisses him and he even says that he will never win if peeta is as crazy as he is. Its like since Katniss knows Gales liked her she feels guilty for not returning her feelings (at least since she thought when the 13th leaders were discussing her love life and she was humiliated and thinking she doesn't even think about it that much) and does what she knows he would like. Its still weird. And I don't like him since he in cold blood planned the plan to bury alive so many people and he didn't care. Katniss had a point that that mentality is what made the hunger games in the first place (hide spoiler)]

Nirkatze (view spoiler)[ 13th has too much control and evrery thing is run by Coin whom she isn't warm and fuzzy. I agree, they remembe a lot. Look at Octavian and Flavian and Venia, the punishments they had for a few stolen bread

yeah, I totally thought about TV shows and how they are scripted to act "natural"

Team Peeta! Boo Gale! (hide spoiler)]

@Paula--re: Chapter 12--I was thinking the same thing, (view spoiler)[that the book described the trauma of the survivors really well. I think this might have been one of the first YA series to go this dark, or to deal with trauma this realistically...

I also like the way you describe Katniss's feelings toward Gale as being more guilt than actual feelings. Which is also interesting, because that's sort of how it started with Peeta--except that Peeta was always honest... and never actually expected her feelings to be returned.

The whole "scripted" part--when Katniss walks up and tries to deliver the lines, and just... fails... that was so well done in the movie, lol. I love watching actors act well by acting badly. (hide spoiler)]

I finished bur I forgot to comment. I have a lot of thoughts (view spoiler)[ I agree with Ann-Marie that it's also my least favorite but it also does a lot of things great such as the depression of katniss. Like Nirkatze said the whole trauma of war was really well done and the ending was bittersweet. The hunger games ended and she won but she will always be haunted by the games and the last chapters have such a depressing feeling but the epilogue gives a hint of hope and happiness. And the last paragraph of the last chapter too, on how katniss chose peeta because she wants something peaceful to soothe all her trauma. And I like how katniss and peeta have each other. Haymitch, on the other hand, is the same as always

I agree, Finnicks death was awful. He even died without even saying a few words, it was Gale who told her they wouldn't come. Which is realistic, I guess, in war you can't choose when to say your last few words, but it's very unsatisfying to read

Prim. The first time I read it I was very mad. I think I have mellowed a bit since her death just shows how manipulative Coin is. She is as worse as Snow. I agree with you, Nirkatze, it just shows how awful everything is

I also liked the vote to start another games. That just shows that some people can see the bigger picture and try to be better like peeta and Annie. But others are so broken that they just want revenge in any shape or form. That's just the cycle of abuse. If they had continued they would have been overthrown (hide spoiler)]

I am also curious of the prequel but I am hesitant. I also have an existential crisis: book or movie first?

Paula wrote: "I am also curious of the prequel but I am hesitant. I also have an existential crisis: book or movie first?"

I was going to do book first but now I am leaning towards movie this weekend and book with the group in December.

Grats on finish, Paula! I like your analysis of everything (of course, it agrees with me, so I must like ^_~) (view spoiler)[And good note about Haymitch too... I wonder if he's drinking less now? I like that in the movies, it kind of looked like he and Effie might have a thing.... (hide spoiler)]

re: book or movie... I know I should do movie first.. I tend to hate movie adaptations if I read the book too recently... but I'm not sure I can make myself leave the house this winter... we'll see! If I make it this weekend, it'll happen. If I don't well... maybe when it hits streamers.

I am not sure what to do, but maybe watch it first so that I at least enjoy the movie. I tend to compare the movies with their books and they usually fall short so maybe I'll try to enjoy if first

Nirkatze (view spoiler)[ I think he drinks the same but have to wait for the train to get there with more bottles so in that time he can go annoy katniss and peeta and the chickens. I don't remember that the movies hinted at that romance but it could be cool (hide spoiler)]

Paula wrote: "I am not sure what to do, but maybe watch it first so that I at least enjoy the movie. I tend to compare the movies with their books and they usually fall short so maybe I'll try to enjoy if first
..."

Thanks for that summary! As for E&H--(view spoiler)[Maybe I'm just reading more into it, but it seemed like they at least were very comfortable with each other, like old friends--which since Effie is the Sector 12 publicity person, and Haymitch the only retired champion, they probably did the Hunger Games tour every year together... (hide spoiler)]