Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

This thread is open to discuss Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.




Synopsis:

My name is Katniss Everdeen.
Why am I not dead?
I should be dead.

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans—except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay—no matter what the personal cost.


Official Page Count: 339

Reminder to those participating in Book Games.

In order to collect points for participating in this informal buddy read, you must make at least 3 posts that contribute to the overall discussion of the book.

Just posting something like "this book is great" does not count.

To collect the 20 points for participation the book and discussion posts must be completed between July 15th and August 15th.

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I’m ready to re-read the conclusion! Now to get the book from my library 😊

I bought this at the last audible sale (+ The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) and will start listening to it as soon as I conclude my current audiobook, hopefully in a few days.

Last time I tried to read this, I gave up before halfway. Maybe it was the Hungarian translation or I wasn't in the right frame of mind, but I lost interest.

This time, thanks to the buddy-reads, I am expecting a different outcome (as I have enjoyed the first 2 book much more as well. 😊)

I have noticed that these were all previously available to borrow on Kindle Unlimited, but now have all switched to sale only - bummer!!

I was able to grab this one as a Libby borrow easily fortunately :)

Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "I have noticed that these were all previously available to borrow on Kindle Unlimited, but now have all switched to sale only - bummer!!

I was able to grab this one as a Libby borrow easily fortun..."

With mainstream publishers, as opposed to indie authors, you will find that they will occasionally put a book in KU, but not for very long. It's the exclusivity of sale that makes it temporary. And if the Amazon bots find it on a piracy site while it's in KU it can get the author banned.

I'll be starting this one likely today -- I've been itching to start it since I finished Catching Fire!

Just finished part 1, and loving Haymitch so very very much this time out. Collins is clearly enjoying filling out the character and his relationship with Katniss. and I like how Katniss is (currently) much more measured in her actions and reactions - except with Gale. but that makes sense given she sees him as a brother, and sibling squabbles are the worst!

When this challenge started, I had no intention of picking up Mockingjay - my memory is of really disliking it. But, I enjoyed the reread of Books 1 & 2 more than I expected - and I want the 20 points and it works for two other challenges - so here I am.

Libby came through for me, too, Erin, and hoopla for the audio. I'll knock the book out in the next few days as there are 3 people waiting....

Kaley wrote: "I'll be starting this one likely today -- I've been itching to start it since I finished Catching Fire!"

Me too, I hate waiting ;)

And now I finally get to reread the last book in the Hunger Games series! Just finished Chapter 4 and it's off to a great start. I agree with Cat, Haymitch has become one of my favourite characters this read around, as the character has gotten a lot of depth, and he is also showing humour through out this all. I used to be a very sarcastic person myself to deal with my emotions, and I can relate to so much of his reactions here. (view spoiler)[The way he said "and this is how a rebellion dies" had me laughing so much, as I could really visualise the way he said it. (hide spoiler)]

It's not easy for a 17 year old to be the face of a rebellion, so I'm looking forward to seeing how nuanced book-Katniss will react to all of this, rather to the a bit stiff movie-Katniss.

Yasmine wrote: "And now I finally get to reread the last book in the Hunger Games series! Just finished Chapter 4 and it's off to a great start. I agree with Cat, Haymitch has become one of my favourite characters..."

Yes, I totally agree. For some reason he stands out even more this time around than he did the first time I read the books. Maybe it is because I am older and wiser, and realise what he must have endured to survive as long as he did.

I didn't intend to read this one either, but here we are! I have precisely no memory of how it goes other than a sense of disappointment with it.

Starting off being creeped out by President Snow all over again with the white rose he left Katniss.

Jade aka MrsTosh wrote: "Yasmine wrote: "And now I finally get to reread the last book in the Hunger Games series! Just finished Chapter 4 and it's off to a great start. I agree with Cat, Haymitch has become one of my favo..."

I've been thinking the same thing - is it age and experience making me appreciate Haymitch so much more this time around?

The collection of stuff Katniss picked up from district 12 made me think about what I'd grab as momentos.

I think the jumper of my mum's that I picked after she died would be very high on my list above all the electronics and everything else. Obviously I'm presuming my family get out with me.

Is it age and experience, or is it Woody Harrelson?

Laura wrote: "Is it age and experience, or is it Woody Harrelson?"

Hahaha!

It's funny, though. I'm a community theatre actor and I often wonder what draws people to certain roles - aside from money and exposure, of course. As I've been rethinking Haymitch, and crediting Harrelson with seeing more in the role than I did.

One of the things that is standing out to me so far in this re-read is (view spoiler)[how off-putting some of the parts of District 13 are. I have a bigger sense that something potentially sinister is going on. (hide spoiler)]

Laura wrote: "Is it age and experience, or is it Woody Harrelson?"
I also agree with Cat that Haymitch has really become a beloved character. It doesn't hurt that anytime he has dialog I picture Woody... haha!

And I also really enjoy how much Katniss is evolving - we know she can be bratty, but she's so young and bratty is just part of that age, plus the amount of responsibility being heaped on her shoulders is staggering!

I'm looking forward to starting this!

I didn't like it much the first time around but I read it again after and really changed my mind on it and had some new insight. My last reread was about 10 years ago so I will be really curious what I think now. But this is definitely one that grew on me.

Truitt_T wrote: "When this challenge started, I had no intention of picking up Mockingjay - my memory is of really disliking it. But, I enjoyed the reread of Books 1 & 2 more than I expected - and I ..."

YES! - Libby is a blessing with these. Unfortunately I am still on hold for the two current BOM's and kind of gave up on one of them I was iffy on enjoying anyway, but for the most part I've been having excellent luck, especially the first month, the first two BOM's had long waitlist and then popped up after like 3 days on hold it seemed.

Not sure if I would like the audio for these so playing it safe with the e-books. I know I read the first before, was not sure if I read the second or just saw this movie at this point in time, but I KNOW for certainty that Mockingjay will be a first time read for me this time around.

@Ashley - I agree about your spoiler. I'm into Part 3 now (reading fast to clear it off so I can turn to the BOMs) so some spoiler tags below
D13 being controlling is understandable, but that spread too far - the idea that things can be better in one way (providing equity of food & resources etc) but still crappy (controlling movements & self-justifying dubious stuff (view spoiler)[the mistreatment of Katniss' prep team (hide spoiler)] is seeded well. and followed up later with (view spoiler)[Gale's plan to take the Nut - horrific things done by "the good side" are still horrific and perhaps shouldn't be done. (hide spoiler)]

I’ve just started. I had forgotten that Finnick wasn’t his usual self at the beginning. His story is one of my favorites.

I’m only in chapter 3, but something is bugging me. They keep referring to Peeta as a traitor. But he never even knew the rebellion was out there. He didn’t know the plan. Can you be a traitor to a cause you aren’t a part of? Even if people expected you to embrace it when you found out about it?

I'm about halfway done, and I'm definitely finding the book disturbing.

With my memoriy of not liking Mockingjay the first time I read it, I'm wondering what was going on the the world or my life at the time, because I'm quite certain that current U.S. politics are influencing my feelings as I read. I could go on, but I'll resist.

Poor Katniss, the reluctant revolutionary. The rebels are quite willing to mapnipulate her, too. They're sedating her on a regular basis. I keep thinking that the Rebels want Katniss a little bit broken.

@Laura I agree - the extremely harsh line towards Peeta is disturbing, especially given that he's a captive.

@Cat I agree with your comments about D13, and your spoilers.

Baxk to reading/listening. I'm off from work today, and I need to get this finished. People are in line @libby and I have a looong one to finish by Sunday. Plus, I'm to the point where I want the worst to be over.

Laura wrote: "I’m only in chapter 3, but something is bugging me. They keep referring to Peeta as a traitor. But he never even knew the rebellion was out there. He didn’t know the plan. Can you be a traitor to a..."

THIS! There are 2 (horrifyingly sad) parts of this book that just made me feel empty after reading it the first time around and one was Peeta. His mistreatment and what it meant for him after the fact, and how it affected not just him, but those around him...but he was so mistreated because of what happened, things that he had no control or knowledge of.

On another note, sort of parallel to this thought. I think the movie did a much better and more dramatic (nail-biting) rendition of (view spoiler)[Peeta's rescue (hide spoiler)]. I think the book really kind of fell flat with the way it was depicted, almost as an afterthought (or at least, with a muddled view from Katniss). I think it could have added so much to the narrative.

Ashley wrote: "Laura wrote: "I’m only in chapter 3, but something is bugging me. They keep referring to Peeta as a traitor. But he never even knew the rebellion was out there. He didn’t know the plan. Can you be ..."

I don't think I saw the third movie - probably because of how I felt about the book.

As for Peeta, I feel as though Peeta, in general, (view spoiler)[ is treated like an afterthought in this book - at least through Part Two, where I am now. What happens to Peeta in the Capitol is horrifying - and the 'treatment' for his hijacking seems little better. In fact, as a plot device, I've begun to think it was just a way to keep Peeta out of Katniss's way for a bit, and string along the idea of the possibility of Katniss & Gale, which clearly isn't happening.

Poor Peeta. (hide spoiler)]

I understand why I didn't really care for this one. I thought, at first, that perhaps I'd underrated it, but no.

The scene in front of the Justice building when Katniss breaks down just hit differently this time around. Probably hormones, but I did start crying.

I probably should have stuck with my initial instinct and skipped rereading this one. That was....distressing. No wonder my memories - which were not particularly clear, btw - were negative.

I could go on, but I don't think I will. Except to say one thing I do remember was (view spoiler)[ Finnick's death. At the time, I thought it was wasted. I pretty much feel that way this time, too. (hide spoiler)]

Oh well - I did come away with a greater respect for the first two books. And it's not that the third book is bad or poorly written - it's just too violent and sad for me these days. Or perhaps any days.

Truitt_T wrote: "Oh well - I did come away with a greater respect for the first two books. And it's not that the third book is bad or poorly written - it's just too violent and sad for me these days. Or perhaps any days."

I agree and disagree! It is a horrendously violent and sad book. And I think many of the deaths could be described a wasteful - well, all of them really. But I think that's probably what makes this book feel far less like fiction to me. That people really can (and do) commit these types of atrocities. And maybe not all endings are meant to be happy, even when we want them to be. Or not happy in the way we imagine they should be.

That, of course, does not take away from anyone feeling like this book (or others like it) is too much for them to bear.

I remember feeling devastated after this book. (view spoiler)[That the whole reason for Katniss's initial sacrifice just mean nothing. (hide spoiler)] And I had a major book hangover and didn't really know what to do with myself. Thankfully, having been inundated by the movie depictions, it wasn't so distressing, but no less sad.

Ashley wrote: "Truitt_T wrote: "Oh well - I did come away with a greater respect for the first two books. And it's not that the third book is bad or poorly written - it's just too violent and sad for me these day..."

Your spoiler point is excellent - absolutely spot on.

My tolerance for unhappy books is limited these days. I read largely for escape and prefer a HEA when I can get it. There books without happy endings, or perhaps bittersweet endings, that I love - this just wasn't one of them. But I agree that not all ending should or can be happy.

Am I imagining things, or are many, many YA books incredibly agnsty and miserable, lol? In truth, I don't actually read all that much YA, so my sample size is smallish.

At any rate, my next book is going to be very light with a guaranreed HEA. MM romance, here I come!

Why do I dislike Katniss so much so far in this book? I don't think the audiobook narrator is doing her any favors, but I didn't seem to mind the narrator for Catching Fire. Weird. I really just wanna punch Katniss out.

And for me, Woody Harrelson will always be Woody the doofus bartender from Cheers.

Beth wrote: "And for me, Woody Harrelson will always be Woody the doofus bartender from Cheers."

This first, always. But he's such a good actor that he can make me forget Cheers. He just did so much with the character of Haymitch.

Truitt_T wrote: "I could go on, but I don't think I will. Except to say one thing I do remember was (view spoiler)."

I think you could say the same about all of them in each of the books!

Haymitch might be a mean drunk, but is sober Haymitch much better? That retaliation scene about taking out the earpiece was funny. Even funnier because he waited.

If Gale has no haters, I’m dead.

I don’t know how I didn’t notice from the first minute I read this book how truly awful he is. I was NEVER Team Gale and only disliked him after later events in this book originally . . . But he’s just awful. I’m only on Chapter 4 and he’s already said he wishes he could k*ll every person who works for the Capitol with the press of a button, and now he’s trying to convince Katniss she shouldn’t feel bad for her prep team, aka people SHE KNOWS PERSONALLY and he doesn’t. Enough so that she’s like “he’s right I should hate them” just yikes.

Oh, also, some foreshadowing is as fascinated by (spoilers for the end of the book): (view spoiler)[ Katniss comments to herself about how in some ways, District 13 is even stricter than the Capitol, or something along those lines. Given what we learn about Coin throughout the book, I liked this little hint that this place is not their saving grace. (hide spoiler)]

Am I hopelessly cynical thinking the events in district 8 are actually bombers from D13 rather than the capitol to guarantee good footage?

The first couple of pages of this book brought me right back in to the world. In a pretty harsh way. I had forgotten that Katniss feels that all of the deaths in District 12 as being her fault. Can you even imagine having that guilt on your shoulders? The guilt is misplaced of course, but holy crap. That poor girl. A concussion, drugs, a new "home" that is not very homely, no Peeta, and great expectations from everyone around her. Thank goodness for Haymitch. And, to a lesser extent, thank goodness for her style team and Effie.

After reading the first few chapters again, and knowing how it all ends, I am angrier with the people that are using her, and more appreciative of the people on her side.

And I want to give Finnick a hug.

Beth wrote: "Why do I dislike Katniss so much so far in this book? I don't think the audiobook narrator is doing her any favors, but I didn't seem to mind the narrator for Catching Fire. Weird. I really just wa..."

I agree! did not enjoy the narrator this time out

@Kaley re Gale - that's the bit about Gale I never really got - his hatred for The Capitol is so visceral but it didn't particularly seem like his life was a step-change worse than any of the other mining families, so this all-consuming bitter anger didn't really ring true for me, and made him a less believable character.

At chapter 3 - I don't/didn't like Gale, but I was surprised that after he and Katniss see the Capitol's interview with Peeta, he kind of "defends" him, saying that his only goal is still to protect Katniss, which is surprising considering that they are "rivals" in a way.

I wonder if Gale's subtle enough to say this b/c he wants to manipulate Katniss (we-ell, I don't think so) or he just thinks this is what Katniss needs to hear in her present state of mind, but he says this without conviction?

On a different note: I like Prim's suggesting to Katniss that she's holding the cards against D13 and could ask anything she wants and Katniss' slowly realising that Prim is growing up and can hold her own.

----

I still like the narrator Tatyana Maslany. :)

Melindam wrote: "I still like the narrator Tatyana Maslany. :)."

oh! the narrator I had was Carolyn something. Perhaps I changed narrators between the books?

Sophie wrote: "Am I hopelessly cynical thinking the events in district 8 are actually bombers from D13 rather than the capitol to guarantee good footage?"

Could very well be, sadly. :(

Cat wrote: "Melindam wrote: "I still like the narrator Tatyana Maslany. :)."

oh! the narrator I had was Carolyn something. Perhaps I changed narrators between the books?"

I think you may have, Cat.

Thankfully, I have had Tatiana M all along and I think she's really good.

"And that my friends is how a revolution dies."

What a perfect comeback punchline for Haymitch/Woody at the end of Chapter 5. 😅

I love it!

Jade aka MrsTosh wrote: "Yasmine wrote: "And now I finally get to reread the last book in the Hunger Games series! Just finished Chapter 4 and it's off to a great start. I agree with Cat, Haymitch has become one of my favo..."

You fully hit the nail! Last time I read this I was a very young teenager and now over a decade later I feel like I think a lot more about the harshness we have to endure in the world and the hardships some people have to go through which obviously shape their characters. And I think that is why I now have much more empathy and appreciation for Haymitch than I did back then, because without any life-experience I couldn't really relate to him at all. (I'm not saying that I share experiences with him or am an alcoholic or anything, but I just know more about how the world works now than I did back then, and that it's not that hard to fall down a wrong/self-destructive path)

Melindam wrote: ""And that my friends is how a revolution dies."

What a perfect comeback punchline for Haymitch/Woody at the end of Chapter 5. 😅

I love it!"

One of my favourite Haymitch moments so far if not of all time!

Chapter 16, Katniss and Plutarch are talking about the Capitol being cut off. Since we now know the events of Ballad of Songbirds, I think this must be Snow’s worst nightmare. Or at least triggering all sorts of PTSD.