Wild Things: YA Grown-Up discussion

Starting a thread for this one, even though I haven't read it, since Tanja asked for one!

PLEASE REMEMBER TO MARK ALL SPOILERS AND REMOVE THE "ADD TO MY UPDATE FEED" CHECKMARK SO YOU DON'T ACCIDENTALLY SPOIL YOUR FRIENDS!

/nag

:D

WOOHOOOO!! Mockingjay!!!!

Word of warning to all -- do NOT look at the wikipedia entry. It spoils the whole book!

I received my copy directly to my kindle on Tuesday morning. I still have 21% of Catching Fire to read before I can start it. I cannot wait! Maybe I'll lock myself in a quiet room and finish it! If only that would really happen! LOL!

I really can't wait to finish up this series. I'm picking up a copy today. I have to re-read Catching Fire as soon as I'm done with Shogun.

I *really* need some spoilers/opinions on this one. Apparently, I can get it from Audible, so I'm kind of split on it, after reading some of the reviews. I don't mind leaving off reading the last book and having my imagination create a happily ever after on this one, so this is what I need to know: Does it have a happy ending? If not, I don't think that I'm going to get this. Her world is just a bit too dark/depressing-thought making for me, without the happy ending.

Feel free to message me, so that no one gets spoiled. Thanks in advance.

EDIT: The reason I'm asking this is that I read Catching Fire and Hunger Games for the first time almost back-to-back last month, which got me depressed to the point my boyfriend was threatening to take the books away from me and "not allowing" me to read any more dystopian books, and I'd really like to not have a repeat of this.

Jesi wrote: "I *really* need some spoilers/opinions on this one. Apparently, I can get it from Audible, so I'm kind of split on it, after reading some of the reviews. I don't mind leaving off reading the last b..."

I will message you.

I read Mockingjay on the first day it was out. I had to stop a few times because it is certainly intense but I finished it the same day. There are several amazing posts (complete with many, many spoilers) by authors Sarah Ockler and Alex Bracken that you might want to check out when you finish. All I can say is that two days later I am still processing my feelings.

Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) wrote: "Jesi wrote: "I *really* need some spoilers/opinions on this one. Apparently, I can get it from Audible, so I'm kind of split on it, after reading some of the reviews. I don't mind leaving off readi..."

You're awesome. Thanks for the message.

Jesi wrote: "Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) wrote: "Jesi wrote: "I *really* need some spoilers/opinions on this one. Apparently, I can get it from Audible, so I'm kind of split on it, after reading some of the reviews..."

Hope the message is helpful. It is worth the read but you need to decide for yourself.

I really enjoyed the last installment in this trilogy. The ending didn't go exactly the way I wanted it to - but I will say no more about that. Definitely expect a lot of action out of this book.

Kristen wrote: "I really enjoyed the last installment in this trilogy. The ending didn't go exactly the way I wanted it to - but I will say no more about that. Definitely expect a lot of action out of this book."

Yes, the ending is going to be something that people discuss- it will be controversial :P

But isn't the end of every series controversial?

I agree, it was controversial. I'm not sure how I feel yet. There should be a spoiler allowed thread, too!!

I didn't love it the way I loved the first two, though. I definitely kept me enthralled, but... I don't know. Maybe the anticipation was too much??

I think the one thing about the whole series is how invested everyone became in the lives of Katniss, Peeta, Gale, etc. There are truly few books that reel in so many and make so many people feel passionately in one direction or another. I sometimes wonder what the next "one" will be.

There are some amazing posts - articulate, well thought out follow ups to Mockingjay. It is impressive.

Any great reviews/follow ups on Mockingjay that you find- please share :)

I'm still digesting the book and I love reading what others have to say.

Here you go...my two favorites so far (all full of spoilers):

Alexandra Bracken's in defense of Katniss
http://bracken.livejournal.com/194248...

Sarah Ockler's Mockingjay hangover:
http://sarahockler.com/2010/08/25/moc...

Blog at Whimsical Fic-ery - read the comments especially:
http://whimsicalfic-ery.blogspot.com/...

Those have been my favorites so far.

Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) wrote: "I think the one thing about the whole series is how invested everyone became in the lives of Katniss, Peeta, Gale, etc. There are truly few books that reel in so many and make so many people feel p..."

I know that The Knife of Never Letting Go is on your TBR, but I'd recommend you bump it up. I was as invested in those characters as the Hunger Games folks.

AngelaSunshine wrote: "Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) wrote: "I think the one thing about the whole series is how invested everyone became in the lives of Katniss, Peeta, Gale, etc. There are truly few books that reel in so man..."

Thanks...I usually have to separate dystopian books to avoid going into a major slump. But as soon as I can handle a heavy book again I will give it a whirl.

Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) wrote: "AngelaSunshine wrote: "Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) wrote: "I think the one thing about the whole series is how invested everyone became in the lives of Katniss, Peeta, Gale, etc. There are truly few b..."

Definitely. And it'll be good timing when you are ready, because the final book in the trilogy hits the stands in the US next month. :)

Has anyone listened to Suzanne Collins read the first chapter of Mockingjay? It's on the book's page at Amazon. If so, what did you think of Katniss's voice? I did not imagine it to sound anything like she did!

Here's the link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalin...

AngelaSunshine wrote: "Has anyone listened to Suzanne Collins read the first chapter of Mockingjay? It's on the book's page at Amazon. If so, what did you think of Katniss's voice? I did not imagine it to sound anything ..."

No, guess I will have to check it out.

Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) wrote: "I think the one thing about the whole series is how invested everyone became in the lives of Katniss, Peeta, Gale, etc. There are truly few books that reel in so many and make so many people feel p..."

Even I've been wondering what the next major book is going to be.

This was not my favorite of the three but I loved it. I thought the ending fit and worked for all the characters even though I also felt a little dissatisfied.

AngelaSunshine wrote: "I agree, it was controversial. I'm not sure how I feel yet. There should be a spoiler allowed thread, too!!

I didn't love it the way I loved the first two, though. I definitely kept me enthralled,..."

I can't agree with you more. When I finished reading it last Thursday, I wasn't quite sure how to feel about it, and I still don't think I know! I was riveted throughout the story, but it didn't live up to either the first two, or my expectations after waiting so impatiently for it. Still an amazing book... but I just feel something was missing, compared to the first two.

*****************This contains SPOILERS***********
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Just a quick run down of what I thought:
I liked Boggs & Finnick, a lot
I liked seeing the interaction between Gale & Kat. I actually started thinking Gale was for Kat he knew exactly what to do, but then I started to see Gale's dark side and started to see him move away from the safe Gale he had become . I also realize this was his chance to shine.
I don't like how he just drops out of the book at the end.
I liked the "real , not real".
Loved "panem et circenses"
I didn't cry when Prim died but found myself tearing up when Peeta was planting the Prim Roses.
I also wondered why in a YA book she would mention the selling of Finnick, also she goes into great details about how people are being killed, but then skims over parts where she could write some kind of intimate affection.
I very much disliked how we lost Peeta. The character I liked so much. He was turned into a secondary character that I felt sad for.

The end I see two very damaged people, just surviving, not really enjoying life.
The whole book reminds me of a quote
"Damaged people are dangerous because they know they can survive.

Trista wrote: "AngelaSunshine wrote: "I agree, it was controversial. I'm not sure how I feel yet. There should be a spoiler allowed thread, too!!

I didn't love it the way I loved the first two, though. I defini..."

I'm glad (well, not really GLAD, because I expected so much!) to hear you felt the same way since you just read the first two book in the last couple of months. I wondered if I'd built up the story in my mind in my excitement for the final book.
I just felt like it didn't follow her characters through a progression. Okay, if SC wanted Katniss to be a follower, and Gale to be vengeful, that's fine. But help us make the leap better, because the characters changed so quickly from the last book I didn't even recognize them.

Angela - I think you nailed it on the head regarding some of my feelings. The characters did seem to have very sudden change in personalities. I know some try to argue that this was the natural progression but it still felt abrupt.

Alyson,

I really enjoyed the blog posts you put up. I found them helpful in sorting our my reaction to the book in that when i finished, I did not have as strong a reaction to this book as the first two. After reading the reviews, I was responding to what they were saying-stongly agreeing or disagreeing. After reading those reviews, I was able to sort through myself better.

(very clumsy, hope you follow)

This was the comment I posted in response to the Whimsical post after reading all the previous comments:

*********SPOILERS************

Re: Katniss voting yes to the Hunger Games, when giving her conditions to be the Mockingjay she says, "I kill Snow." Coin doesn't agree to this outright but says, "I'll flip you for him." When Katniss voted yes, she was saying yes to Coin's idea. If she'd said no I think she would have been denied killing Snow...and the opportunity to take out Coin. I think Katniss realized that Snow was dying quickly on his own (between Fennick's testimony and seeing Snow for herself as he coughed up blood-no one lives long with that symptom.)

(I don't think the Capital Hunger Games ever took place. Coin was gone and it was her idea)

I really loved this book. It rang true for me-Katniss didn't become too big to be believable. She did what she needed to, she survived. When she originally stepped forward to take Prim's place the goal was to save one child. In the end, she lost Prim and yet saved many generations of children to come. She wasn't just "that good" but kept doing the next right thing that she could tell given the information she was given.

She wasn't all better and sunny at the end but she was forging ahead. She was a testament of what humans can bear and still find joy even though they can never forget. There is hope that something good can still come at the end of suffering and loss. Still, there is a cost.

Lauren wrote: "Alyson,

I really enjoyed the blog posts you put up. I found them helpful in sorting our my reaction to the book in that when i finished, I did not have as strong a reaction to this book as the f..."

Lauren - you are clear....I am feeling somewhat the same.

I wasn't disappointed, not one bit. The entire book was a roller coaster ride of my emotions, gut wrenching, painful, beautiful... It wasn't a perfect, happy ending, but it was the right ending.


***SPOILERS***

Lauren wrote: "If she'd said no I think she would have been denied killing Snow...and the opportunity to take out Coin."

Lauren, that's exactly how I feel about it. Her vote would have been very out of character if she hadn't been planning that all along. Throughout the entire war, she cared about the innocent bystanders, even the Capitol citizens. And the statement that her vote was "...for Prim" indicates her intentions to me as she already suspects that Coin was the one who really killed Prim.

Angela mentioned the Knife of never letting Go, and that series was on my mind too, specifically the second book The Ask and the Answer. I felt like this book raised some of the same points, how in times of war you have to choose between the lesser of two evils, how all information is spun into propaganda, and that at some point a leader needs to be chosen and the loss of life needs to stop. I thought Mockingjay was very well written, I didn't remember some of the minor characters from the second book, but that didn't really matter too much.

Mandy wrote: "Angela mentioned the Knife of never letting Go, and that series was on my mind too, specifically the second book The Ask and the Answer..."

I had that on my mind too, and I think it's precisely the reason why I didn't enjoy Mockingjay as much as I thought I would. It just wasn't original enough nor satisfying, and Patrick Ness did a far better job of finishing his trilogy.
I didn't mind the ending of Mockingjay, though. Actually I liked it better than what happened in the middle.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Here's my review on Mockingjay and what I felt about it. There is a small discussion between Rita and me that maybe you all would like to continue/add to. Enjoy

Too political for me. :/ I didn't like it very much, and had to force myself to finish it.