'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' - better than the first film in my opinion. So much awesome as its own movie than as an adaptation.
Though I've heard that 'Mockingjay' will be split into two films =groan= Please say it isn't so? Please say this subversive and meaningful YA series hasn't jumped that cash cow bandwagon as well? It's not even needed!
Saturday 23 November 2013
Wednesday 13 November 2013
Non-Fiction Book Review - 'The Best Of Women's Quotations' by Helen Exley (Editor)
Best Quotes:
"My will shall shape my future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice; my responsibility; win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny." - Elaine Maxwell
"Women have always been the guardians of wisdom and humanity which makes them natural, but secret, rulers. The time has come for them to rule openly, but together with and not against men." - Charlotte Wolff
"Women are expected to do twice as much as men in half the time and for no credit. Fortunately this isn't difficult." - Charlotte Whitton
"Rape is... nothing more or less than a conscious process of intimidation by which all men keep all women in a state of fear." - Susan Brownmiller
"Women as a class have never subjugated another group; we have never marched off to wars of conquest in the name of the fatherland. We have never been involved in a decision to annex the territory of a neighboring country, or to fight for foreign markets on distant shores. These are the games men play, not us. We want to be neither oppressors nor oppressed. The women's revolution is the final revolution of them all." - Susan Brownmiller
"Mother as an ideal is unfair in the same manner as a women as a sex object." - Liz Smith, from 'The Mother Book'
"The sentimental cult of domestic virtues is the cheapest method at a society's disposal of keeping women quiet without seriously considering their grievances or improving their position." - Alva Myrdal and Viola Klein, from 'Women's Two Roles'
"A woman has to be twice as good as a man to go half as far." - Fannie Hurst
"I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman." - Virginia Woolf
"When a man gets up to speak, people listen then look. When a woman gets up, people look; then, if they like what they see, they listen." - Pauline Frederick
"The dogma of woman's complete historical subjection to man must be rated as one of the most fantastic myths ever created by the human mind." - Mary Ritter Beard
"When we take away the right to an individual name, we symbolically take away the right to be an individual. Immigration officials did this to refugees, husbands routinely do it to wives." - Erica Jong
"Dear Sirs, man to man, manpower, craftsman, working men, the thinking man, the man in the street, fellow countrymen, the history of mankind, one-man show, man in his wisdom, statesman, forefathers, masterful, masterpiece, old masters, the brotherhood of man, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, sons of free men, faith of our fathers, god the father, god the son, yours fraternally, amen. Words fail me." - Stephanie Dowrick
"In passing, also, I would like to say that the first time Adam had a chance he laid the blame on woman." - Nancy Astor
"Above all, remember that the most important thing you can take anywhere is not a Gucci bag or French-cut jeans; it's an open mind." - Gail Rubin Bereny
"You have to admit that most women who have done something with their lives have been disliked by almost everyone." - Francoise Gilot
"If you play it safe in life you've decided that you don't want to grow any more." - Shirley Hufstedler
"Supposing you have tried and failed again and again. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down." - Mary Pickford
"A liberated woman is one who feels confident in herself, and is happy in what she is doing. She is a person who has a sense of self... It all comes down to freedom of choice." - Betty Ford
Plus any quote from 'Jane Eyre'.
There are some other quotations that are, in my opinion, a bit questionable and dated. But this gift from my mum is a must for any feminist - for any human being - to read in order to get back that faith in humankind. Humankind which is lost in the increasing sexism in 21st century society and media. Faith in equal rights can be found again by reading these 19th century quotes.
Final Score: 4/5
"My will shall shape my future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice; my responsibility; win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny." - Elaine Maxwell
"Women have always been the guardians of wisdom and humanity which makes them natural, but secret, rulers. The time has come for them to rule openly, but together with and not against men." - Charlotte Wolff
"Women are expected to do twice as much as men in half the time and for no credit. Fortunately this isn't difficult." - Charlotte Whitton
"Rape is... nothing more or less than a conscious process of intimidation by which all men keep all women in a state of fear." - Susan Brownmiller
"Women as a class have never subjugated another group; we have never marched off to wars of conquest in the name of the fatherland. We have never been involved in a decision to annex the territory of a neighboring country, or to fight for foreign markets on distant shores. These are the games men play, not us. We want to be neither oppressors nor oppressed. The women's revolution is the final revolution of them all." - Susan Brownmiller
"Mother as an ideal is unfair in the same manner as a women as a sex object." - Liz Smith, from 'The Mother Book'
"The sentimental cult of domestic virtues is the cheapest method at a society's disposal of keeping women quiet without seriously considering their grievances or improving their position." - Alva Myrdal and Viola Klein, from 'Women's Two Roles'
"A woman has to be twice as good as a man to go half as far." - Fannie Hurst
"I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman." - Virginia Woolf
"When a man gets up to speak, people listen then look. When a woman gets up, people look; then, if they like what they see, they listen." - Pauline Frederick
"The dogma of woman's complete historical subjection to man must be rated as one of the most fantastic myths ever created by the human mind." - Mary Ritter Beard
"When we take away the right to an individual name, we symbolically take away the right to be an individual. Immigration officials did this to refugees, husbands routinely do it to wives." - Erica Jong
"Dear Sirs, man to man, manpower, craftsman, working men, the thinking man, the man in the street, fellow countrymen, the history of mankind, one-man show, man in his wisdom, statesman, forefathers, masterful, masterpiece, old masters, the brotherhood of man, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, sons of free men, faith of our fathers, god the father, god the son, yours fraternally, amen. Words fail me." - Stephanie Dowrick
"In passing, also, I would like to say that the first time Adam had a chance he laid the blame on woman." - Nancy Astor
"Above all, remember that the most important thing you can take anywhere is not a Gucci bag or French-cut jeans; it's an open mind." - Gail Rubin Bereny
"You have to admit that most women who have done something with their lives have been disliked by almost everyone." - Francoise Gilot
"If you play it safe in life you've decided that you don't want to grow any more." - Shirley Hufstedler
"Supposing you have tried and failed again and again. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down." - Mary Pickford
"A liberated woman is one who feels confident in herself, and is happy in what she is doing. She is a person who has a sense of self... It all comes down to freedom of choice." - Betty Ford
Plus any quote from 'Jane Eyre'.
There are some other quotations that are, in my opinion, a bit questionable and dated. But this gift from my mum is a must for any feminist - for any human being - to read in order to get back that faith in humankind. Humankind which is lost in the increasing sexism in 21st century society and media. Faith in equal rights can be found again by reading these 19th century quotes.
Final Score: 4/5
Tuesday 12 November 2013
Book Review - 'Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism' by Georgia Byng
A quick review in the light of my - once again - reliving (as opposed to rereading) my middle school library books. A little like a novella in a novel series saga.
'Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism' - a fun and entertaining adventure story about a child hypnotist. Reminiscent of Roald Dahl (I keep coming back to him, don't I?), I clearly remember the writing being enjoyable, humourous and full of heart.
The characters are funny and distinctive, if somewhat cartoonish, but in an endearing way. Molly Moon is a plain little girl living in a nasty old orphanage who, when stumbling across a book about hypnotism in a library, believably takes her one chance to have some control in her life and chase her dreams. It's selfish and bound to lead her to inevitable danger, but given her age and circumstances it was fun to read about her having merry adventures.
'Molly Moon' is playful, colourful and inventive, like a children's book should be. With its subject/plot point being what it is, there are dodgy morals and suggestions about how it's okay to manipulate and brainwash as many people as you want, as long as you have good intentions. Scarily I overlooked this as a kid. Though the best reason I can come up with to defend 'Molly Moon' as an adult is that it doesn't take itself too seriously.
But the silliness and contrivances do reach all new heights in the sequels ('Hypnotic Time-Travelling adventure'? There's being creative and then there's being convoluted and random). There should be a limit to suspension of disbelief even in kids' stories. And looking at the blurbs of the latest books in the series, Molly Moon herself seems to have been "morphing" into a Mary Sue; without her old-fashioned, sympathetic orphan charm.
Still, the first 'Molly Moon' is gripping and exciting for a story all about hypnosis. To repeat, it is not to be taken seriously. That's what it told me as a child.
It is not to be taken seriously.
It is not to be...
To be...
Final Score... 5... 4... 3... 2... 4/
'Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism' - a fun and entertaining adventure story about a child hypnotist. Reminiscent of Roald Dahl (I keep coming back to him, don't I?), I clearly remember the writing being enjoyable, humourous and full of heart.
The characters are funny and distinctive, if somewhat cartoonish, but in an endearing way. Molly Moon is a plain little girl living in a nasty old orphanage who, when stumbling across a book about hypnotism in a library, believably takes her one chance to have some control in her life and chase her dreams. It's selfish and bound to lead her to inevitable danger, but given her age and circumstances it was fun to read about her having merry adventures.
'Molly Moon' is playful, colourful and inventive, like a children's book should be. With its subject/plot point being what it is, there are dodgy morals and suggestions about how it's okay to manipulate and brainwash as many people as you want, as long as you have good intentions. Scarily I overlooked this as a kid. Though the best reason I can come up with to defend 'Molly Moon' as an adult is that it doesn't take itself too seriously.
But the silliness and contrivances do reach all new heights in the sequels ('Hypnotic Time-Travelling adventure'? There's being creative and then there's being convoluted and random). There should be a limit to suspension of disbelief even in kids' stories. And looking at the blurbs of the latest books in the series, Molly Moon herself seems to have been "morphing" into a Mary Sue; without her old-fashioned, sympathetic orphan charm.
Still, the first 'Molly Moon' is gripping and exciting for a story all about hypnosis. To repeat, it is not to be taken seriously. That's what it told me as a child.
It is not to be taken seriously.
It is not to be...
To be...
Final Score... 5... 4... 3... 2... 4/
Monday 11 November 2013
Book Review - 'Tuesdays at the Castle' by Jessica Day George
2021 EDIT: Not for me this time, sorry.
'Tuesdays at the Castle' is a very kiddie book, and not a very exciting or interesting one. Not a lot of magic, but plenty of politics, and "meh" and "so?". Though honestly I would have only dropped one star from my original rating if not for the horrible xenophobia; with the invading, one-dimensional, cartoonishly evil, broken English/Sleynth-speaking Prince Khelsh, and the "warlike" Vhervhish people.
The main "good" kingdom - and the book - are also sexist; only the men have important positions and statuses (so many men in this book, I can't even), and a fourteen-year-old boy is considered a more appropriate ruler than his hardworking, responsible and vastly qualified older sister. I don't think the possibility of female heirs is ever given a thought.
Stuff Pogue Parry, too. Literally every female is attracted to him. They flush and blush in his presence; every time he opens his mouth, every time he grins - even the eleven-year-old protagonist Celie isn't "immune to his smiles", as the book puts it - when he is in fact as charming and captivating as horse salt lick. It's another feature of sexism in 'Tuesdays at the Castle'.
Pogue Parry, what a bloody stupid name for a ladies' man.
A note on unoriginality: The book contains an invisibility cloak. Seriously. Oh but it hides the wearer's sounds rather than their physical presence, so it's totally new. The Hogwarts equivalent in 'Tuesdays at the Castle' is an off-page feature, as is most of the wizardry and magic. Can't have too much excitement.
Why is young Celie the only member of her family, ever, over the centuries, to try to map an atlas of her enchanted, everchanging castle? Where did her curiosity, pragmatism and common sense genes come from? Is she just that special? Well, good for her, as the largely-ineffectual main character.
'Tuesdays at the Castle' - quite a bore, overall, I'm afraid to say. I felt nothing reading it. No emotional investment. Not much charm.
Final Score: 2/5
There is a whimsical charm to how, as an adult, I can still enjoy a new middle school fantasy book.
'Tuesdays at the Castle': Despite being for children, its cute and playful novelty is never lost.
What I liked:
- The straightforward, humourous and imaginative prose.
- The magical and original Glower Castle. For some reason I think that if it had a gender it would be female (though of course males are caring and magical as well).
- Celie, the protag. She is an adorable eleven-year-old princess who is smart, strong and determined, but still behaves like a believable kid. She has her childish fancies and that's okay. She's a child.
- Celie's mapping the Castle and knowing its secret ways actually do become important to the plot (though why is she the only one ever in Glower royalty to try it...?)
- The sibling dynamic between Celie, Rolf and Lilah. It is refreshing to see young brothers and sisters getting along and helping each other out, and yet they're not above teasing one another like a real family.
- It has heart, and morals about knowing who to trust and go to at the worst of times.
- The invisibility cloak that hides the sounds the wearer makes rather than his or her physical visibility. The 'Harry Potter' similarities don't end there, but this creative twist is worth an especial mention.
- Not all foreigners are portrayed as evil. In fact the evil royal foreigners are the exception compared to the rest of their country (They are also pale; not that there is only one side to racism).
- Prince Lulath's little dogs.
- Rufus.
What I didn't like:
- The villains are not threatening at all. They are Saturday-morning-cartoon Harlequin caricatures of villains. The main evil prince barely even had a character. As a result the stakes were lowered. I know it's a short book for kids, but there should at least be something that makes the baddies more memorable.
- Pogue Parry. He didn't do a lot for me.
- Not enough magical content is in this story (even the Castle becomes ineffectual after a bit), despite there being wizards and a wizard's college, who are mostly told about instead of shown (since the narrative is Celie's sheltered and trapped third-person POV, it is understandable, however).
-The climax is fantastical and unexpected, but it is rushed and uses a deus-ex-machina.
-The ending, while nice, is abrupt. We don't even find out what happens to a few important characters. (Sequel?)
I recommend giving 'Tuesdays at the Castle' a read. It might not wow you, but it's decent, lighthearted children's fluff.
Final Score: 3.5/5
'Tuesdays at the Castle' is a very kiddie book, and not a very exciting or interesting one. Not a lot of magic, but plenty of politics, and "meh" and "so?". Though honestly I would have only dropped one star from my original rating if not for the horrible xenophobia; with the invading, one-dimensional, cartoonishly evil, broken English/Sleynth-speaking Prince Khelsh, and the "warlike" Vhervhish people.
The main "good" kingdom - and the book - are also sexist; only the men have important positions and statuses (so many men in this book, I can't even), and a fourteen-year-old boy is considered a more appropriate ruler than his hardworking, responsible and vastly qualified older sister. I don't think the possibility of female heirs is ever given a thought.
Stuff Pogue Parry, too. Literally every female is attracted to him. They flush and blush in his presence; every time he opens his mouth, every time he grins - even the eleven-year-old protagonist Celie isn't "immune to his smiles", as the book puts it - when he is in fact as charming and captivating as horse salt lick. It's another feature of sexism in 'Tuesdays at the Castle'.
Pogue Parry, what a bloody stupid name for a ladies' man.
A note on unoriginality: The book contains an invisibility cloak. Seriously. Oh but it hides the wearer's sounds rather than their physical presence, so it's totally new. The Hogwarts equivalent in 'Tuesdays at the Castle' is an off-page feature, as is most of the wizardry and magic. Can't have too much excitement.
Why is young Celie the only member of her family, ever, over the centuries, to try to map an atlas of her enchanted, everchanging castle? Where did her curiosity, pragmatism and common sense genes come from? Is she just that special? Well, good for her, as the largely-ineffectual main character.
'Tuesdays at the Castle' - quite a bore, overall, I'm afraid to say. I felt nothing reading it. No emotional investment. Not much charm.
Final Score: 2/5
'Tuesdays at the Castle': Despite being for children, its cute and playful novelty is never lost.
What I liked:
- The straightforward, humourous and imaginative prose.
- The magical and original Glower Castle. For some reason I think that if it had a gender it would be female (though of course males are caring and magical as well).
- Celie, the protag. She is an adorable eleven-year-old princess who is smart, strong and determined, but still behaves like a believable kid. She has her childish fancies and that's okay. She's a child.
- Celie's mapping the Castle and knowing its secret ways actually do become important to the plot (though why is she the only one ever in Glower royalty to try it...?)
- The sibling dynamic between Celie, Rolf and Lilah. It is refreshing to see young brothers and sisters getting along and helping each other out, and yet they're not above teasing one another like a real family.
- It has heart, and morals about knowing who to trust and go to at the worst of times.
- The invisibility cloak that hides the sounds the wearer makes rather than his or her physical visibility. The 'Harry Potter' similarities don't end there, but this creative twist is worth an especial mention.
- Not all foreigners are portrayed as evil. In fact the evil royal foreigners are the exception compared to the rest of their country (They are also pale; not that there is only one side to racism).
- Prince Lulath's little dogs.
- Rufus.
What I didn't like:
- The villains are not threatening at all. They are Saturday-morning-cartoon Harlequin caricatures of villains. The main evil prince barely even had a character. As a result the stakes were lowered. I know it's a short book for kids, but there should at least be something that makes the baddies more memorable.
- Pogue Parry. He didn't do a lot for me.
- Not enough magical content is in this story (even the Castle becomes ineffectual after a bit), despite there being wizards and a wizard's college, who are mostly told about instead of shown (since the narrative is Celie's sheltered and trapped third-person POV, it is understandable, however).
-The climax is fantastical and unexpected, but it is rushed and uses a deus-ex-machina.
-The ending, while nice, is abrupt. We don't even find out what happens to a few important characters. (Sequel?)
I recommend giving 'Tuesdays at the Castle' a read. It might not wow you, but it's decent, lighthearted children's fluff.
Final Score: 3.5/5
Book Review - 'The Stepsister Scheme' by Jim C. Hines
2021 EDIT: Even more awesome on the second read. Such an underrated, action feminist fantasy series.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
"Do we look like we need to be rescued?"
Exciting, non-stop action and adventure - with three princesses from three different fairy tales. These are not the demure and ineffective females we associate with Disney or even Grimm. These ladies are strong, well-developed, well-rounded and three-dimensional: who need no prince to come and save them. In fact, in this tale, they are the ones who go on a hero's journey to save the prince!
For someone who is tired of seeing degrading and unself-aware rubbish like 'Charlie's Angels' and 'Sex and the City' being labelled as feminist, to see the real deal at last is a joy to say the least. I had my doubts, but I wasn't disappointed. That the two franchises I just mentioned are much more well known and popular in the mainstream media than this book saddens me.
'The Stepsister Scheme' is another modern fairy tale deconstruction novel for me to add to my reading pile. Jim C. Hines clearly knew what we was doing when he wrote this. The creative twists almost make me jealous (oh why didn't I think of this idea first!) There are no real happily ever afters in this story - no story truly ends, and it is not full of pretty rainbows, sparkly castles, ballroom dances, whirlwind romances and babies ever after. Throughout the book, as we come to know the princesses' pasts and why they are not with their "princes" but are instead working for a queen's Secret Service, it becomes clear that what we'd thought from our childhood perceptions of fairy tales will probably be killed. And our innocence will be scarred for life. But in a good way :D
It's also gratifying that a male author wrote this. The claims that men can't write women as human beings? That it isn't simple? That women are an alien species who cannot be properly portrayed in fiction because they are such a minority and are strange? Bollocks. Men have written great female characters in the past who are equal to any well-written male character. Books like 'The Stepsister Scheme' give hope to such a claim, especially when popular female authors in recent years are not that well known for their good female characters either - such as in the YA market *sigh*.
Anyway:
'The Stepsister Scheme' is more than an action fantasy novel. There is dark magic, hatred and cruelty. But with good messages and subtle social commentary about femininity and equality.
We read the whole story from the third-person narrative of Danielle (Cinderella), a flawed but determined heroine who grows stronger throughout her journey to rescue her husband, Prince Armand, from her vengeful stepsisters Charlotte and Stacia. They suddenly have magical abilities, and Danielle will have to use her non-princess "peasant" skills and brains to get one step ahead of her stepsisters. Plus she's pregnant, but that doesn't hinder her or render her useless. She is a warm and likeable protagonist to root for. Heck, even forest animals help her out to the death, due to a special gift she has and which is an amusing reference to the 1950 Disney film.
Talia (Sleeping Beauty) I think is my favourite character. The exact opposite of how she is always portrayed in her fairy tale, she is an awesome, dark-skinned fighter and possesses what I can only describe as ninja skills - courtesy of the gifts of grace given to her by the fairies at her birth. She is complex and tragic. Harsh and sarcastic. Understandably she hates how fairies work to manipulate humans, and how they "bless" them with skills not acquired naturally. Magical creatures can cause more harm than good. Anyway their "curses" - intentional or otherwise - are always much more interesting to read about (as is the case in 'Ella Enchanted').
Snow White is a diva. A flirt. Beautiful and knows it. A sorceress who uses mirrors to work her magic for good. She is confident and comfortable with her sexuality. She is also very intelligent and loves books, so she has a brain as well as a sexy body (three-dimensional action girl - yes please!) Snow's struggle comes from her own mother wanting to kill her because she's pretty. Yes, mothers play an important part in 'The Stepsister Scheme'; positive and negative. This is unlike so many other fairy tales that won't let a female lead have any female influence or friends in her life; unless it's a wicked stepmother (Danielle's stepmother is dead before the start of the book).
So there are three heroines in this book with their own separate personalities and who do not prioritize men first. And they become the best of buddies in the end - non-toxic female friendships all the way!
Their "boss" is Queen Beatrice ("Queen Bea"), Danielle's mother-in-law, who sends them on the mission to find her son Armand and stop whatever Danielle's stepsisters are planning. All the while she is burdened with the responsibilities of ruling a kingdom: something Danielle, a royal-by-marriage, will have to do some day alongside Armand.
The characters and fairy tale twists I loved. Now for the negatives:
I felt that Armand was more of a plot device than a character. We don't see him at the beginning of the story, not even together with Danielle - who doesn't reveal much about him as a person or as a life partner. I'm not saying I want a romance, especially one that takes over the plot and action. But I would have liked to have read more about what Armand was like before he was kidnapped, and Danielle feeling more about her missing husband. I'm not sure if this is meant to show that their relationship was rushed and perhaps shallow, and that Danielle in her adventure comes to realise how much she cares for Armand, since near the end she clearly loves him...
The stepsisters and Snow's mother are ridiculously over-the-top evil. For a novel that reconstructs shallow fairy tales, I expected better motivations from the villains, other than "she's prettier than me" and "she doesn't deserve HIM" and "I love HIM". Maybe that is intentional - they are shallow women obsessed with conventional beauty and men and so they are the bad guys. They are horrible, albeit entertaining people, and nothing else. I also didn't like that the deemed "ugly" stepsister has the most terrible things happen to her.
Feminine themes of motherhood and marriage, and LGBT, race, rape, jealousy, hatred and love are explored in 'The Stepsister Scheme' - all the while never straying from the adventure that packs a punch and is riveting in its suspense. I'm glad I decided to give it a chance.
Sequel here I come!
Final Score: 4/5
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
"Do we look like we need to be rescued?"
Exciting, non-stop action and adventure - with three princesses from three different fairy tales. These are not the demure and ineffective females we associate with Disney or even Grimm. These ladies are strong, well-developed, well-rounded and three-dimensional: who need no prince to come and save them. In fact, in this tale, they are the ones who go on a hero's journey to save the prince!
For someone who is tired of seeing degrading and unself-aware rubbish like 'Charlie's Angels' and 'Sex and the City' being labelled as feminist, to see the real deal at last is a joy to say the least. I had my doubts, but I wasn't disappointed. That the two franchises I just mentioned are much more well known and popular in the mainstream media than this book saddens me.
'The Stepsister Scheme' is another modern fairy tale deconstruction novel for me to add to my reading pile. Jim C. Hines clearly knew what we was doing when he wrote this. The creative twists almost make me jealous (oh why didn't I think of this idea first!) There are no real happily ever afters in this story - no story truly ends, and it is not full of pretty rainbows, sparkly castles, ballroom dances, whirlwind romances and babies ever after. Throughout the book, as we come to know the princesses' pasts and why they are not with their "princes" but are instead working for a queen's Secret Service, it becomes clear that what we'd thought from our childhood perceptions of fairy tales will probably be killed. And our innocence will be scarred for life. But in a good way :D
It's also gratifying that a male author wrote this. The claims that men can't write women as human beings? That it isn't simple? That women are an alien species who cannot be properly portrayed in fiction because they are such a minority and are strange? Bollocks. Men have written great female characters in the past who are equal to any well-written male character. Books like 'The Stepsister Scheme' give hope to such a claim, especially when popular female authors in recent years are not that well known for their good female characters either - such as in the YA market *sigh*.
Anyway:
'The Stepsister Scheme' is more than an action fantasy novel. There is dark magic, hatred and cruelty. But with good messages and subtle social commentary about femininity and equality.
We read the whole story from the third-person narrative of Danielle (Cinderella), a flawed but determined heroine who grows stronger throughout her journey to rescue her husband, Prince Armand, from her vengeful stepsisters Charlotte and Stacia. They suddenly have magical abilities, and Danielle will have to use her non-princess "peasant" skills and brains to get one step ahead of her stepsisters. Plus she's pregnant, but that doesn't hinder her or render her useless. She is a warm and likeable protagonist to root for. Heck, even forest animals help her out to the death, due to a special gift she has and which is an amusing reference to the 1950 Disney film.
Talia (Sleeping Beauty) I think is my favourite character. The exact opposite of how she is always portrayed in her fairy tale, she is an awesome, dark-skinned fighter and possesses what I can only describe as ninja skills - courtesy of the gifts of grace given to her by the fairies at her birth. She is complex and tragic. Harsh and sarcastic. Understandably she hates how fairies work to manipulate humans, and how they "bless" them with skills not acquired naturally. Magical creatures can cause more harm than good. Anyway their "curses" - intentional or otherwise - are always much more interesting to read about (as is the case in 'Ella Enchanted').
Snow White is a diva. A flirt. Beautiful and knows it. A sorceress who uses mirrors to work her magic for good. She is confident and comfortable with her sexuality. She is also very intelligent and loves books, so she has a brain as well as a sexy body (three-dimensional action girl - yes please!) Snow's struggle comes from her own mother wanting to kill her because she's pretty. Yes, mothers play an important part in 'The Stepsister Scheme'; positive and negative. This is unlike so many other fairy tales that won't let a female lead have any female influence or friends in her life; unless it's a wicked stepmother (Danielle's stepmother is dead before the start of the book).
So there are three heroines in this book with their own separate personalities and who do not prioritize men first. And they become the best of buddies in the end - non-toxic female friendships all the way!
Their "boss" is Queen Beatrice ("Queen Bea"), Danielle's mother-in-law, who sends them on the mission to find her son Armand and stop whatever Danielle's stepsisters are planning. All the while she is burdened with the responsibilities of ruling a kingdom: something Danielle, a royal-by-marriage, will have to do some day alongside Armand.
The characters and fairy tale twists I loved. Now for the negatives:
I felt that Armand was more of a plot device than a character. We don't see him at the beginning of the story, not even together with Danielle - who doesn't reveal much about him as a person or as a life partner. I'm not saying I want a romance, especially one that takes over the plot and action. But I would have liked to have read more about what Armand was like before he was kidnapped, and Danielle feeling more about her missing husband. I'm not sure if this is meant to show that their relationship was rushed and perhaps shallow, and that Danielle in her adventure comes to realise how much she cares for Armand, since near the end she clearly loves him...
The stepsisters and Snow's mother are ridiculously over-the-top evil. For a novel that reconstructs shallow fairy tales, I expected better motivations from the villains, other than "she's prettier than me" and "she doesn't deserve HIM" and "I love HIM". Maybe that is intentional - they are shallow women obsessed with conventional beauty and men and so they are the bad guys. They are horrible, albeit entertaining people, and nothing else. I also didn't like that the deemed "ugly" stepsister has the most terrible things happen to her.
Feminine themes of motherhood and marriage, and LGBT, race, rape, jealousy, hatred and love are explored in 'The Stepsister Scheme' - all the while never straying from the adventure that packs a punch and is riveting in its suspense. I'm glad I decided to give it a chance.
Sequel here I come!
Final Score: 4/5
Book Review - 'Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, 3)' by Suzanne Collins
2020 EDIT: Devastating.
'The Hunger Games' is a YA dystopia series that doesn't talk down to its audience. It set the trend of that particular genre, but in my opinion, it is undoubtedly the best. Its themes, symbolism and subject matters are magnificently presented on page. Ten years on, it is as relevant, educational and inspiring (if dark and brutally nihilistic) as ever. In many ways it was ahead of its time.
No one is safe in this series - any character, no matter how likeable and complex, no matter their degree of innocence, can die in the most horrific ends imaginable. No child is safe in this series (holy shit). There's no holding back. Readers, best prepare to be heartbroken, for there may well be more tragedy than victory once 'Mockingjay' is reached.
There is so much diverse female rep (good, evil and morally gray) in 'The Hunger Games' as well. There are all just human, surviving and going about their lives in their own individual ways. Every person, every circumstance, is different.
And poor young Katniss. No one of any age should have to go through what you have. No one should have to dehumanise oneself and contemplate suicide 24/7 like you do - just to keep on going; to keep on living, ironically. In the end, you make your own choice; you are no longer a pawn in either sides' manipulative and deadly games, vying for power and control. You are strong and a hero because you do what you want to do, what you think is right, even if it is unpopular (however, you do learn about other people and their experiences, and you learn to heed advice, support and comfort, when trust doesn't come easy for you). You never take orders. No one controls you.
Let's hear it for the brave - and traumatised, depressed and utterly human - Katniss Everdeen. Girl on fire. Mockingjay. She is not easily labelled a hero, but she is enough. She is a survivor in every sense of the word. Get her therapy, now.
Just read these three books if you haven't already. They are so addictive, thrilling and harrowing - it is impossible to put them down. The author won't allow it. The only real downsides to it are: the niggling presence of the love triangle, the lack of LBGTQ rep, and for all the brilliant buildup, the ending of 'Mockingjay' is a little rushed. But it is still excellent.
I shall keep singing 'The Hanging Tree'. Once you read the verses or hear it sung, it is impossible to forget the song. Powerful and chilling.
That's all from me and my new overview of 'The Hunger Games' trilogy. I remain a fan. Over and out.
Final Score: 4/5
P.S. I have no interest in reading 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes', because a) I hate prequels on principle, and b) I have no interest whatsoever in reading about murderous, psychopathic dictators - mass child murderers, in fact - even if the intent is not to garner them sympathy, which they in no way deserve. It seems wasteful and pointless to me, and nothing more than a money grab. Leave certain powerful stories as they are.
Original Review:
'My Name is Katniss Everdeen. I am seventeen-years-old. My home is District 12. I was in the Hunger Games. I escaped. The Capitol hates me. Peeta was taken prisoner. He is thought to be dead. Most likely to be dead. It is probably best if he is dead...' - page 3
'Katniss Everdeen, the girl who was on fire, you have provided a spark that, left unattended, may grow to an inferno that destroys Panem.' - page 4
'Why am I not dead? I should be dead. It would be best for everyone if I were dead...' - page 435
The moment of truth. The moment of revolution. Katniss is angry, confused and forced to take sides with people with their own ulterior motives. She can't trust anyone, not even those closest to her. They can't help her.
She will have to trust in herself. She must end the Capitol and the Hunger Games in a way she thinks is right for everyone. As the Mockingjay, she is the symbol of hope and new beginnings. As a human being, she is as much of a mess as everybody else in the story. She needs therapy; the best she has is an adoption of a new thinking process. This is to help her make the dark, impossible decisions that no severely-traumatised seventeen-year-old should face.
'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay' is a nightmare the reader is sharing with Katniss.
Honestly, she is one of the bravest, smartest, most selfless and no-nonsense heroines I've ever come across in fiction. I cannot comprehend anyone feeling justified in hating her - put yourself in her dirty, worn-to-the-bone shoes, and what would you do? How would you survive?
Of course, 'Mockingjay' is the final book in a series, so not everyone's going to be happy with the conclusion. Just look at the conflicting reactions to 'The Deathly Hallows'.
This book concludes the many themes and social commentaries that 'The Hunger Games' series puts forth to build on its morals. It is not an easy or pleasant read - it isn't meant to be so. It teaches us that we simply cannot keep making the same mistakes as our predecessors in society, and how easy it is to hate our enemies so much we loose a big piece of who we are. Humans, as a species, have the capacity to evolve and learn, and to think before acting. Safe to say, Suzanne Collins's dystopian novel series contains some truth to it - as any cautionary tale should.
I would also like to mention how important a female lead Katniss Everdeen is to popular culture. As a character she isn't a pretentious "Strong female" - a label that is easily given to any fictitious girl who kicks butt and carries a weapon. She is strong because she is flawed, but that doesn't hinder her. It makes her even more endearing. Many times throughout 'Mockingjay' she thinks about giving up and letting someone else handle the hopeless outcome to a hopeless war. That's not weak, that's human. Given her circumstances it is understandable. But she pulls through for the people she loves, and for her own sanity (which is, again, a human trait and not necessarily a feminine wile. Besides, Katniss will hate herself for being a failure, not a female). She is strong because, despite what different people keep telling her, despite people seeing her as a pawn in their own games, she is still able to make her own choices and think for herself. Ultimately, Katniss standing up for the rights of her people (and how she doesn't need to dress as a Mockingjay sex symbol) is what makes her the ideal hero for this dystopic tale. Because most, if not all, dystopian fiction originate from the idea of people being reduced to sheep who weakly obey some manipulative higher power or other.
Of course her love life is also complicated. I've mentioned before how the love triangle in this series is unimportant in the grand scheme of things. But for Katniss as a developing and mature character, it is important - in a way. Like all humans she is in need of comfort and support in times of crisis. But who does she feel most comfortable with? Who can she trust? Gale has been her best friend her whole life, but his heart is full of hate and revenge - similar to how the Capitol started and continues to run. She has been through all her Hunger Games trauma with Peeta, who's kept her level-headed and calm when she needs to be.
I knew from the beginning who Katniss would end up with, so I really didn't care about the love triangle one bit. It's a minor issue for me. Heck, Katniss didn't want to fall in love at first, due to the risk of the Capitol taking advantage and killing that special person, and of her having children who might be part of the Hunger Games in the future. She rightfully didn't want to bring anyone else into her suffering world; though the resulting loneliness could bring her more harm as well...
I'm just saddened that some people think 'The Hunger Games', as a whole, is about the romance. It's not, okay? It just isn't. It should not be made into such a big deal, in my opinion. Despite what readers might think regarding which characters should have done differently from what the author intended, they are fictional.
And they should be judged as their own characters rather than by their relationships with other ones.
My point is this: Katniss should be judged for her actions concerning the deadly revolution she is a huge part of, and not for who and why she loves a partner as an equal in her suffering. And in my view it has nothing to do with her being a girl in need of a boy, as if patriarchy rules her life. No character in this entire series - not Gale or Peeta or anyone - is so easily disposed of or forgotten about just like that. There are consequences, and heartbreaks.
'Mockingjay' is one of the saddest books I've ever read. The ending may show that everything Katniss has worked towards has been in vain. Or show that hope still exists in a world that has given up on that concept. After all the violence, all the death and betrayal, there is a bittersweetness to be found here. It is both beautiful and inevitable.
Also, the poetry that Katniss's late father told her as a child signifies the series' themes in such a lovely and tragic way. I will remember the verses forever. Genius.
So that's it then: my review of a final novel in a trilogy. Is it perfect? Of course not. It's the last in a popular series. Expectations were perhaps unrealistically high, so not everyone is going to be satisfied with the ending.
Only remember that they are far more important things in life than romance. That there are more poignant social wars in the world than shipping wars to make peace with.
(Sorry if that sounds harsh. But I've been meaning to get that off my chest for a long time now. Wow are 'The Hunger Games' and 'Mockingjay' harrowing!)
Series Verdict: Read it. Talk about it. Love it. Hate it. 'The Hunger Games' trilogy is an intelligent and important pinnacle in contemporary young adult fiction. Ignore the shallow aspects pop culture has taken from it (even calling it a franchise makes it sound gimmicky), and the ignorant and insulting movie marketing strategies.
Final Score: 4/5
'The Hunger Games' is a YA dystopia series that doesn't talk down to its audience. It set the trend of that particular genre, but in my opinion, it is undoubtedly the best. Its themes, symbolism and subject matters are magnificently presented on page. Ten years on, it is as relevant, educational and inspiring (if dark and brutally nihilistic) as ever. In many ways it was ahead of its time.
No one is safe in this series - any character, no matter how likeable and complex, no matter their degree of innocence, can die in the most horrific ends imaginable. No child is safe in this series (holy shit). There's no holding back. Readers, best prepare to be heartbroken, for there may well be more tragedy than victory once 'Mockingjay' is reached.
There is so much diverse female rep (good, evil and morally gray) in 'The Hunger Games' as well. There are all just human, surviving and going about their lives in their own individual ways. Every person, every circumstance, is different.
And poor young Katniss. No one of any age should have to go through what you have. No one should have to dehumanise oneself and contemplate suicide 24/7 like you do - just to keep on going; to keep on living, ironically. In the end, you make your own choice; you are no longer a pawn in either sides' manipulative and deadly games, vying for power and control. You are strong and a hero because you do what you want to do, what you think is right, even if it is unpopular (however, you do learn about other people and their experiences, and you learn to heed advice, support and comfort, when trust doesn't come easy for you). You never take orders. No one controls you.
Let's hear it for the brave - and traumatised, depressed and utterly human - Katniss Everdeen. Girl on fire. Mockingjay. She is not easily labelled a hero, but she is enough. She is a survivor in every sense of the word. Get her therapy, now.
Just read these three books if you haven't already. They are so addictive, thrilling and harrowing - it is impossible to put them down. The author won't allow it. The only real downsides to it are: the niggling presence of the love triangle, the lack of LBGTQ rep, and for all the brilliant buildup, the ending of 'Mockingjay' is a little rushed. But it is still excellent.
I shall keep singing 'The Hanging Tree'. Once you read the verses or hear it sung, it is impossible to forget the song. Powerful and chilling.
That's all from me and my new overview of 'The Hunger Games' trilogy. I remain a fan. Over and out.
Final Score: 4/5
P.S. I have no interest in reading 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes', because a) I hate prequels on principle, and b) I have no interest whatsoever in reading about murderous, psychopathic dictators - mass child murderers, in fact - even if the intent is not to garner them sympathy, which they in no way deserve. It seems wasteful and pointless to me, and nothing more than a money grab. Leave certain powerful stories as they are.
Original Review:
'My Name is Katniss Everdeen. I am seventeen-years-old. My home is District 12. I was in the Hunger Games. I escaped. The Capitol hates me. Peeta was taken prisoner. He is thought to be dead. Most likely to be dead. It is probably best if he is dead...' - page 3
'Katniss Everdeen, the girl who was on fire, you have provided a spark that, left unattended, may grow to an inferno that destroys Panem.' - page 4
'Why am I not dead? I should be dead. It would be best for everyone if I were dead...' - page 435
The moment of truth. The moment of revolution. Katniss is angry, confused and forced to take sides with people with their own ulterior motives. She can't trust anyone, not even those closest to her. They can't help her.
She will have to trust in herself. She must end the Capitol and the Hunger Games in a way she thinks is right for everyone. As the Mockingjay, she is the symbol of hope and new beginnings. As a human being, she is as much of a mess as everybody else in the story. She needs therapy; the best she has is an adoption of a new thinking process. This is to help her make the dark, impossible decisions that no severely-traumatised seventeen-year-old should face.
'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay' is a nightmare the reader is sharing with Katniss.
Honestly, she is one of the bravest, smartest, most selfless and no-nonsense heroines I've ever come across in fiction. I cannot comprehend anyone feeling justified in hating her - put yourself in her dirty, worn-to-the-bone shoes, and what would you do? How would you survive?
Of course, 'Mockingjay' is the final book in a series, so not everyone's going to be happy with the conclusion. Just look at the conflicting reactions to 'The Deathly Hallows'.
This book concludes the many themes and social commentaries that 'The Hunger Games' series puts forth to build on its morals. It is not an easy or pleasant read - it isn't meant to be so. It teaches us that we simply cannot keep making the same mistakes as our predecessors in society, and how easy it is to hate our enemies so much we loose a big piece of who we are. Humans, as a species, have the capacity to evolve and learn, and to think before acting. Safe to say, Suzanne Collins's dystopian novel series contains some truth to it - as any cautionary tale should.
I would also like to mention how important a female lead Katniss Everdeen is to popular culture. As a character she isn't a pretentious "Strong female" - a label that is easily given to any fictitious girl who kicks butt and carries a weapon. She is strong because she is flawed, but that doesn't hinder her. It makes her even more endearing. Many times throughout 'Mockingjay' she thinks about giving up and letting someone else handle the hopeless outcome to a hopeless war. That's not weak, that's human. Given her circumstances it is understandable. But she pulls through for the people she loves, and for her own sanity (which is, again, a human trait and not necessarily a feminine wile. Besides, Katniss will hate herself for being a failure, not a female). She is strong because, despite what different people keep telling her, despite people seeing her as a pawn in their own games, she is still able to make her own choices and think for herself. Ultimately, Katniss standing up for the rights of her people (and how she doesn't need to dress as a Mockingjay sex symbol) is what makes her the ideal hero for this dystopic tale. Because most, if not all, dystopian fiction originate from the idea of people being reduced to sheep who weakly obey some manipulative higher power or other.
Of course her love life is also complicated. I've mentioned before how the love triangle in this series is unimportant in the grand scheme of things. But for Katniss as a developing and mature character, it is important - in a way. Like all humans she is in need of comfort and support in times of crisis. But who does she feel most comfortable with? Who can she trust? Gale has been her best friend her whole life, but his heart is full of hate and revenge - similar to how the Capitol started and continues to run. She has been through all her Hunger Games trauma with Peeta, who's kept her level-headed and calm when she needs to be.
I knew from the beginning who Katniss would end up with, so I really didn't care about the love triangle one bit. It's a minor issue for me. Heck, Katniss didn't want to fall in love at first, due to the risk of the Capitol taking advantage and killing that special person, and of her having children who might be part of the Hunger Games in the future. She rightfully didn't want to bring anyone else into her suffering world; though the resulting loneliness could bring her more harm as well...
I'm just saddened that some people think 'The Hunger Games', as a whole, is about the romance. It's not, okay? It just isn't. It should not be made into such a big deal, in my opinion. Despite what readers might think regarding which characters should have done differently from what the author intended, they are fictional.
And they should be judged as their own characters rather than by their relationships with other ones.
My point is this: Katniss should be judged for her actions concerning the deadly revolution she is a huge part of, and not for who and why she loves a partner as an equal in her suffering. And in my view it has nothing to do with her being a girl in need of a boy, as if patriarchy rules her life. No character in this entire series - not Gale or Peeta or anyone - is so easily disposed of or forgotten about just like that. There are consequences, and heartbreaks.
'Mockingjay' is one of the saddest books I've ever read. The ending may show that everything Katniss has worked towards has been in vain. Or show that hope still exists in a world that has given up on that concept. After all the violence, all the death and betrayal, there is a bittersweetness to be found here. It is both beautiful and inevitable.
Also, the poetry that Katniss's late father told her as a child signifies the series' themes in such a lovely and tragic way. I will remember the verses forever. Genius.
So that's it then: my review of a final novel in a trilogy. Is it perfect? Of course not. It's the last in a popular series. Expectations were perhaps unrealistically high, so not everyone is going to be satisfied with the ending.
Only remember that they are far more important things in life than romance. That there are more poignant social wars in the world than shipping wars to make peace with.
(Sorry if that sounds harsh. But I've been meaning to get that off my chest for a long time now. Wow are 'The Hunger Games' and 'Mockingjay' harrowing!)
Series Verdict: Read it. Talk about it. Love it. Hate it. 'The Hunger Games' trilogy is an intelligent and important pinnacle in contemporary young adult fiction. Ignore the shallow aspects pop culture has taken from it (even calling it a franchise makes it sound gimmicky), and the ignorant and insulting movie marketing strategies.
Final Score: 4/5
Book Review - 'Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, 2)' by Suzanne Collins
2020 EDIT: An absolutely bloody brilliant sequel. It's one of the best, most thrilling, emotional, horrific and impactful middle books one could wish for in a YA dystopian series. It couldn't have gone down any other way.
It really only misses a star because, yeah, the love triangle stuff can be frustrating, but at least it has a reason to be there, and is not the main focus in the grand scheme of things. Some people are a bit too hard on and are distrustful of Katniss, a seventeen-year-old severely traumatized girl, as well. But it is still written magnificently. This entertaining and relevant book series has a bit of everything.
Also, I wonder if Katniss's pregnancy ploy upon entering the Quarter Quell is meant to be a commentary on the hypocrisy of pro-lifers - that they don't care about the suffering and deaths of children already born, but they go all "all lives matter" when it comes to formless, faceless foetuses who haven't fully developed lungs yet, at the expense of the mother's health and choices and voice. Intentional or not, I wish that plot point could have reached further in its potential.
One thing I forgot to mention when writing my re-review of the first 'The Hunger Games' book is: Why is there no mention of menstruation once in this trilogy? Do sponsors give out tampons to tributes in the Games? Suzanne Collins never holds back on anything else in her books - in the themes, the violence, the deaths, the bodily fluids and mutilations, etc. Yet something as natural and regular as menstruation is too taboo a subject in YA books? Which the teenage girls reading them would already know about, and which teenage boys need to be educated on? What bullshit.
Further notes: Upon rereading, I'm pleasantly surprised to find that Katniss is, in fact, more optimistic about being the Mockingjay - a symbol of hope and a "spark" of rebellion for all the districts - than people give her credit for. She's a very brave, human and even sarcastic and sardonically funny protagonist. Her PTSD is superbly written, and as young as she is (seventeen - something else people seem to forget about her), she will not let it take over her entire being; her life.
'Mockingjay', here I come. I am ready for you to break and destroy me. I am ready to see Katniss become the hero people may not expect and (unrealistically) hope for; but maybe she's the hero they need, in a world gone mad, insane, violent, and desperate.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
'If it were up to me, I would try to forget the Hunger Games entirely[...]Pretend they were nothing but a bad dream. But the Victory Tours makes that impossible[...]it is the Capital's way of keeping the horror fresh and immediate. Not only are we in the districts forced to remember the iron grip of the Capital's power each year, we are forced to celebrate it[...]I will have to travel[...]to stand before the cheering crowds who secretly loathe me, to look down into the faces of families whose children I have killed...' - page 2.
In the wake of the upcoming movie, I shall review the sequel to 'The Hunger Games', 'Catching Fire'.
It is just as intense, suspenseful and violent as the previous book. If not more so, since the stakes are higher this time round.
Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have outwitted the Capital and won the 74th Hunger Games together - and the Capitol won't let them get away with it. President Snow will pull as many strings as inhumanely possible to exact his revenge on our heroes and maintain the Capital's complete control over the twelve districts. Because signs of a rebellion are starting to rise in the aftermath of the last Games, and Katniss, whether she likes it or not, is the cause and heart of it all...
Life for Katniss will never be simple again after just barely surviving the Hunger Games. With victory comes more lies and deception, more urgency to protect her friends and family from the manipulative ways of Snow, and more pressure to keep up her vulnerable, innocent, lovesick girl image in front of the cameras and reporters of Panem.
No one seems to be helping her recover from her trauma. She still has to pretend that she and Peeta are a couple, and even get married to him so the public will continue to think her a silly love-struck girl incapable of forming a coup d'état.
And pretend to be pregnant with his child. To gain further sympathy and favour.
Because to top it all off, Katniss and previous Hunger Games winners are suddenly forced to take part in the Quarter Quell - a new arena for another fight to the death. A place where Snow does not expect her and Peeta to be lucky enough to live through after last time.
Katniss Everdeen - the girl who was on fire, the Mockingjay - is trapped in every sense of the word.
It's a miracle she doesn't break down and cry. No. Not for long. She keeps fighting. She is unforgiving and resilient. She is stronger than before - because she needs to be, not only for her own sake but for those she loves and wants to keep safe.
Suzanne Collins's writing is as solid as ever. It's simple, but it brilliantly conveys the claustrophobic atmosphere Katniss is suffering through. I love that everything in 'Catching Fire' feels real. The dystopian setting is full of life and death. So harsh; beautiful in its vividness, and run by cunning leaders who only care about the appearance of power.
The characters and their great complexities make the setting and story more heart-pounding in their horrific realism. Thanks to wonderful writing, they carry the book - with its themes of humanity's obsession with shallow consumption and violence/revenge - in a way that there's not a dull moment in its 450+ pages. One notable new character is Finnick Odair, a former Hunger Games winner, who is a delight to read through Katniss's cynical yet hopeful eyes.
The Quarter Quell and how it works is also very creative and clever. In some ways it's scarier than the arena in the first book, even with the constant fear of being bait, of betrayal, of dying horribly...
'Catching Fire', for all its merit and worth as a second book in a successful YA book trilogy, comes very close to receiving five stars from me. However its faults, while minor in the grand scheme of things, I feel I should mention. The first half is a bit slow on action and fast on teasing about the speculative mystery of District 13 and its "rebellion" on the Capital, thanks to Katniss. But I understand that time is needed to show the consequences of what happened in the first book. Then the Quarter Quell can be introduced, and pull the second half of 'Catching Fire' into action, without it being a copy of its previous instalment.
And poor Peeta has the worst luck in the world for someone more genre-savvy than Katniss. Something terrible is always happening to him. And Gale can be an ass to Katniss sometimes, even if it is for understandable reasons (he gets beaten almost as bad as Peeta). I found him to be a bit of a hypocrite for accusing her of being reckless and selfish. Is Gale protecting his Catnip because he wants to ensure the safety of both their district families, or is it merely because he's in love with her?
(BTW this isn't a criticism of the love triangle, which is so minor it barely exists, despite Gale clearly being jealous that Katniss and Peeta have to be together. Though he is aware it's an act; or so the girl he loves wants to think. But it's still unimportant at this stage of the Game. Pun intended).
Great sequel. Great book.
Now for the further trauma that is 'Mockingjay'...
Final Score: 4/5
It really only misses a star because, yeah, the love triangle stuff can be frustrating, but at least it has a reason to be there, and is not the main focus in the grand scheme of things. Some people are a bit too hard on and are distrustful of Katniss, a seventeen-year-old severely traumatized girl, as well. But it is still written magnificently. This entertaining and relevant book series has a bit of everything.
Also, I wonder if Katniss's pregnancy ploy upon entering the Quarter Quell is meant to be a commentary on the hypocrisy of pro-lifers - that they don't care about the suffering and deaths of children already born, but they go all "all lives matter" when it comes to formless, faceless foetuses who haven't fully developed lungs yet, at the expense of the mother's health and choices and voice. Intentional or not, I wish that plot point could have reached further in its potential.
One thing I forgot to mention when writing my re-review of the first 'The Hunger Games' book is: Why is there no mention of menstruation once in this trilogy? Do sponsors give out tampons to tributes in the Games? Suzanne Collins never holds back on anything else in her books - in the themes, the violence, the deaths, the bodily fluids and mutilations, etc. Yet something as natural and regular as menstruation is too taboo a subject in YA books? Which the teenage girls reading them would already know about, and which teenage boys need to be educated on? What bullshit.
Further notes: Upon rereading, I'm pleasantly surprised to find that Katniss is, in fact, more optimistic about being the Mockingjay - a symbol of hope and a "spark" of rebellion for all the districts - than people give her credit for. She's a very brave, human and even sarcastic and sardonically funny protagonist. Her PTSD is superbly written, and as young as she is (seventeen - something else people seem to forget about her), she will not let it take over her entire being; her life.
'Mockingjay', here I come. I am ready for you to break and destroy me. I am ready to see Katniss become the hero people may not expect and (unrealistically) hope for; but maybe she's the hero they need, in a world gone mad, insane, violent, and desperate.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
'If it were up to me, I would try to forget the Hunger Games entirely[...]Pretend they were nothing but a bad dream. But the Victory Tours makes that impossible[...]it is the Capital's way of keeping the horror fresh and immediate. Not only are we in the districts forced to remember the iron grip of the Capital's power each year, we are forced to celebrate it[...]I will have to travel[...]to stand before the cheering crowds who secretly loathe me, to look down into the faces of families whose children I have killed...' - page 2.
In the wake of the upcoming movie, I shall review the sequel to 'The Hunger Games', 'Catching Fire'.
It is just as intense, suspenseful and violent as the previous book. If not more so, since the stakes are higher this time round.
Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have outwitted the Capital and won the 74th Hunger Games together - and the Capitol won't let them get away with it. President Snow will pull as many strings as inhumanely possible to exact his revenge on our heroes and maintain the Capital's complete control over the twelve districts. Because signs of a rebellion are starting to rise in the aftermath of the last Games, and Katniss, whether she likes it or not, is the cause and heart of it all...
Life for Katniss will never be simple again after just barely surviving the Hunger Games. With victory comes more lies and deception, more urgency to protect her friends and family from the manipulative ways of Snow, and more pressure to keep up her vulnerable, innocent, lovesick girl image in front of the cameras and reporters of Panem.
No one seems to be helping her recover from her trauma. She still has to pretend that she and Peeta are a couple, and even get married to him so the public will continue to think her a silly love-struck girl incapable of forming a coup d'état.
And pretend to be pregnant with his child. To gain further sympathy and favour.
Because to top it all off, Katniss and previous Hunger Games winners are suddenly forced to take part in the Quarter Quell - a new arena for another fight to the death. A place where Snow does not expect her and Peeta to be lucky enough to live through after last time.
Katniss Everdeen - the girl who was on fire, the Mockingjay - is trapped in every sense of the word.
It's a miracle she doesn't break down and cry. No. Not for long. She keeps fighting. She is unforgiving and resilient. She is stronger than before - because she needs to be, not only for her own sake but for those she loves and wants to keep safe.
Suzanne Collins's writing is as solid as ever. It's simple, but it brilliantly conveys the claustrophobic atmosphere Katniss is suffering through. I love that everything in 'Catching Fire' feels real. The dystopian setting is full of life and death. So harsh; beautiful in its vividness, and run by cunning leaders who only care about the appearance of power.
The characters and their great complexities make the setting and story more heart-pounding in their horrific realism. Thanks to wonderful writing, they carry the book - with its themes of humanity's obsession with shallow consumption and violence/revenge - in a way that there's not a dull moment in its 450+ pages. One notable new character is Finnick Odair, a former Hunger Games winner, who is a delight to read through Katniss's cynical yet hopeful eyes.
The Quarter Quell and how it works is also very creative and clever. In some ways it's scarier than the arena in the first book, even with the constant fear of being bait, of betrayal, of dying horribly...
'Catching Fire', for all its merit and worth as a second book in a successful YA book trilogy, comes very close to receiving five stars from me. However its faults, while minor in the grand scheme of things, I feel I should mention. The first half is a bit slow on action and fast on teasing about the speculative mystery of District 13 and its "rebellion" on the Capital, thanks to Katniss. But I understand that time is needed to show the consequences of what happened in the first book. Then the Quarter Quell can be introduced, and pull the second half of 'Catching Fire' into action, without it being a copy of its previous instalment.
And poor Peeta has the worst luck in the world for someone more genre-savvy than Katniss. Something terrible is always happening to him. And Gale can be an ass to Katniss sometimes, even if it is for understandable reasons (he gets beaten almost as bad as Peeta). I found him to be a bit of a hypocrite for accusing her of being reckless and selfish. Is Gale protecting his Catnip because he wants to ensure the safety of both their district families, or is it merely because he's in love with her?
(BTW this isn't a criticism of the love triangle, which is so minor it barely exists, despite Gale clearly being jealous that Katniss and Peeta have to be together. Though he is aware it's an act; or so the girl he loves wants to think. But it's still unimportant at this stage of the Game. Pun intended).
Great sequel. Great book.
Now for the further trauma that is 'Mockingjay'...
Final Score: 4/5
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