Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Fiction (series, #2)

Usually sequels are lackluster compared to their wildly fast-paced and fresh predecessors. But, Catching Fire proves to be one of the few that defies the sophomore slump effect.

Although the beginning dragged on and on—and I raise my same complaints about Collins’ excessive fixation on minor details again—, the narrative quickly picks up as flickers of subversion and rebellion ripple throughout the Districts. For 75 years, the Capitol has used each District as a mere cogwheel, a tool only useful enough to produce a sheaf of paper here, a basket of fish there, a stack of robes over there. Under the regime of the Capitol, each District traditionally never interacts with another District, except for participation in the annual Games. Now, as they brew with revolt, I was reminded of a principle of Gestalt psychology: that the whole must be greater than the sum of its parts. I am looking forward to reading the final book about what becomes of this new unity.

But, before that, let’s talk about our heroine, Katniss, shall we? In a rather predictable turn of events, she enjoys merely a short-lived victory lifestyle. Thrown into another inferno, Katniss comes across as more vulnerable in Catching Fire, and, for some reason, that endears her to me more and makes her stronger than any of her displays of tough callousness in the first book. I hope to see her character mature more, because Katniss as a 17-year-old is still not only headstrong and defiant but so dumb at times too. She seems so decisive in the Games arena, yet she cannot resolve her love triangle, ultimately dragging both boys into an emotional and life-endangering mess. (However, this surely must be Collins’ aim—to elongate our pain and to preserve the interaction for the final book). I expect more development of Gale’s character and some surprises coming from Peeta, too. As for Finnick—joy! another key male character thrown into the mix. I can see why many of friends gush over this bronzed, athletic, selfless Adonis-Achilles-Hercules heman. If Katniss is not careful, life could get a lot more complicated later. For even in the midst of dangerous uprisings and the prospects of death by the hands of brutes, sweet, sweet adolescence is still marked by dilemmas over boys.

Rating: Exceeded expectations; I want the third book NOW

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Fiction (series, #1)

Oh my, where do I even start with this one? Not since Twilight have I heard such a unified clamor over a book series (of course, the main difference is that people bonded in hatred over Twilight, but I have heard only good or even glowing comments about The Hunger Games). And on top of that, I’m about two years late starting the book, and the hubbub and hype only seems to grow greater, what with the upcoming movie adaptation and fan-casting and all.

To start off, The Hunger Games is promoted as a fine example of juvenile young adult dystopian literature. If I didn’t hear so much about it, I admit I probably would not pick it up at the bookstore. I’m not extremely interested in stories about fantastical and crappier versions of our world.

With echoes of the psychologically dark Battle Royale, The Hunger Games centers around a gladiator-like arena where 24 helpless and not-so-helpless children are dumped to survive and fight to be the last one standing. I’m not going to explain the lead-up in detail, because Collins, for God-knows-what-reason, loves to rhapsodize about every little thing about the ceremonies, the preparation and the clownish, Oompa-Loompa TV host. I wish she could’ve wasted more breath on the actual Game itself with better descriptions of the locale, the children, the dangers, the fear, the desperation, the madness of having to kill to live. There are so many directions to go, but, alas, none are taken.

Anyhow, the focus of the book is of course Katniss Everdeen, heralded as “a strong female character”. She supports her family, speaks her mind and can kill rabbits and squirrels. She is strong out of circumstance and necessity. Her life is lacking and deprived, yet she fights tooth and nail to cling to it. But, is Katniss really all that? Pay attention to what lucky breaks she receives and how she achieves them. I wouldn’t put her up on a pedestal just yet. But then again, I’m not the one thrown into a forest full of people wanting to kill me. If nothing else, The Hunger Games makes me glad that the Hunger Games don’t exist.

Rating: Exceeded expectations; Beware hype