Book Review: Mockingjay

Mockingjay is the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy. In my opinion this is a series that opened with a bang and ended with a clunk.

Major differences between the two books for me.
1. Emotional Connection
I felt emotionally connected to Katniss in the first book.  I felt her panic when Prim was selected. Her grief with Rue's death. Her desperation to save Peeta ect. I felt her emotions when she had them.
I didn't feel any connection to her at all in the second.  I read that she was having these struggles; but just couldn't find myself to identify or feel those emotions with her.

2. "Can't put the book down factor."
I read Hunger games in one sitting.  I had to take much longer to read Mockingjay.  In fact there were several times in which I skimmed just because my interest was waning so low.

3. Rereading factor
When I finished the first book there were mutliple scenes that I wanted to go back through and read. Particularly Rue's death, drugging Peeta, and the suicide pact. When I finished Mockingjay; I had no desire to either read the book again or to reread certain parts.

 4. Plotlines
Hunger Games flowed continuously from action to action. To be fair this was a lot easier in Hunger Games since the entire book's event occurred over only a few days.

However I felt that Mockingjay was disjointed in it's storytelling.  The rebellion was desperate for her to be the figurehead but even when she decided to become that figurehead we saw little of her actual influence. We see her making the progaganda programs...then suddenly all of the districts are united and attacking the last remaining district. Then suddenly she's useless as a figurehead and the capital falls.

From my viewpoint Mockingjay suffers from the same problems that a lot of movie sequels have. It's tough to follow up something really good with something as good or better. I think if Mockingjay would have been a stand-alone book I might have enjoyed it more.  I just can't help to compare the book to its predescessor. Under such a comparison it falls rather flat.