Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

The Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins is a fascinating book. Suspense is DEFINITELY present. This book is the last of three books in "The Hunger Games" series. This is definitely the best series I have ever read and that is really saying something. I have read a lot of really good series but none, by far, have been better than the Hunger Games series.

First of all let me give you some background knowledge since this is the last book of the series. This book takes place in the United States in the future. Each section of the U.S. is separated into 12 Districts ( there used to be 13 Districts until the Capitol destroyed it ). Each District is required to give the Capitol some sort of natural resource that that area has in its boundaries or else that district and everyone in it will be destroyed. In return the Capitol gives them unfair entertainment known as a yearly event hosted in the Capitol called the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is an event in which the Capitol draws two names from each district ( a boy and a girl ) to compete in what is basically a game where you kill the other people from the other districts to defend yourself so you don't end up dead. Horrible isn't it? There is only one winner out of the 24 that compete. The Capitol is super unfair and evil. All the districts but District 2 ( they receive special benefits for making weapons and stuff like that ) hate the Capitol and want to end the Hunger Games.

Anyway, Katniss Everdeen is the main character in the book. She, her sister Prim, and Katniss' mom lived in District 12 until the Capitol destroyed it. They destroyed it after the second Hunger Games that she had been to because the rebels took Katniss out of the games for a punishment. Anyway, the rebels took her to District 13. I know before I said that it was destroyed but the rebels made the District underground so they could hide it from the Capitol. Everyone there was asking her if the she wanted to be the so called "Mockingjay" which is basically the leader of the entire district/rebels. After a while she accepted and chose to be the rebels leader. This was huge for the rebels and Katniss. The rebels will look up to Katniss. Katniss now has to be a leader. She has to lead the rebels to overthrow the Capitol and lead them to victory. Afterall she is the Mockingjay. Early on in the book the Capitol bombs District 8 to send a message to the rebels. Katniss goes into District 8 to help with the wounded and to tell the rebels she is alive and well. Once they are about to leave they get ambushed and bombed. Most of the wounded people she talked to did not survive the ambush. She did get injured because one of the fragments of the bombs hit her in the back. Once they got Katniss back to full health then almost a month later Peeta ( a guy that Katniss likes who is being held hostage ) announces on TV that the rebels were going to be attacked. That forced them to go deep underground so they can't feel the bombs. After being released from there emergency underground quarters they rescue Peeta and a couple others. Although they realize Peeta has been "hijacked". It isn't what you think it is. It is when the enemy takes someone and turns all of there good memories of someone and turn them into nightmares. In this case that person was Katniss. What will Katniss do? She has to first overtake District 2, then take overthrow the Capitol, and in the process reverse the hijacking of Peeta. The pressure is on her shoulders. The people are relying on her. She must take over the Capitol...

I really like how the author wrote this. At the end of every chapter there is some sort of twist or problem in the book that makes you want to keep reading. The only thing I would change is the beggining. It is pretty boring for the first half of the book. I wish it was more interesting at the beggining but the end totally made up for it. I also think she could have changed the ending about the person who died because it was so sudden and Katniss didn't really care too much. Plus the person who died isn't really one of the main characters and is barely talked about in the book. I don't really know how to explain it but I guess I was kind of disappointed at that. Also this book really makes you think about the future. It left me thinking about if the world really was like that what would happen. I mean like having the Hunger Games, Districts, and a Capitol that controlled everything and was receiving things from the District. That is one reason why I really like this book. The idea is really interesting and entertaining.

Like I said this book is VERY suspenseful. It is a very good book and is a harder read. I suggest you read it. Really, it is the best series I have ever read. If you read this book it will make you think twice about the world and all the rights we have. Even though this wasn't the best book of the series I still really liked it. A-