Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire is the sequel to The Hunger Games, and it truly is the book I’ve been most anticipating to read this year.It starts off a little slow, not that that’s a bad thing. It’s just not as fast-paced in the beginning as The Hunger Games. Katniss and Peeta are back in District 12 as the champions of the Hunger Games, and while their financial lives have significantly improved, they are both haunted by the events that transpired during The Hunger Games. At least Katniss finds comfort in the fact that her family is safe and well fed, and she makes an effort to help out Gale’s family as much as he’ll let her. As you can expect, things have changed between Katniss and Gale, and matters are also still unresolved between Katniss and Peeta.

While things look good on the outside, the Capitol is furious about the stunt Katniss played in the Hunger Games that resulted in the first ever occurrence of two champions. The Capitol sees it as an act of rebellion, and there are hints of rebellion in other districts. After a threatening visit by President Snow, Katniss must decide if she will follow her heart or play the part of a girl who is in love with her fellow champion. This is when things really start getting good.

A surprise twist of events fastens the pace, leaving me on the edge of my edge until the super duper cliffhanger ending.

So, what did I think about the book? It definitely lived up to my expectations. I loved the twists and turns. I loved to see Katniss coming to terms with the way her mother acted when her father died, and I suspect that this will this develop in the third book. I also think that more of Katniss’s healing abilities to come into play, and she’ll realize that she’s more like her mother than she cares to admit.

Of course, I did not expect this book to let us know who Katniss would choose—Gale or Peeta. Just when she’s leaning toward one, she starts feeling differently about the other, so I’m excited to see how that will play out. Personally, I’m on Team Peeta, but maybe that’s because I’d probably choose a baker over a hunter.

What I thought was most interesting about the book was the detailed look at many of the districts and the fever of uprising that Suzanne Collins sprinkled throughout. I think the last book is going to be the darkest one yet, and Katniss is really going to face some difficult situations and have to make some tough decisions.

My only problem with the book is the fact that I have to wait so long for the next one. I am so not good with cliffhangers, and this one was a doozie.

Have you read it yet? What did you think?