brokentune
Written on Dec 12, 2015
For my combined review of all books in this trilogy - see here.
The second book in the ground-breaking Hunger
Games trilogy.
pre-order Sunrise On the Reaping - the fifth book in
the Hunger Games series - coming March 2025
"Collins has done that rare thing. She has written
a sequel that improves upon the first book." The New York Times
Book Review
"Whereas Katniss kills with finesse, Collins writes
with raw power." Time magazine
A Time Magazine Top Ten Fiction Book of 2009
After winning the brutal Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta
return to their district, hoping for a peaceful future.
But their victory has caused rebellion to break out ... and the
Capitol has decided that someone must pay.
As Katniss and Peeta are forced to visit the districts on the
Capitol's Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. Unless they
can convince the world that they are still lost in their love
for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.
Then comes the cruellest twist: the contestants for the
next Hunger Games are announced, and Katniss and Peeta are forced
into the arena once more.
Three books, four films and one worldwide phenomenon, The
Hunger Games changed the face of global YA.
All three of the Hunger Games original novels have been
made into major feature films, starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh
Hutcherson & Liam Hemsworth
The best-selling prequel to The
Hunger Games, The Ballad of Songbirds
and Snakes, was a global number one feature film
in autumn 2023 and a number one New York Times and The
Times bestseller in hardback in May 2020.
OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES
The Hunger Games
Mockingjay
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Sunrise On the Reaping - the
fifth book in the Hunger Games series
- coming March 2025 & a film
adaptation is slated for November 2026
The Hunger Games illustrated edition is releasing in
October 2024
- ISBN13 9781407132099
- Publish Date 1 December 2011 (first published 15 August 2009)
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 9 October 2023
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Scholastic
- Format Paperback
- Pages 480
- Language English
Reviews
For my combined review of all books in this trilogy - see here.
stefu1
Written on Dec 18, 2013
clairelm
Written on Apr 28, 2013
boghunden
Written on Jun 28, 2012
Angie
Written on May 6, 2012
Catching Fire didn't immediately draw me in like the previous book did. Katniss' life is so different, with the endless supply of food, money, and luxuries. She's still her same fierce self, for the most part, but now she's being dragged down by uncertainties. Can she keep up her charade in front of the cameras? Can she keep her family and Gale safe? Can she even keep herself alive? While the conflict in this book is much different than the previous, it was still interesting. It didn't have that same wow factor, or make me cringe with the violence, and at times it just felt slow. That is until around the halfway point...
I had a feeling Katniss would be thrown back into the arena. It didn't seem right that this book would lack the excitement and violence of the games. It definitely didn't disappoint. This Hunger Games is so different than the last one. Not only is the scenery completely different, but so are the other tributes and their strategies. Katniss is determined to stay alive as long as possible, but not to win, to make sure Peeta wins! I'm actually not sure how I feel about Peeta. He's a sweetie, but he's also kind of bland. I was cheering on Katniss to protect him though.
This book was much more emotional than the first. I felt horrible for Katniss and Peeta having to reenter the arena after such a short time. Again, I couldn't figure out how this was going to end, other than Katniss surviving (or who else would narrate the last book?!). I definitely wasn't expecting things to go the way they did, so now I must jump straight into Mockingjay!
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews
Written on Apr 21, 2012
Despite my enjoyment for this book I am having a difficult time writing this review. Although not because I am finding it hard to relate my thoughts to type.
Before I get to The Hunger Games themselves I want to address the Gale/Katniss/Peeta love triangle. It's official, I'm a Peeta fan. Peeta is just so sweet and protective of her and sometimes I feel he is too good for Katniss. Gale on the other hand appears as an over-protective big brother. But I want to scream through book 1 and book 2 -- just get on with it already! Stop with the suspense and let Katniss come to her senses. It felt like Daisy and William's relationship in Downton Abbey (and for anyone not obsessed with that show ignore that last comment).
Now for my thoughts on the main event, -- "The Games" The stakes are higher having me read faster and faster at each page. I felt a comradely to all the participants on The Games hoping the odds would be with them all. I felt the characters bond together as they form the beginnings of a rebellion. I found the arena to be much more sophisticated and strategic. The first book in the trilogy had a Lord of the Flies vibe to it, where as Catching Fire seemed more mature, maybe because the contestants were more experienced. Anyway, alliances were made and quickly broken and there was this strange plot line about keeping Peeta alive, but wait, wasn't Katniss suppose to be the Mockingjay? What about her? The plot put me through a loop. I was very impressed by the second book in the Hunger Games as it showed not only what Peeta and Katniss were facing but also, what was at stake, with a Capital take over in the mist, it's outcome relying on Katniss, the Mockingjay. Because a sixteen year old with raging hormones doesn't have enough on her plate.
Amanda
Written on Apr 13, 2012
I was not really sure where Suzanne Collins would take this series after The Hunger Games, but what happened took me by surprise. Even with how widely popular this series has been and how many people I know who have read (and either loved or hated) this series, I have managed to isolate myself from everything. The only thing I knew about Catching Fire was that the love triangle came to play in full force.
And it does. But you know what? I’m okay with that. Well, wait. So maybe I can never be completely satisfied with any story that has a love triangle, no matter how well executed they are. Let’s just clear that up (in case there was any ever doubt). But there are a couple reasons why this one works. 1. Peeta and Gale both represent paths Katniss can take for the future, and they both represent integral parts of her past. She could not be who she is without those experiences — or people. 2. Katniss is not your typical heroine; she’s more focused on keeping her loved ones alive than on romance. In some ways, this makes it makes the choice of which hero to choose less rooted in emotion and more in logic. Kind of. I caught myself switching sides occasionally, which is not something I do. It seemed to be more who is the right fit for Katniss more than anything else. The boyfriend said he was team Katniss. I see the logic in this.
So, there. I’m team Katniss.
As though the idea of a world that makes a concept such as the Hunger Games possible isn’t horrifying enough, Catching Fire brings even more stark horror to the world. The reach and strength of the Capital is stunning in its absoluteness. Just when you think there might be triumph, it is squashed. Ruthlessly, and with much blood shed. It took me the better part of the first part of the book to really get into the story, but once I did, I found it hard to put down. I cursed myself for not being able to read faster. Catching Fire is the type of book that has you wanting to seek out spoilers or flip to the back of the book. I’m going to resist the obvious comparison that the story makes you feel like you’ve caught fire and the only way to put out the flames is to read faster, and just move on. No silly analogies to see here. Run along now.
If I remember correctly, I believe that Katniss bothered me a bit in The Hunger Games. Her characters grows (or perhaps adapts is a better word) in Catching Fire. Her feelings tend to swing wildly, but it is mainly in response to the politics of… well, everything that is happening in the districts. She cracks. She becomes human. She is absolutely determined to do whatever she feels is what is right. And this time, there is far more at work than she could guess, which leads to a nasty cliffhanger.
But Catching Fire is still good. Very good. As good as or better than The Hunger Games.
Jack
Written on Mar 30, 2012
Looking forward to reading the last book.
kimbacaffeinate
Written on Mar 30, 2012
Jordon
Written on Mar 25, 2012
--
I was eager to start reading this after I finished to first Hunger Games book. I read this book within a couple of days I just couldn’t put it down. Just like with the first.
I love that The Hunger Games trilogy is so logical. Everything makes sense which makes everything so realistic and believable. Katniss has to deal with the consequences of her decisions that she made in the first book. Those decisions weren’t passed over and forgiven or forgotten about, it didn’t just end happily ever after, and I like that. Logical and realistic.
Although, I found I did not enjoy this book as much as the first. And I realized what I was trying to say in my review about the first book. So much happens in these books that you feel like the book isn’t big enough to hold the story. You want more action to read, more depth and more suspense. It’s all over too quickly. This might be seen as good because you get hooked or it might be seen as bad because you feel like there isn’t enough time to get drawn in to the characters, to real feel for them. Sometimes I felt like I was an outsider watching the story instead of feeling the emotions that Katniss was feeling. This for me was a con because I love it when you are so engrossed into the book that you feel what the character feels and you are emotionally moved.
The love triangle. I’m not too sure how I feel about this. The triangle is definitely there and I know who I want Katniss to end up with but the thing is there feels like there is no chemistry between the characters. Or rather as a reader you have no personal interest in which person Katniss ends up with, you don’t fall in love with either of the relationships. Even if you decide whom you want her to end up with, you really couldn’t care if it went the other way.
You know she will end up with one of them but you aren’t so drawn in that you’re vying for her to choose her affection. As a reader I want there to be more of a spark that we read about. But these books aren’t based on romance and that is not the premise of the story, the plot does not revolve around romance. It revolves around survival and a revolution. That still doesn’t mean I don’t want a little more of that fire catching romance though. And by that I mean I want to see Katniss fall in love and I want to like her choice and be personally invested in her decision. So far, I have felt nothing of the sort.
When I was half way through the book that was the time that I felt like it was only really beginning, that the first half of the book had been a build up to that point then I was disappointed to see that there was only half of the book to go. All I thought was, how can you tell the rest of this story in half of the book? It felt like Collins used half of the book to explain what was going on rather than tell the story that was presently happening. I felt like she could have cut this down or shown it in a different way because by the time it got to the really good parts the book was nearly finished.
The first half of the book felt slow and like it dragged on, I found myself trying to read faster and faster to get to the good parts. Whereas the ending half felt rushed which made it less exciting and it was over so quickly that you were left with disappointment.
In conclusion, I did enjoy this book it just didn’t surpass my expectations. It was what it was. It was entertaining, thought out, believable, realistic and hard to put down. A good read. Just not as exciting, well written, or attention grabbing as the first book.
What were your thoughts on the sequel?
Miss J
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