The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Synopsis: After winning the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have the chance to return to District 12 no longer starving or in any danger. However, Katniss' reckless solution to the last Hunger Games by suggesting to Peeta to eat Nightlock (poisonous berries) including herself so the Captiol (governement) will have the 74th Hunger Games with no winner. Instead of allowing them both to die, the head gamemaker (Seneca Crane) allowed them both to be crown victors. Angry that Katniss had shown the Capitol off with her berry solution, President Snow desires revenge. It is believed that Katniss and Peeta had started an uprising in District 8 because of the berries incident.Thus, President Snow required for the Quarter Quell (occurs every 25 years after the revolution, this year it was the 75th) to choose the tributes from the existing pool of victors. This meant that Katniss was to make a reluctant return in the arena for the 75th Hunger Games. Peeta joined her after volunteering for Haymitch. They formed an alliance with Finnick, Mags, Johanna, Beete and Wiress. On the second day, Beete made an electrical plan to kill off the remaining two who were not in the alliance. But the plan seem to have backfired.

A very interesting sequel to the first book and of course, very few people saw it coming. A return in the arena and this time Katniss didn't bother to fight for her survival, instead she chose for Peeta's survival. Yet, he also dedicated his life to keep Katniss alive too. Katniss realised that she was fond of Peeta and when they kissed, she felt the urge to kiss him for longer. This is something that moved me and I've wanted them to get together in real life and put an end to the act of the star-crossed lovers. I desired it to be real! But Katniss couldn't decide for herself what she wanted and how she felt and that aggravated me a little. All the readers must know her feelings for Peeta as it is staring right in our faces when we're reading the text. Yet this conflict between Gale and Peeta is frustrating and disappointing. She doesn't want to hurt either of them.

What was an exhilarating moment was the climax of the novel where Katniss destroyed the force field with the electricity from the lightening strike and her arrow. When I watched the movie, it was a phenomenal moment there too. Fear of the unknown engulfed both Katniss and the readers/audience. Not knowing where Peeta was, not understanding why Johanna had ripped into Katniss's arm, not knowing what happened to Beete. This hysteria is a perfect example for the ending of a novel, particularly for the second book of the trilogy. This is what makes us readers read on and us film-watchers to keep watching. Suzanne Collins knows how to grip her audience.

Before they had entered that arena, both Katniss and Peeta were living in the Victor's Village in peace. Or some could argue that they were not in peace because they were constantly robbed of their privacy as publicity from the Capitol kept piling in. What with the wedding, the Victor's tour and so on. The irony portrayed here makes us hope because knowing Peeta and Katniss will never settle down as long as they are victors makes us interpret that there is more to come. We can predict that Katniss and Peeta will never be happy knowing that they will have to be mentors to every other tribute each year. They never appreciated the idea of giving advice on the best way to kill and survive. Also, the fact that we have knowledge that President Snow is angry with Katniss reassures us that we have not reached the end yet. That there is still so much more Snow will do to bring Katniss to ultimate unhappiness. And this is what I believe makes the story more interesting, the fact that there is so much more to discover just when you thought it was the end.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a bit of conflict and survival stories. These books hold so much promise and catching fire certainly is my favourite so far. Read the book, catch fire then spread it like wildfire.

IMDB: 7.7

The trailer of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is below: