Catching Fire

I actually read this book first--and am frantically waiting for the first to arrive now. I requested both from the library, and of course, there were something like 111 people waiting for it. When the second one arrived, I decided "just to open it," and see if I liked it. Two hours later, I had finished it.

I'm somewhat worried at the moment that I won't like the first as much as the second since I'll read it second.

There is something about her writing style that I just love--and I really don't say that very often. Especially because I didn't read the first one, none of the scenes seemed repetatively, and I got to skip all the boring set-ups that usually occur in first-books.

I also love the way the love triangle is actually believable--it seems like it's usually obvious who the main character is going to end up with. Here, I'm not so sure.

I have this mental block against liking popular books, so I went online to find negative reviews to convince myself that it wasn't as good as I had thought. Nearly all the negative reviews said she stole the idea from "Battle Royale." Anyone read this???

Oh, and Phoenix: I agree about Peeta and Gale. I was thinking almost exactly the same thing. Maybe Gale will end up with Madge...

~Lupis

I liked it better until they got to the arena, because that was repetitive and predictable. The first half, with the political repercussions of her actions was good, but the two haves kind of negated each other making it about the same as The Hunger games.

As for Peeta and Gale. I predict this. First Peeta will either die or get Katniss. One or the other will happen. I don't think the same can be said for Gale. I think he can legitimately survive without being chosen. So with this logic I believe Katniss will pick Peeta so Collins doesn't have to kill him.

I actually liked Catching Fire better, for whatever reason. I honestly don't know why. But I thought it was terrific. I honestly wouldn't have guessed that they'd have to repeat the Hunger Games, if I hadn't forced my friend to tell me haha.
However, I really don't get Gale at all. I mean, I know Katniss chose him and everything, and loves him, but he's hardly ever in the book, except when Katniss is thinking about how much she misses/loves him, and even then you don't get why other than he's her best friend, or whatever. He's a total non-character I don't know. I like Peeta better. But I can see why she might not choose him.
But did anyone else have this issue with the love triangle?

Definitely Gale. I mean he went through so much. He loves Kat, but isn't sure what to think. He's not sure if Kat and Peeta are really together or what? I really hope Gale and Kat get together.

When I finished I wished I didn't ).
Because I didn't have anything more then speculations and it annoyed me. The idea that I have to wait a year to find out what happened to Peeta O_O Gaaaah!
Which new character did you get most fond of?

I just finished the book last night and I can't stop thinking about it! I cannot wait for the next book! I found the first book very boring until Part two. It took me nearly a week to read! I wonder what will happen to Peeta. I wonder what will happen between Katniss and Gale. That book really leaves you hanging. What happened to Cinna? Most likely he is dead.

Can't wait for the next book! Can you?

Yes they are making a movie of The Hunger Games! It won't be out until late 2010 or early 2011 though

Did you say upcoming movie? Why oh why do I never hear about these things? xD

I LOVED it!!! I think it's possibly even better than Twilight(which in my opinion was phenominal). I am really upset though that the 3rd book doesn't come out for a year.

I think that the author herself kinda forgot about the supposed baby as much as Peeta and Katniss did.

True, it was an awesome book, but the plot did kind of repeat. I would've liked to see something more about the other districts when they went to visit. She managed the emotional consequences of the Games really well though, and I liked the idea that Johanna and Finnick were in on the revolution.

I think that the author herself kinda forgot about the supposed baby as much as Peeta and Katniss did. Maybe I'm weird, but I felt they could've put a bit more into that deception after she spent so long on the old one.

Also, my Madge and Gale theory persists. Madge's family helped Gale escape. When the mayor got that Update from District 8 it was part of the revolution. Madge gave Katniss the badge deliberately that it would start something off- then played dumb when her and Katniss talked about it. Their family had been working on the revolution underground ever since Maysilee got killed. And so forth.

I also gained affection for Haymitch during this book, weirdly enough.

It did repeat, I would've liked to see something a bit different, and the ending read like the ending of a chapter rather than a book but still, I enjoyed it.

Oh no absolutely! I know I'm being annoyingly contrite, but even though it felt a bit odd to me - probably because it was the sequel to a book I knew quite well and really enjoyed, and I always get that feeling of "is this where the story's supposed to be going?" - it was still exciting, although not as action-packed as the first, and it was still very, very clever and well written. It's one of those books that I reckon kids in fifty years' time or so will be studying in English, talking about metaphors and all that stuff.

I agree with you all about the repetative plot part, but I still thought it was a great book all the same.

Actually, I agree. I completely adored the first one, and then the second one was out early and I was so excited! But then, it didn't quite feel... right. Something about the plotline when I was reading was like "Is this the actual book?" Surreal - I think that's the best word.
Even worse, I lent my copy to somebody (and I'm pretty sure that even if I forgot to tell them about my strict rules on book care, they know me well enough to know that's how I am) and they gave it back with damp damage in one corner, and they'd bent the spine. Not just once, several times. Not impressed.

okay...i am reading catching fire at the moment and to be honest for me personally...there was not a bit of action on the book...

and maybe becasue that i am a boy, the relationship between Katniss and Peeta and Gale is a little bit squirm and weird. But i like the characters especcially Johanna...

the only thing that is interested with the games is that before the actual games, Katniss became friends with other of the tributes but when the games started these friendship broke off and they kill each other. It seemed a little weird for a friend being an enemy at one moment. It would be good if the Capitol manipulated the tributes to get any emotions for a good fight...but that is just me...

overall...its a good series

I completely agree... It was almost exactly like The Hunger Games, thus I think ruining what could have a been a huge series right up there with the dreaded Twilight series... (I didn't hate them but I did not like them...) It could have been so popular. Luckily however the plot is so good, that I didn't mind reading it a second time in a different setting. I still really liked it. I just wish it was different.... I was able to predict a lot...

I agree with you completely, Shina. I was so confused by the ending that I had to read it quite a few times, which totally threw any momentum it had. Being a skim reader, I kept trying to miss the info dumps and then discovering that I really needed to have read them. Plus, the ending was just like "everything you know is WRONG!11!1!!!"

I only liked the love triangle between Katniss, Gale and Peeta, as I think I mentioned in another thread. But then, I loved that before. It was a little like reading the Hunger Games again, but then, the Hunger Games pwned, so it couldn't be all bad.

I'm just going to quote my blog post about this one.

The love hate relationship. I totally get it now

I like reading the trilogy, exploring the world Suzanne Collins creates, and increasing my vocabulary by reading, but the plot in book two kind of... repeated.

They're in the Hunger Games, again. My sister, who is still reading book one, already guessed that there's another Hunger Games in book two. And I can just about bet that these uprisings will lead to revolution, it's just a matter of who dies, who lives, and how they get there now (in book three.)

It's hard to talk about book two, but I can say that it was mostly a information we need to know for book three. I skimmed through a lot of parts, the info-dumps, and the ending, after Katniss found Beetee trying to attack the force field, was confusing. I had to read it several times to decide if Beetee was the enemy, or if she was referring to the Capitol.

The conflict was the same: Peeta and Katniss, to be or not to be; districts vs. Capitol; and surviving in the arena.

The plot followed the same lines: Normal-ish life, Reaping, Hunger Game Prep, Hunger Games, Surviving the Hunger Games, and defiance.

I was hoping for something different, not the same thing with different words and a new time period. But I liked it, and I want to read book 3 when it comes out. Turns out that Catching Fire is flooding the bookstores because there are plenty of copies out.

-Shina

Please finish quickly! I need to babble about it to someone!

It just came in the post today! I cant tear my eyes away so far...