Midnight ... I literally dove for the box of books. People gave me looks -- did I really have my own box full of "Mockingjay" books?
Of course! But they weren't all for me. I turned, and the friends who had been celebrating with me all evening began grabbing their copies.
When I finally had a quiet moment I ran my hand over the beautiful cover. I cracked it open, smelled the sweet aroma of a new book, and carefully read the words on the front flap. Page by page, I slowly crept toward the first chapter, soaking in the copyright date and the dedication page along the way.
Then came the first line, those first coveted words: "I stare down at my shoes, watching as a fine layer of ash settles on the worn leather." How long had Suzanne Collins spent agonizing over those opening words, I wondered?
"Mockingjay" is the third and final installment of "The Hunger Games" trilogy.
I began this book with high expectations. "The Hunger Games" left me thinking into the wee hours of the night. "Catching Fire" thrilled me with its clever plot twists and its cliffhanger ending. But I tried to enter this new reading adventure with an open mind, as any good ending must come with some sacrifices. I knew that in order for some of my favorite characters to win out in the end, other favorite characters would take some heavy blows.
Collins did an excellent job of propelling the suspense of this story. Almost every chapter ended with a stunning final sentence that forced me to turn the page and begin the next chapter. It was very difficult to put the book down for dinner, or my English assignment, or sleep. There were breathtaking twists, such as what the Capitol does to torture Peeta. (I'm trying hard not to give away spoilers here.) I enjoyed every word with rapture. I cheered Collins for creating a conclusion that equaled her previous works. BUT...
Ah, that ugly little word "but." There was something about this book that made me hesitate in my reply when I was asked if I liked it. I've pinned it down to two main grievances.
First, the main characters are bitter and hateful. Katniss is quite depressing in some parts. Throughout most of the novel she is "mentally disoriented." Her thoughts consist of killing others or killing herself or blaming herself for every death she comes upon. I understand that this is a book about a war, but I feel like Katniss changed from the last time we met her. Before she was a determined young girl thrown into cruel circumstances beyond her control. Now she is hateful and often cruel herself. And Gale is even worse. Maybe that's the point ... to show how this world has twisted the perspectives and personalities of its people.
My second and sharpest disappointment with "Mockingjay" was the ending. Now don't get me wrong, I liked the ending. It just happened too suddenly to be believable. I felt like the author got tired of writing and jotted down a summary of the end in a few quick, snappy sentences. The ending pulls such a swift U-turn from the direction the rest of novel was headed that it left me kind of dizzy and not quite convinced. It also left too many loose threads. What happens to ___ and ____ ? It's left to my own imagination I guess!
My English teacher said the other day in class that good literature should make you mad, should make you look at the world in a different way. And though "Mockingjay" would be classified as "escape literature" instead of "interpretive literature," I believe it could be stamped into this category.
There were certainly times when I wanted to punch the book or hurl it across the room. No doubt I will reread it and be haunted and thrilled by it once again. It has forced me to consider the world, humankind, death and love.
So ... did I like it? Immensely.
Alexandra Burton is a senior at Ogden High School. You will find her running, reading, writing or playing the violin. E-mail her at chickitaliewrites@comcast.net.
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