Mockingjay

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins is the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy. Like the others in the series it is very suspenseful and heartbreaking, but at the same time thought provoking and satisfying.

In Mockingjay, Katniss finds herself, her mother & sister and her best friend, Dale, in District 13. A safe place for the moment, while the rest of the districts rise in a rebellion against the Capital. She is the public figure at the forefront of the revolution. The face of the uprising. The spokesperson helping to increase the fire against those in charge in the Capitol. Once again she rises above injury, heartbreak, and difficult decisions to lead her people (whether she wants to or not). She has to figure out who to trust and how to best represent the rebellion. All the while, trying to figure out her relationships with Dale and Peeta, her partner in the Hunger Games, who for much of this book is missing, being held captive by the Capitol.

Underneath this storyline is a very real political message about keeping those in power in check, and about how power corrupts. It serves as sort of a warning for all of us about what could happen in the future if we don't keep our government from becoming too all powerful. But on top of all of that, this is a gripping story of hardship and triumph, and of love.

This book was emotionally draining to read. I read it in one day and loved every minute of it, even the heart wrenching ones. This entire series has been a wonderful ride. I highly recommend this series, although it is a little hard for me to see it as a young adult and I caution parents to read it first to judge the acceptability for their particular child. While I believe my son will love the series, at 11, he is not yet ready for the heavy subject matter. This book will be among my favorites of the year, and I look forward to sharing it with my oldest in a couple years.

Happy Reading!