Catching Fire

catching fire is the second installment of a planned trilogy that describes a facist distopic world where an annual gladitorial tv show provides entertainment and propaganda. the portion of the story we get in catching fire is very similar to the middle film in the original star wars trilogy, the empire strikes back, because the empire truly does strike back. our protagonist who has before now been able only to react to the awful realities that surround and envelope her, begins to realize that there is more than just staying alive. there is more than just keeping the people she loves alive. eventually, she must conclude that she is willing to fight and sacrifice to bring down the regime.

i am up in the air on liked versus really liked. the thing with it is this: like so many other books of this genre, there isn't a lot of truly magical writing. this is not the book thief, but the story does stick. i find myself ruminating on it still. it is good; it's well developed, it's suspenseful, it's plausible.

i get mildly annoyed by katniss' lack of direction at times, but that is a key to her development through the series. in part, it's why teenagers like this series. they identify with being manipulated by adults and the feelings associated with that. and the author truthfully describes this process.

in conclusion, for adults, not a must read. having said that, i read it in one sitting to the neglect of everything else. take from that what you will....