Review: Mockingjay

Title: Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian fiction
Pub Date: August 2010, Scholastic, Inc.
Hardcover,  pages
Book Source: Purchased from Amazon.com

Synopsis

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. -- Scholastic

My Thoughts

It is so hard to believe that we have finally come to the conclusion of the Hunger Games trilogy. I can remember putting off my reading of the first book simply because I didn't know if it could live up to the hype for me. Now I am wishing that I could just keep turning the pages--though I do intend to (so to speak) down the road. I really think that this series would benefit from a straight read-through when I have the time to devote to it (and a smaller TBR pile, haha).

I have to be honest, though, and say that while I enjoyed it, Mockingjay was not my favorite book of the three--that honor still goes to The Hunger Games. As usual, I found myself completely swept up in Collins' story, alternately applauding and lamenting at the unfolding events. Overall, I really thought the story played out like it should have--though for a brief moment I really felt like she should end up on either Team Gale or Team Peeta. For most of the series I really have been a staunch supporter of Team Gale and the events of Mockingjay eventually led me to the other side. What Peeta was forced to do and experience thanks to the Capitol was unbelievably horrendous, and I was impressed with how Collins depicted his story and the other characters' reactions to what he had become. I think the biggest fault I can find with this book is the overall pacing. The third part really snowballed and ended the book much too quickly in my opinion, while there were some earlier parts that dragged a bit more than necessary.

My feelings by the time I closed the book? Satisfied, yet a tinge of sadness that the story was over. The epilogue was a nice touch, even though I yearned for a bit more from it. But perhaps that was the point in the end. I really do look forward to taking the time to read this series from start to finish sometime down the road--I think I'll appreciate this powerful story even more.

My Rating:

Other reviews of Mockingjay:

Presenting Lenore ~ Bart's Bookshelf ~ The Discriminating Fangirl
The Story Siren ~ Dear Author ~ Wordbird
Confessions of a Bibliovore ~ Jen Robinson's Book Page
Monniblog ~ Angieville ~ The Zen Leaf ~ Stiletto Storytime
Books and Movies ~ Reviewer X ~ Devourer of Books
Bookalicious ~ MariReads ~ Bookshelves of Doom ~ Bloody Bookaholic
One Librarian's Book Reviews ~ It's All About Books
Allison's Book Marks ~ Good Clean Reads ~ The Reading Zone
Booking Mama ~ Literary Escapism ~ i swim for oceans 

If you have reviewed this book and would like to see your site listed here, please leave a comment with the link to your review!

Review: Incarceron

Title: Incarceron
Author: Catherine Fisher
Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasty, Dystopian
Pub Date: January 2010, Dial Books
Hardcover, 442 pages
Book Source: Borrowed from my aunt, who wanted to know what I thought of it.

Synopsis

Incarceron is a prison unlike any other: Its inmates live not only in cells, but also in metal forests, dilapidated cities, and unbounded wilderness. The prison has been sealed for centuries, and only one man, legend says, has ever escaped.

Finn, a seventeen-year-old prisoner, can't remember his childhood and believes he came from Outside Incarceron. He's going to escape, even though most inmates don't believe that Outside even exists. And then Finn finds a crystal key and through it, a girl named Claudia. 

Claudia claims to live Outside--her father is the Warden of Incarceron and she's doomed to an arranged marriage. If she helps Finn escape, she will need his help in return.

But they don't realize that there is more to Incarceron than meets the eye. Escape will take their greatest courage and cost far more than they know.

BECAUSE INCARCERON IS ALIVE.

My Thoughts

Clearly I have fallen so far from regular book-blogging, because I had never even heard of this book until my aunt handed it to me and wanted me to read it and let her know what I thought. I searched for reviews and saw so many out there I realized I must be missing a pretty big read. Of course, I was immediately intrigued by the cover and the synopsis inside the front cover, so I put my other books aside and decided to give this one a whirl while on vacation.

I am definitely glad that I did so! A mix of fantasy, sci-fi, and dystopian fiction, Incarceron is an incredible story that is told from several angles. You have Claudia's story and point of view, along with those of Finn, but you also have the general history of the world itself, which is also unique and fascinating. While clearly a world in the future, those in charge decided that they wanted to take life back to what they considered simpler times: the 17th century. Everything about everyone's lives must conform to this Protocal--dress, everyday practices, entertainment, food, you name it... It ultimately makes for an interesting mix of sci-fi and high fantasy, while providing a study on the idea and need for conformity, as well.

While I admit it took me a few chapters for the book to grab me, once it did I didn't want it to let go. the only reason I can't bring myself to give it a full five star rating is because the first third of the book is a bit slower and perhaps a bit more difficult to follow what exactly is going on. I was still intrigued by the premise, however, and the rest of the book certainly does not disappoint. While readers of fantasy and sci-fi will probably be the most likely to enjoy Incarceron, I think it could appeal to a broader audience. If you haven't given this book a try, I highly recommend it--I can't wait for the U.S. release of the sequel, Sapphique, in December!

My Rating:

Other reviews of Incarceron:

The Book...Spot ~ What Book is That? ~ Presenting Lenore

Bookalicious ~ Fantasy Book Critic ~ Steph Su Reads

One Librarian's Book Reviews ~ Reading Rants

A Chair, A Fireplace & a Tea Cozy ~ SherMeree's Musings

Bookshelves of Doom

If you have read this book and would like to see a link to your site above, please leave a comment with the link to your review!