CATCHING FIRE

TITLE: CATCHING FIRE
AUTHOR: SUZANNE COLLINS
Pages: 472
Date: 21/08/2010
Grade: 5
Details: no. 2 The Hunger Games / Y.A.
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Oh boy, these books are taking my breath away. I'm so engrossed in this story that I find myself thinking about it hours after I've closed the book. And although the third and final book in this series will be released next week, I feel that is still too much of a delay. I need to know how it ends, and who will be alive by then right now!
This book starts shortly after the ending of the first book. Katniss and Peeta are back in district 12 after both of them have survived and won the Hunger Games. But that win was controversial. Only one of them was supposed to come out of the Games alive and Katniss' action that caused both of them to be pronounced winner is seen as an act of defiance against the Capitol, a regime that does not tolerate opposition.
When the president visits Katniss personally it becomes clear how just much trouble she's actually in, especially once he starts threatening those she loves. She does try to follow his orders, but it soon becomes clear that she's been set an impossible task. The oppressed districts are heading in the direction of an uprising, and nothing Katniss can do could stop that tide.
Then the unthinkable happens, Katniss and Peeta find themselves entering the Arena for another episode of The Hunger Games. The President wants to send out the message that resistance is futile, and his aim seems to be to show the whole country the demise of Katniss.
These Hunger Games are different from the earlier ones though and Katniss and Peeta find help and alliances from unexpected corners. But with those in power determined to show their power, are any of the contestants going to survive?
This book ends on the biggest cliff hanger ever. If you don't like being left in suspense, make sure you don't read CATCHING FIRE until you have MOCKINGJAY in your hands as well. The week I have to wait before I can get my hands on the rest of the story seems like an awful long time right now.