Book Review: Mockingjay 

By Suzanne Collins 

4 Stars 

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins is the third book of The Hunger Games series, taking place directly after the events of Catching Fire, in which Katniss escapes the 75th Hunger Games arena and is taken to District 13 by the rebels in the unfolding revolution. District 13's leader, President Coin, wants Katniss to become the revolution's leader and symbol, the Mockingjay. However, Katniss lacks confidence and is emotionally torn between securing safety for her friends and family or risking their lives for a better future. She must decide how she wants to put out the fire she started and end the Hunger Games for good.   

A great aspect of this novel is the character development, especially in Katniss. Her harsh experiences inside and outside of the arena teach her that isolation is not always the answer to true healing, and by the end of this novel, she learns not to mask her emotions when she needs help, teaching an important lesson to a situation that many people struggle with in real life.  

This novel also does a great job of raising the stakes once again and keeping the audience on the edge of their seats until the very last chapter. Readers are able to see Panem and the Capitol in a new way as roles reverse during the war. The events are realistic in showing that there must be loss and sacrifice in order to achieve a greater win. This creates a darker reading atmosphere, but allows Suzanne to share important political messages in a more obvious way than the first two novels, educating young readers on political awareness. Overall, this is a realistic and satisfying conclusion to the original trilogy that ignites hopes in the audience and acts as a motivational force for younger generations. 

Reviewed by Madison as part of the Teen Reviewer, opens a new window program.

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