Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

This is my review of Mockingjay, so if you haven’t finished the book yet, stop reading. This is your Spoiler Alert.

I admit my thinking on this is a little disconnected; I didn’t polish my review before posting, I just wanted to get it out there. If you’ve finished it, there’s a number of librarians who have finished the book as well and we’ve all talked about it and are happy to talk about it with anybody else.

But, on we go:

It’s finally here and I’m finished: the final book of The Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay, was published on Tuesday and I’ve read my copy in two days. I needed to have a little time to think about the book before I reviewed it.

I was expecting the immediacy of the Games to carry into the beginning of Mockingjay; instead there was a lot of waiting, discussing, and politics. I thought it was interesting that Collins chose to show so much of the war was on appearances–something that we know is true, but that doesn’t really call our attention. District 13 wanted to use Katniss as a rallying symbol for the rest of the districts, but Katniss was of course wary of being a symbol–the girl on fire can only do so much. But when she decides to help out, to overthrow President Snow, Katniss throws herself into it, visiting the different districts, helping how she can, training to be a soldier, and working to bring about the downfall of President Snow.
Gale is in District 13, and is responsible for the survival of people from District 12–it was his recognition of the bombings that got people to the Meadow and to escape with the help of District 13. He is as adamant as ever to bring down the Capitol, even teaming up with Beetee to come up with some new weapons and strategies. While Gale would not tell Katniss what decision to make, he is glad when Katniss makes the decision to be the Mockingjay.
At first all Katniss does is help make “propos”, or propaganda spots, cursing the Capitol, trying to encourage the Rebels in the various districts to keep fighting. This is not quite enough for Katniss and in her usual determined manner she disobeys orders to help how she wants to help. But the cameras, as always, love Katniss and her fire.
Things get a little tricky when Peeta is rescued from the Capitol–but he’s hardly himself. President Snow has “hijacked” Peeta, changing Peeta’s memories so that every thought of Katniss is dangerous, that he perceives her as dangerous, and that his primary purpose is to kill Katniss. After he does attack Katniss, she is shocked and frightened and defensive–Peeta has always been the only person who thinks positively of her, but now Peeta sees her as everyone else sees Katniss.
When Katniss discovers she’s not allowed to participate in take over the Capitol, she is angry–after all, she’s the one who helped make this happen. But President Coin has only ever needed Katniss as a rallying point and now that all the districts are united, her usefulness has worn out. Never one to be left out, Katniss does the training that all soldiers in District 13 undergo to make sure she can participate. Katniss’ greatest test comes when she has to obey orders instead of doing what she wants. But she passes the tests to become a soldier and is part of a sharpshooter team in the Capitol.
Everything that can wrong, does. The abandoned streets of the Capitol have been essentially turned into a giant Arena and the sharpshooter team–and the rest of the Rebel soldiers–must work their ways through the booby-trapped streets to reach the Circle, the center of the Capitol. It’s not easy, but the remainder of the sharpshooter team reaches the Circle, where Katniss sees a group of Capitol children roped off in the cold, huddled together. Suddenly packages, like those in the Games, drop from the sky, with food and clothing. The children take the packages and begin to open them when half the packages explode. Rebel medics, who have already reached the center of the city, rush in to assist the children when the other half of the packages explode. Katniss is injured, being on the edge of the explosive range, and Prim–lovable, caring Prim–is one of the medics killed.
When Katniss’ burns heal and she comes out of some of her shock, President Coin has taken over Panem, President Snow has been tried and condemned to die, and Katniss will perform one last work as the Mockingjay. She is the one to kill Snow.
She speaks to him before he is set to die, and he plants the seed in her head that it was Coin who ordered the bombing of the children, with the twice exploding packages.
The seven remaining Hunger Games victims are asked by Coin whether or not there should be a final Hunger Games composed of Capitol children–the majority vote will rule. Johanna, Enobaria, Haymitch, and Katniss vote yes. Peeta, Annie, and Beetee vote no. There will be another Hunger Games–perhaps even including Snow’s granddaughter.
Katniss is in front of the Capitol in her Mockingjay suit, with her specially designed bow, facing down President Snow. But it’s not Snow she kills ….
Once the war is over, Katniss is returned to the remains of District 12, but she doesn’t want to be there, she doesn’t want to interact with anyone–which works well because the only people who are in District 12 are a drunken Haymitch and Greasy Sae, who cooks for Katniss. Her mother won’t return, and Katniss is left to spend most of her time alone. Gale is working in District 2.
Peeta eventually returns, after having been through so much, and having been un-hijacked–he can look at Katniss without wanting to kill her. She rebuilds her relationship with Peeta, beginning with friendship.
It’s a good ending to the trilogy, though I was surprised that Katniss’ mother and Gale were so willing to leave Katniss to herself. I did like the darkness and light comparison–Katniss is the dark, and Peeta is the light, has always been the light, to keep Katniss balanced. I thought it interesting that Collins showed so much of the war being propaganda, that there was little following the troops on the ground, the feelings of the people. It felt more about Katniss and District 13’s revenge against Snow than the liberation of the people. It was a moving book, I did nearly cry at the end (but then I cry a lot at well written books), and it was good to feel it completed. The epilogue was nice, as it gave a nice wrap up of Katniss, but not of the other characters. I wish there had been a bit more about the remaining characters and not just Katniss and Peeta. One day I will re-read all three books and take more time to read them to catch what I have missed, because I always feel like I miss something.

Place a hold on Mockingjay so you can get in the conversation. Already finished it? Post your comments here!

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

So I’m probably one of the last people to read this book, but better late to it than never. Clary Fray lives with her mom in New York City; her father died before she was born. Being almost 16, Clary and her friend Simon go out to a club one night and Clary gets caught in the midst of a very strange interaction–four people her age go off into a storage room of the club and three kill the fourth one. Clary is surprised by this but even more surprised when the dead one disappears!

It turns out Clary has met Shadowhunters–warriors whose purpose it is to rid the earth of demons. And the fourth person? That was a demon. Clary gets sucked further and further into this world as first her mother goes missing, her mother’s oldest friend refuses to talk to or help Clary, and she finds out stuff about her past that Clary never could have imagined would be true.

There’s fantastic action in the book, there’s battles with demons and vampires and werewolves and creatures who were once human and a lot of leg work trying to figure out if one of the most dangerous Shadowhunters is indeed still alive and if he is, where he is. Clary becomes torn between the thrilling world of the Shadowhunters and the life she’s always known, including her best friend and “mundane”, Simon.

There are surprises in every chapter and the reader is usually just a tiny bit ahead of Clary–but not very much. The book really picked up in the last 50 pages and that was the point that I couldn’t put the book down and am very pleased to know there are two more books after this one.

If you haven’t already, check out City of Bones. After that, you’ll want to read City of Ashes, and end with City of Glass. AND being released at the end of August is Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, which takes place about 100 years before The Mortal Instruments trilogy. Clockwork Angel is on order at the library, so place your hold!

The Widow and the King by John Dickinson

Ten years after Phaedra escaped to the mountains with her young son Ambrose at the end of The Cup of the World, we find Ambrose a twelve-year-old, with little idea of the world beyond the mountains and the pool.
A stranger comes unexpectedly; Ambrose is fascinated by the young man and even watches entranced as he shaves. Raymonde has discovered the Book that has been in his father’s possession since the downfall of Tarceny ten years before, the Book with all of Tarceny’s discoveries about witchcraft. Raymonde has come to set the Prince Under the Sky free.
Phaedra discovers what he’s up to and tells Ambrose to run, to run to her friends Evalia and Adam diManey at Chatterfall. Ambrose starts to run, but doubles back to watch the confrontation between Raymonde and his mother. He sees Raymonde push his mother and she ends up in the Pool where the Prince Under the Sky lives. He also does not see his mother emerge from the pool.
Ambrose makes it to Chatterfall, but has to leave and travels with Baron Lackmere to the Court of Develin, where he lives in secret for the next six months. He feels awkward and constantly watched and followed by the Prince Under the Sky, and is visited by Raymonde, who continually tells Ambrose that he doesn’t want to kill him, but he will. It’s uncomfortable for Ambrose and not a happy time for him.
Of course, things can’t stay as they are, and the Prince Under the Sky has Develin attacked. Ambrose flees and finds Baron Lackmere and they travel to Tarceny, where Ambrose tries to decide who and what he is.
Like The Cup of the World, The Widow and the King is a thick, rich fantasy that moves at a steady pace but keeps you drawn in. Though there is lots of action and battles and chases, the important part of the book is the development of the characters and the changes that Ambrose goes through. Dickinson does a great job at making each book appear finished, but knowing there’s one more book I’m curious as to what will happen with Ambrose next. I look forward to the final book in the trilogy, The Fatal Child. Check the trilogy out at the library.

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Claudia lives a privileged life as the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, the great prison that keeps all the criminals and the poor out of the perfect kingdom. She chafes at her chains, at her expectations, at the frustrations of being stuck in a world where nothing ever changes–one of the kings decreed that the world be frozen in time (I think the late 18th century), that inventions and science and art and literature be hindered, that nothing move out of the time frame of the acceptable, of the Era.

Finn is a prisoner in Incarceron, who can’t remember anything before three years ago, but he is insistent that he is not one of the cell-born, one of the creatures born within Incarceron fully formed. When Finn comes into possession of a crystal Key he thinks he can use it to escape the hard dirty life of Incarceron. He is surprised when the Key begins to speak to him and he sees Claudia, who has a key of her own.

The Sapienti, the Wise Ones who entered Incarceron intent on watching over it, live both in Incarceron and Outside it. Jared is Claudia’s tutor and a Sapient and Gildas is a Sapient who is determined that Finn is his way out of Incarceron, a Starseer, the one who can follow the path of Sapphique, the only person known to escape Incarceron.

So Finn, Gildas, Finn’s oathbrother, and Attia a slave girl leave their Wing of the prison to find Escape. Once Claudia & Jared discover they can speak to Finn through their Key, Claudia promises to do all she can to help them escape. Claudia’s chances begin to run out when she is forced to the palace to participate in her wedding to the Heir to the throne–a young man who cares more for horses and games than Claudia, but she is not enamored of him either, having once been engaged to his half-brother, the true prince who died three years earlier.

As in most courts, there’s intrigue and plotting and scheming and Claudia does not want to be any part of it at all. She’s willful, headstrong and independent and does not want to be Queen, which is what the plot is between her father and the current Queen. Claudia tries to find privacy in the court, where everyone is watching her, is trying to stay out of the vast divisions within the court, and trying to help Finn and his friends escape.

Incarceron is a tale of danger, adventure, and suspense that keeps you guessing as to what surprise comes next. The characters are intriguing (I find the Sapienti the most interesting and the legend of Sapphique), the action is continual, the multiple plots are woven toghet well and if parts of the story are a little predictable, there’s a great deal of the story that is not.  There’s a second book that will be released in December, and as Incarceron ends on a very uncertain note, it will be exciting to see what happens next.

Matched by Ally Condie

One of the many benefits of being a librarian is ARCs–Advanced Reading Copies of books yet to be published. I was fortunate enough to receive one of Matched by Ally Condie, a new young adult novel that will be published November 30 (and which the library will be ordering, of course).

Cassia lives contentedly–the Society chooses your place of work, your home, your mate, even when you die (to maximize your life experience). Cassia has never questioned this and is looking forward to her Match Banquet, when Society reveals her ideal mate. She is very fortunate–and excited–to discover Xander, her childhood friend, is her Match. This is not at all typical in Society, as most people’s Matches are from other cities.

When Cassia has a moment to herself (with her ten year old brother Bram and her parents and even Society always watching) she looks at the flash drive (it’s essentially a flash drive, but all futuristic-like) she was given at her Match Banquet, which contains all the information about her Match. Of course, knowing Xander she knows much of information on it but is still very excited about it. Just as Cassia is about to remove the flash drive, she notices another picture pop up on the screen–that of another classmate, Ky.

Cassia is startled and shaken by this–the Society does not make mistakes. One of the Society administrators finds Cassia and explains what has happened, that Ky was not meant to be in the Match pool, that it is a cruel joke and that Cassia has truly been Matched with Xander.

Cassia begins to pay more attention to Ky; she’s intrigued by him, fascinated by him, and as the two spend more time together, they begin to fall in love, but they must keep it secret as they are forbidden to be together.

What I loved about this book is the fantastic way that Condie had Cassia evolve–Cassia went from fully accepting all of Society’s rules and actions to questioning them the more she understands and sees what’s happening. She begins to see that she–and everyone else–is being manipulated by Society all for the reason of keeping them “safe”. But what are the people being kept safe from? What’s happening in the Outer Provinces? There’s a war going on but no one knows who the Enemy is or why they are even fighting. Matched has great character development, a fabulous dystopia storyline, romance,  and I hope there’s another book coming because I’d love to see the development of Xander and more from his point of view (though I’m not sure that’s where the story is going). I highly recommend it and as soon as it’s available in the catalog, I’ll let you all know.

Folly by Marthe Jocelyn

Folly by Marthe Jocelyn tells the story Mary Finn and James Nelligan, about ten years apart in the lat nineteenth century.

Mary is the oldest of 5 children who, when her father remarries, is sent away to an inn to work to be out of her stepmother’s hair. She doesn’t like working at the inn and when a well-bred woman with no idea how to take care of her child come into the inn, Mary takes care of the baby and is then invited to join the staff of the young woman’s home. So Mary comes to London and meets Caden Tucker, a soldier in London.

James is an orphan, who was raised in the country for the first 6 years of his life before being returned to the home for orphans in London. Having been raised in a home and calling his foster mother Mama, James has a difficult time adjusting to life in the home (with all the rules that come with it).

There are two other narrators thrown in, Eliza, who works with Mary at the home in London and Oliver, a history teacher at the Foundling Hospital where James lives.

The chapters are brief, end on cliffhangers, and want you to keep reading. It’s not a very long book, but a very rewarding quick read. It’s a little dark, but has a surprisingly touching ending. Check out Folly by Marthe Jocelyn at the library.

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Scarlett and Rosie March live in our world, but they know something we do not know: Fenris are real and very very dangerous. What are Fenris? They are werewolves, the Big Bad Wolf, the men who turn into wolves and chase pretty young women, only to kill them. And because Scarlett and Rosie know this, they know they are the only ones who can battle the Fenris and make the world a little more normal for the rest of us.

Their tiny Georgia town of Ellison has the occasional Fenris, but when more and more show up, Scarlett and Rosie and Silas (one of the Woodsman’s sons, and Scarlett’s hunting partner) determine they need to move to Atlanta to perhaps help prevent the Potential from being turned.

Silas, who has left Ellison (and Scarlett & hunting), tells Rosie there is more than hunting in the world, there is more to life and shows her some of it while they are in Atlanta. Scarlett becomes ever more frustrated because she can’t gain the attention of the Fenris–they are attracted to young, pretty girls, and Scarlett–covered in scars & missing an eye from an early Fenris attack–is not what they’re looking for. But Rosie is.

Rosie becomes more the bait than the hunter and only when she is taken and held as bait by the Fenris to lure the Potential does the story really pick up the pace. Scarlett & Silas become desperate to rescue Rosie, and make a risky plan to save her.

Jackson Pearce’s Sisters Red is an interesting and unexpected retelling of Little Red Riding Hood (both Scarlett & Rosie hunt with red cloaks); it moves at a decent pace, but doesn’t entirely draw you in. There’s a bit of a love story, a bit of angry, and a whole lot more fighting than you would originally think. Pearce makes the fights real (people get hurt) without being too gory and the love story is not too romantic for those who aren’t into that (love is a motivation more than much else). If you’re interested, check it out from the library.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

Waiting impatiently for Mockingjay, the third book in The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins?

Mockingjay won’t be available until August 24th but try some of these other books the Barrington Area Library has available about dystopias:

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O’Brien. 16-year-old Gaia is a midwife who has followed in her mother’s steps, delivering babies on the outside of the confines of the wealthy city but then her parents are arrested and brought into the city; should Gaia go to rescue them?

The Carbon Diaries books by Saci Lloyd: 2015 & 2017. It’s 2015 and England has begun rationing carbon dioxide. Laura documents the changes in her life as this occurs.

Epitaph Road by David Patneaude. 97% of the male population was wiped out by a mysterious virus that didn’t harm women. Kellen, a 14-year-old guy, goes to find his father, one of the men who survived the virus.

The Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines. Raised by gladiators, Lyn may have to face the man who killed one of her stepfathers in the arena.

The Gone series by Michael Grant: Gone, Hunger, & Lies. Everyone over the age of 14 disappears–they’re trapped and running out of food.

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher. Incarceron, a prison, has a young man stuck and the daughter of the warden stuck. Will they escape their futures?

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder. In a divided society, Trella is on the low end. She cleans day in and day out but one day inadvertently starts a rebellion.

The Line by Teri Hall. The Line is the invisible border of the United States that Rachel lives near. One day she is tempted to cross the Line ….

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi. Nailer strips ships to make money and a life, but when he comes upon a wrecked ship with a girl inside, he wonders what to do next.

Check out these books and more at the library. And if you read them, don’t forget to review them in the summer library club for a chance to win a weekly prize.

The Cup of the World by John Dickinson

Phaedra is just 15 when she witnesses the court trial of a woman for witchcraft; she and the other young ladies of the court are not supposed to be there, but they see the proceedings nonetheless. The woman is spared and the young ladies are shooed out of the court. The young ladies are presented to the king by their fathers, officially marking their transition to womanhood. Phaedra then goes home with her father to Trant and the courting begins. For two years Phaedra is courted and refuses the young men of the Kingdom; she does not want to marry, she does not plan to marry.

Since she was a young girl, she has dreamt of a man and the two of them talk and have developed a friendship almost. When Phaedra discovers that her ability to refuse may soon run out, she speaks with the man in her dreams and he tells her to wait at a certain place. The man is real and takes her to his part of the Kingdom, against the wishes of Phaedra’s father, but she is happy and in love.

War breaks out in the Kingdom and Phaedra’s husband is gone for long periods of time, in which Phaedra is left alone in a castle that she is not familiar with. She makes discoveries about magic, about witchcraft, about her husband, her father, the King and herself that startle her, and Phaedra must keep going to understand her world and her place in it.

The Cup of the World is an intelligent, thick read. As most epic fantasies, it takes a little bit of reading to get into, but once the story picks up it does not let the reader go. Dickinson does not give anything away to the reader; much of what occurs the reader must puzzle together herself, and this is a rewarding read. This book is the first in a trilogy and is followed by The Widow and the King and The Fatal Child.

Summer Happenings

The Summer Library Club starts today! If you’re going into grades 9-12 in the Barrington area you can join the Barrington Area Library club young adult Summer Library Club.

Register online then post reviews of books you read (or audiobooks you listen to). Every Monday there will be a prize drawing–as long as you post at least one review, you’re entered in that week’s drawing. Review 7 books between June 7 and August 8 and you are automatically entered into the grand prize drawing.

Need volunteer hours this summer? Write review for yabal babble! Each review equals 1 hour of service time and you can review books, audiobooks, music cds, dvds, movies in theaters, video games, and websites. If you want more information post a comment or email Stephanie.

Are you an artist? Enter the 24/7 Art Contest. Email the digital image to Stephanie by July 31st and it will be posted here and on the library’s Facebook page. Beginning August 1st, online voting will open and those art pieces with the top votes will win prizes to Dick Blick Art Materials. Any kind of art is accepted: photos, paintings, jewelry, ceramics, etc.

In September the Gallery in the Library is hosting a teen art show for artists in grades 9-12. We’re accepting any kind of art that can be hung. Items will be accepted throughout the summer; please see Stephanie for an entry form (or any questions) and to drop off your piece. The deadline is August 30th. We’ll have a reception for artists on Friday, September 10th at 7pm.

One last note: June 29th at 4pm the library is having a Twilight Prom to celebrate the release of Eclipse in theaters. Join us for food, trivia games, and the chance to win prizes (like life-size standups of Edward and Jacob).

Let me know if you have any questions, and have a great summer!

stephanie.