Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, Book 2)

by Suzanne Collins

Book Overview

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. They should be happy. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 043902353X
• ISBN13: 9780439023535
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Scholastic
• Length: 391 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Love it

In which the plot most definitely thickens

"On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol..." Ever since she pulled those berries out in the last minutes of the previous year's Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen has become an icon of defiance and rebellion to the Districts. She knows that the leaders in the Capitol are not happy that she outsmarted their plans, forcing them to accept two victors and saving her fellow tribute Peeta in the process. But she is unaware of the extent of their ire until she receives an unexpected visit from President Snow, complete with a death threat against Gale's life should she fail to quell the rising spirit of rebellion in the Districts. Meanwhile, President Snow has his own plans to quash any inklings of revolution, and they happen to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Hunger Games--also known as the Quarter Quell. As in the two previous Quells (taking place on the 25th and 50th anniversary respectively) the rules of the Games have been altered for the year to remind the Districts that even the annual massacre of their children in the regular games is not enough to atone for their previous attempt at insurgency. But what the Capitol has cooked up for the new Games results in something that nobody could have predicted, not even President Snow himself. After reading the Hunger Games and being completely enthralled by the world that Suzanne Collins painted with her words, I was worried that Catching Fire might not be able to hold up to the high standard that the Hunger Games set. And while I did feel that some of the page-to-page action and detail suffered by comparison, it is more than made up for by the sharp upswing in overarching plot and the many twists that never failed to take me by surprise and made me wonder out loud: how did she think of that?! The love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale had me on the edge of me seat wondering who she was going to choose, whether it would be by choice or necessity, and who I would choose if I were in her shoes (definitely Peeta! Sorry, Gale.) In my opinion, it was not as polished or smooth a read as the Hunger Games. At the same time, however, I must acknowledge that the focus was entirely different from the first book, with a far more complex and ambitious plot, and I truly applaud Collins' creativity and ingenuity in weaving the bigger picture of corruption, manipulation, and rebellion within an entire nation into the same captivating first-person narrative of survival that made the Hunger Games such as success. I really enjoyed Catching Fire and cannot wait to get my hands on the third book to see what finally happens to our rebels.

No sophomore slump here

I got a galley at the BEA Conference this year. Before I started to read, I was terrified that Suzanne Collins couldn't possibly live up to my expectations after the extraordinary Hunger Games. I'm thrilled to say that she did not let me down. I don't want to give anything away as it would only ruin the rollercoaster ride of a read, so suffice it to say that all of our favorite characters are back to join Katniss as the spark of revolution catches fire. Collins is masterful. The story is at once personal to Katniss, Peeta & Gale, but it also makes social statements that can apply to society at large. Characters show the best and the worst of humanity. And at several points, I found myself finishing a chapter, stunned at the turn of events. Collins kept me on the edge of my seat. I hope she's writing quickly, because I can't wait for the concluding volume of this amazing trilogy.

Collins has done it again

Against staggering odds, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark of District 12 have somehow won the annual Hunger Games. But the fruits of triumph are bittersweet. Success in the arena means a life without want in the Victor's Village, but extravagant food and a nice place to sleep can only provide so much comfort when an increasing amount of one's life must be faked for the protection of those one loves. That's exactly Katniss's predicament, because she when she held up the poisonous berries in the arena, it was interpreted as an act of defiance against the Capitol rather than Katniss's strong will to life. And now the girl on fire has become the spark for rebellion--a rebellion the Capitol is determined to stamp out at any cost. I must commend Collins for writing such a phenomenal sequel to The Hunger Games as Catching Fire is. It's everything I hoped for and even more than I expected. Katniss's legend lives on in this action packed, suspense filled drama in which one's friends are nearly indistinguishable from one's enemies and ambiguous meanings make life into one giant maze. Collins takes her portrayal of a dystopian future to the next level in this novel by highlighting the extent of the power the totalitarian Capitol wields and the beginnings of long suppressed dissent. Catching Fire is such an engrossing read, thanks to Collins's well written and executed plot, vivid and realistic characters, and the resulting sense of revolutionary fear. It's so easy to lose track of time while reading this novel, because the story just flows from the page so fluidly; I really enjoyed the many plot twists and the development of each character. The only times I had to pause while reading were due to the multitude of names and minor characters that are somewhat difficult to remember. But overall, Catching Fire is a story so overwhelmingly incredible, no reader will want to put it down. Catching Fire and its prequel The Hunger Games are must reads for all readers not just because they are such interesting stories but because they show the nasty side of politics and culture not enough of us are aware of. This trilogy will be especially enjoyed by fans of the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, Cherry Heaven by L.J. Adlington, Shift by Charlotte Agell, Daylight Runner by Oisín McGann, and the Poison Study trilogy by Maria V. Snyder. I know that I, along with throngs of others, can't wait for the conclusion to this trilogy.

I wish I could give it 10 stars!!!

When I read the Hunger Games, I read it straight through the night, from 1AM til 5AM. Couldn't stop reading even though I had to pee badly. After I finished it, I was dying for the sequel. DYING!!!! When I found out the ARC would be available in the spring, I bribed everyone I could think of to get me one. And yes, I got it. The day I got it, I couldn't look at it until 1AM again. This time, I promised myself, I would only look at the first chapter and then put it down. Riiiiight. It was 4:30AM when I finished reading and immediately began plotting to find out when the next book ARC would be available. I thought the first one was fantastic. In the back of my mind I felt that the sequel just couldn't be as good. How could it? Boy was I wrong! It was even better! My heart was racing the whole time I was reading it and I simply couldn't put it down. I believe Ms. Collins is the MASTER of the pageturner. Every chapter ends with almost a cliffhanger feeling. It compels you to keep reading. It physically traps you into the book so that you just can't put it down. If you can't read this book in one sitting, then I urge you not to even look at it until you can. Like the first one, you will not be able to put it down. The house could have been on fire and I doubt I would have noticed. Since we got to know Peeta and Katniss so well from the first one, what the sequel does is invest us even more deeply into their emotional well being. I won't give any other spoilers than what has already been said. So the book starts with Katniss as the face of the rebellion because of her act of defiance in the first book. As rebellion grows, the President sets up his revenge - and when I found out what it was, I literally sat up in bed and shouted "Oh NO! I can't believe they are doing this to them!!!" Yes I was talking to my book. That's how deeply this book sucks you into this amazing and disturbing dystopian world. It makes you want to grab up a weapon and join the rebellion. One thing I have to say, I was deeply satisfied with the ending of this book. The first book ended in such a way that I was bothered by it and itchy for the next book. With the end of Catching Fire, I felt it was absolutely right and thrilled with the conclusion. But I'm still DYING for the third and final book of this amazing book series.

And you thought the Capitol couldn't get any more twisted...

If you thought the Capitol couldn't get any more twisted... you were wrong. The highly-anticipated sequel to The Hunger Games is the kind of novel that has you pulling back to take a breath and go, "How did the author think of this?" (if you can stop turning the pages long enough to breathe) Catching Fire picks up right where Hunger Games left off. Unrest in the Districts is growing at an alarming pace and Katniss unwittingly finds herself the figurehead for the movement against the Capitol. The characters you loved return for the sequel and the reader must endure each indignity the Capitol inflicts upon them. It is painful, tortuous, imaginative and motivating. It is everything The Hunger Games was and more. It both answers your lingering questions and creates so many new ones. It challenges you to think and creates such feelings of empathy for the characters that whenever I had to put the book down, I was genuinely worried for leaving the characters hanging and couldn't wait to pick it back up just so they could continue fighting for their lives and freedoms. Everything I loved about The Hunger Games is present in Catching Fire: the unique and engrossing storyline; characters so thoroughly and beautifully described they start to feel like friends; a fantastical setting that is both real and sad; and language that is easy to read and yet conveys such a profound meaning. It has action, romance, horror, hope, despair and, most of all, humanity. It has sci-fi and politics yet, unlike a lot of books on the market, they are not "in your face" and are completely approachable. Due to elements of violence and some light romantic scenes, I would recommend it for 13+. That being said, I would recommend it for ANYONE 13+ of any reading taste or background: as a bookseller and a recent library school graduate, these are the books I find easiest to recommend to anyone I meet. I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the third and final book to come out. After reading Catching Fire, I know you will be too.