The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay

I know I'm late to the game, but I wanted to write my thought about Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay and hear your thoughts as well! I'm assuming all ya'll have already read the series, so this is more "book club discussion" than "book review." So if you haven't read it, go read them, then come back!


I don't really have very much to say about Hunger Games itself. I like the novel. I like the whole idea, I mean, who comes up with that?? (although now I can clearly see her influences, but whatever. I maintain that there's no such thing as an original idea so it's not like I find her a copy cat or anything) I like the characters. I like that I never knew if Peeta really had feelings for Katniss or if it was all fake. I like how Collins didn't give the names to many of the other tributes so that killing them didn't feel that different from killing animals, especially for Katniss. I like how intense it was. I like how heartfelt Rue's death was. I like everything. It's a very enthralling book. 


Catching Fire is probably my favorite of the three books & I wish they would have spent more time at the games, or more time discussing the games in the book. But it's hard in my mind to distinguish between Catching Fire and Mockingjay to me. They feel like one continuous book, which is fine, but I just have to discuss them together :) 


So, here we go. I really like Finnick. He's one of my favorite characters (and I was heartbroken when he died!). But I just get really bugged by Gale! Why is he acting all hurt? He was way more like a brother to Katniss, so I don't get why he's all upset. I understand that it's hard when things change in your life and your best friend starts dating someone else, but really. Get over it, Gale. You're just making Katniss more confused than she needs to be, and protecting everyone is her first priority, not romance. 


As far as Katniss, I totally understand. It's hard to choose between the boys and to even understand that you need to choose. But part of growing up means that you can't have both and you can't stay friends. You can call each other friends, but it won't be the same as it was before. Katniss loves Peeta and Gale differently and has different bonds with both of them. Gale understands her pain at her father's death. Peeta was with her at the games. Noone else will ever understand how the games felt to Katniss. 


I also feel like Gale didn't really love Katniss to begin with. He feels protective and responsible, he loves her but he isn't in love with her. He says he is, but he's not. 


The end of Mockingjay was really rushed to me. Prim's death didn't seem real. Katniss's mourning felt . . . different, somehow. Not quite true to Katniss. I feel like Prim's death was just a suckerpunch. Rue's death makes me super sad. Prim's death feels like something we could discuss over coffee. I do like how Katniss figured out that Coin was just like Snow; took her a little while, though! 


I'm not sure how I feel about the ending ending, though. It seems weird, but at the same time, it feels true to Katniss and to Peeta, although I still don't know if they are in love for real, but they do belong together. They need each other. It feels true to the story and to Panem. I'm curious as to how they set up a new government, though,and if it really works. 


Overall, I liked the series and was happy with how they ended. What do you think?