Mockingjay

Synopsis
In the final book of the Hunger Games trilogy, Katniss becomes a mascot for the resistance and takes her fight all the way to the Capitol.

My thoughts
I liked it, and I admire what Suzanne Collins tried to accomplish, but I wasn't satisfied with it.

First, the good. Collins continues with the action sequences that made the first two books such page turners. I tore through Mockingjay just as quickly as I did the first two.

More importantly, Collins hones her moral message. In too many books, good and evil are clearly delineated. The good guys can do no wrong and the villains are thoroughly, unquestionably corrupt. But things aren't so simple in Mockingjay. Katniss becomes part of the larger rebellion, but has she merely traded one oppressive regime for another? Before Katniss has time to come to grips with this, she's forced to grapple with something much more serious - the question of whether the rebels could commit unthinkable atrocities to win the war. Collins is intentionally ambiguous on this point. It's horrifying to think about, especially when you consider it in the context of actual modern wars (particularly the civil war in Syria).

And now the major reason I wasn't completely satisfied with the book: the abrupt ending. Collins delivers a shocking plot twist in the book's last pages, an event which would have had major repercussions for Katniss. Instead, everything is resolved quickly and neatly and then the trilogy just ends.

Bottom line
A strong YA series.

Fine print
Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins
Genre: YA fiction, dystopian fiction
Photo from Goodreads
I own this book.