I Finished Catching Fire! Questions for the Read-Along with Less Than One Week to Go Until Mockingjay is on Sale!

I finished Catching Fire, and I think, like many people who find themselves reading this highly addicting series, it was late, late at night. 2:24 am to be exact.

There's less than one week to go until Mockingjay is on sale on Tuesday, August 24th and I've already preordered my copy from my local indie, Words of Maplewood. I'll be picking it up as soon as I get off the train that night. Or, maybe I'll dash in to the store that am before I get on the train, depending on when they open. 

Here are my questions for those reading along with me. Looking forward to your answers and observations.

1) How did you feel about the span of time that had elapsed between the end of Hunger Games and the beginning of Catching Fire? Were you surprised at how much had changed, and how much hadn't changed, for Katniss and Peeta and the people in District 12?

2) What did you think of the plot twist of sending past victors back into the Hunger Games?

3) I found myself, once again, slightly frustrated with Katniss' naivete - this time when it came to not understanding how her actions in the arena the first time had inspired people to rise up. She seemed to understand it when it was explained to her by President Snow, but was completely surprised when the other victors alluded to it.

4) What did you think of Cinna's actions? Do you think we'll see him again?

5) What did you think of the ending?

Keep up with all the Mockingjay pre-release frenzy on the official Hunger Games Facebook page, read Suzanne Collins' answers to your burning questions and look for an event with Suzanne Collins near you. I got an alert this am from Borders in Columbus Circle that she'll be there at lunchtime (1pm) on the 24th so I might have to plan an extra-long lunch that day. I'll leave you with the Mockingjay trailer. We're almost there!
 

Comments

[Mrs. DeRaps]

I am worried about Cinna. I hope that we see him again!!

[Lauren]

Yay! I was excited for you to post these! Catching Fire was utterly addictive - I loved it.

1) I thought it would pick up right where it left off, since Hunger Games ended as if it would, so, yes, I was a bit surprised. I was intrigued with how much changed, but it seemed almost natural. As if that's what WOULD have happened. I was pretty upset Peeta and Katniss were barely talking, though.

2) I actually figured something like that would happen. I mean, I didn't think they'd be back in the games, but I figured Katniss would be put into another dangerous situation. Peeta's fake pregnancy announcement shocked me though - I cheered! Very quick thinking on his behalf.

3) I was slightly frustrated, too! I had to keep reminding myself that she was young, and not a mature 20-something who thinks rationally.

4) I love CInna, and I hope we do. I really hope he's okay - he's such a great character. His decision to turn her into the bird was brilliant. Again, at that moment, she should have realized that, yes, she's in charge of this rebellion. But, she didn't.

5) I hate cliffhangers!! I like that they're rebelling and going to district 13. I like that there was the twist of freeing them (although I had to re-read the section to understand what, exactly was going on). I don't like that Peeta was separated. Once again, Team Peeta!

[PK9]

1. I felt the time lag was fine. I've noticed that's it's part of SC storytelling method to use flashbacks to fill in the gaps. By jumping forward a few months, it gave her room to toss those flashbacks in so the book felt similar in rhythm to THG.

2. Eh, I got spoiled on it. But it's totally NOT what the Quell card originally said, Snow changed the rules to hurt Katniss.

4. Cinna's a bigger part of the revolution than I thought originally. I think there's a good chance that he's still alive. I'm sure Snow would have wanted him to watch his mockingjay torn into five pieces before his execution, so he was probably alive when Katniss broke out. And since he's her friend, they can keep him alive like Peeta as bait.

3. and 5. (Because I couldn't answer 3 without talking about 5). I sometimes forget Katniss is a 17-year-old girl, so she surprises me with her irrational conclusions sometimes. I never understood the focus on the berries; it seemed to me as though her funeral for Rue was far more rebellious and intentional. But there were times throughout the book where she considered the implications of being the symbol of the rebellion, even being a martyr. That's what perplexes me about her reaction at the end when she gets mad at Haymitch for using her as the mockingjay. Plutarch and Haymitch aren't playing a "game", they're fighting for the future of humanity.
As for the breaking out, I saw it coming. I actually expected the first book to end with something similar.

[Jennifer-Girls Gone Reading]

I haven't gotten Catching Fire yet...darn you Barnes and Noble. I did finish The Hunger Games about the same time (2:00 am). You just can't put this stuff down.

[S. Krishna]

Katniss' naivete really bugged me as well, actually. I think this is why I have trouble with YA, because usually protagonists act like teenagers, and that bugs me, LOL!

[Book Club Girl]

Swapna - EXACTLY!

Lauren, I think I'm Team Peeta too, but to be honest, I don't feel like I really know enough about Gale to decide between him and Peeta. That was something else that I meant to ask - I wish that we had more of Prim in CF - she's still a pretty unknown character to us, more a symbol really than anything else.

And PK9, I think you're probably right about Cinna. I really like how he's very slowly being revealed to be a bigger part of things.

I should have also asked, what's everyone's Mockingjay reading plan? I remember that with several Harry Potter releases, I had to block off days. For the last one, I think I just nursed my son for 24 hours straight in order to keep reading. Luckily these are shorter than those books and I think they're quicker reads as well.