Mockingjay, the last book in the action-packed trilogy of ‘Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins has got many things to it, living up to the expectations of many and at the same time let down some of the hardcore fans of the series. Critics have placed the book next to JK Rowling’s ‘Harry Potter’ but that is of course not the majority view. Personally, I really liked the book though it would be a gross overstatement to say ‘I loved it’.
Mockingjay concluded the apocalyptic thriller in which 24 Children from 12 districts are compelled to fight each other in a ‘death match’ and that too before a television audience. The story begins from where the ‘Catching Fire’ (the previous novel of the trilogy) left the readers, also the plot is the same: Katniss Everdeen is running through the ruins of district 12 (her hometown and one of the thirteen districts in addition to the Capitol). All around her is the wreckage and death, people she knew are all lying beneath her feet lifeless and the corpses are left to decay. Those who have escaped death have fled to the district 13, which was previously thought to have been annihilated back in the Dark days, an era in which the bloodthirsty ritual of ‘Hunger Games’ originated. Now, again in the district 13, an uprising is in the making and ‘Katniss Everdeen’ has been chosen to lead it.
Writing reviews is always easier compared to the herculean task of finishing off a bestseller series. All the knots have to be tied, everything settled, and most of the questions have to be answered, the climax has to be satisfying enough. Suzanne did a pretty good job (almost), throughout the series she wasn’t shy to kill any of the characters the readers may have started relating to, and in the final part, this thing is taken to another level. Murder and destruction are all over the place, and our protagonist ‘Katniss Everdeen’ seems to be halved into two persons on one side is the caring, loveable teenager and on the other is a cold-blooded killer. One must admit that Katniss is not an ideal Heroine here because she is not heroic enough for this action package.
Like all modern day Fiction literature, Mockingjay is filled with subliminal messages and hidden themes. It gives hints of modern Iraq, bombarded and paired with War. The Capitol is pushing the districts beyond their limits and yet they’re hated for the rebellion they have started against the usurping Capitol. Each side thinks it is on the right with so many reasons to its side, each side has no mercy for its opponent. Death dances everywhere, as things confuse and the Linea between the heroes and villains become less visible.
There’s another interesting aspect in the book, the usage of gadgets hitherto unknown and surprising this reminds us of the 1960’s English Spy, yes I’m talking about our favorite ‘007’, but the gadget thing never uplifted the 007 series and little does it help to double the excitement in ‘Hunger Games’.
Mockingjay concluded ‘Hunger games’ on a very realistic note that we Humans have always been this way and always be like this way. It has no political air to it, but the truths of society are there whether you like them or not.
Having mentioned all the pros, all the cons all the stereotypes my ratings of ‘Mockingjay’ would be four out of five. One star more would be over-rating and even a half a star less would be unjustified and seriously under-rating a very good book. It would not be incorrect to state that despite all the lags the book is here to stay. It is unlike its contemporary rivals in fiction which most of the times settle for the tranquil ending, ‘Hunger games’ emerges in a post-apocalyptic world (with striking similarities with the world around us) and ends in waters awaiting another tempest. A must read the book!