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Catching Fire is the second book of the Hunger Games trilogy.
If Hunger Games was 5 stars, in my opinion, then Catching Fire is only 3.
What I didn’t like:
It took me over a month (instead of a week to read), so it didn’t really pull me in like the first book. Since it’s the middle book, it’s kind of like a place holder, developing a story line linking the exciting first book, and the grand finale of the last book.
The beginning is just a quick recap without really telling us what the return from the Hunger Games really was like.
The middle is like Hunger Games revisited. I was mad they had to do it again and I was kind of bored reliving it all again, even though it was slightly different this time.
I was disappointed by the lack of character development for Katniss. She became a vague character. I loved her courage and strategic way of thinking in the first book, but in the second one that basically stopped, and frankly she just started getting on my nerves.
But I did like it! I just didn’t *love* it as much as the first one. And have been told that the last book of the series is good so I am definitely going to read on.
What I liked:
I liked knowing what happened next after the Hunger Games.
The first 75% of the book was uneventful, but the end was very good! I was surprised by the turn of events and was excited to finally be sucked back into the story in the very last chapters.
Nothing really catches fire, literally… but all the events of the book set up a lot of conflict. Their world starts to “catch fire,” causing the end to be a cliff hanger. It sets readers up to go read the final book, so I am looking forward to reading it and finally finding out the results of the love triangle (I’m on Team Gale) and the rebellion against the Capitol.
My Catching Fire Review: ★ ★ ★ (liked)
The Hunger Games Movie:
There is so much talk about the movie being in production, and I am getting extremely excited for it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come out until March 2012, and Catching Fire March of 2013.
I think the casting was great. They used a lot of lesser known faces to help them grow to fame Harry Potter/Twilight style.
Katniss is Jennifer Lawrence.
Peeta is Josh Hutcherson.
Gale is Liam Hemsworth.
President Snow is Donald Sutherland.
Effie Trinket is Elizabeth Banks.
Haymitch is Woody Harrelson which I think is perfect.
And Cinna is Lenny Kravitz which I think will be hilarious. I am looking forward to seeing how Hollywood interprets the Hunger Games glam squad and whether or not they will really have their skin dyed different colors and crazy hair like in the books.
Click here for photos and a full listing of the cast. I think they did a great job with the casting, most of them look like I had pictured them. Maybe the only exception is Liam Hemsworth as Gale.
What do you think of the casting? Are you excited for the movie? Did you like Catching Fire compared to the other books?
I’m in the middle of Catching Fire so I honestly skipped some of this post!
I really loved the first book and can’t wait to get to the third now, too!
haha I tried to be vauge and not give anything away! Let me know what you think when you’re done
I was super annoyed that they had to go back in too!
And at first I wasn’t sure about the cast, but now they’re growing on me and I’m pretty excited to see the movies
Yeah I didn’t like the cast at first, but now that I see the photos of them in character it gets me so excited!!
I actually really liked “Catching Fire”. I thought the fact that they had to go back has a point, but then again I have read all of the books, so I have a different vantage point. Overall the whole series is amazing!
I’m looking forward to the movies, the more I see, the more I like it! I hope going the not so known route, that they picked people who are perfect! I feel like they are gonna pull it off!
Stop by, I’m having a giveaway celebrating my readers!
Yeah, I agree, I think I will like it better after I read the last one, but I wanted to jot down my immediate thoughts. I think that the point of the middle book was to build some of the basis for the finale. I can’t wait!!
I am very excited for the movies! I will need to re-read the books though first – I already don’t remember some of the plot twists (I read them last summer/fall). I don’t remember not liking this book, but I know I liked the third one a lot! Enjoy!
I find that the more time there is between when I read a book and when I see the movie, the more I enjoy the movie. That is not always the case. But with movies like Harry Potter, I would get so frustrated at all the details they missed or plot points they changed. Otherwise I just enjoy the movie for the overall story based on what I remember. But either way, the book is always better… and what are movies based on books for if not to love to hate them?
I am not excited for the movie simply because I don’t know what it is! I might have to pick up a copy of the book becuase I love reading books and then watching the film version to see how my imagination and the directors vision are similiar and different!
Yes you should definitely read at least the first book. The topic is so random and really not something I would normally read (I hate Twilight) but the book is soooo good you will read it really fast!
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