Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Reviewed by Zoey H.
Grade 8

If it were up to Katniss Everdeen, she would try and forget The Hunger Games completely. But the head government has a different idea. In Katniss's world, kids from different districts are forced to fight to the death to prove that they will always be at the mercy of the government. Pretty gruesome, huh? Well imagine actually having to take part in such an event. Katniss has beaten the odds and survived the Games, but life won't be returning to normal for her.

After winning the Hunger Games with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark, all Katniss wants are things to go back to normal. As an annual reminder to the districts that the government is in control, the victor of the Games, well in this case victors, must make an appearance in each of the twelve districts. Before the Victory Tour starts, President Snow gives Katniss a one-on-one visit stating that there have been rumors of rebellion amongst the districts because of something she did in the arena. It's her job to fix it, or the government will kill everyone she holds dear to her. Katniss must persuade the districts she is madly in love with Peeta and had no control over her actions in the arena. Katniss must battle against impossible odds to protect the ones she loves from the government’s wrath. And let's not forget the 75th Hunger Games lurks just around the corner with a surprising twist to add to the fun!

My favorite character in the book is Peeta Mellark. His kind, loving personality make him different from the other character in the series. Throughout the book and series as a whole, he always finds a way to stay true to himself and to what he believes in no matter what situation he’s thrown into. He sees good in people no matter who they are. Peeta’s undying love for Katniss gives him the strength to fight for her survival even if means his life. Don’t we all wish we had someone like that? Peeta’s quote, “My nightmares are usually about losing you,” just shows how much he cares for Katniss. The most amazing thing about Peeta’s character is that he loves before anything else.

I highly recommend Catching Fire! There was never a boring moment! I just couldn’t put it down! It has important lessons that we could all benefit from. The characters have very strong emotional depth that makes them seem like they could be real! It’s interesting seeing them develop through the book and getting to know them better. From a drunken middle-aged man to a young baker's son, each character has a burning fire within them kindled with the need to survive.