Mockingjay | The Final Book of The Hunger Games

Spoilers Alert
Before reading this book review, kindly be reminded that “Mockingjay” is the third book of the trilogy - The Hunger Games. I will do my best to avoid major spoilers but if you haven’t read/watched the first two books, I highly suggest you ignore this blog.

Synopsis
After Katniss destroyed the arena, the Capitol ordered the destruction of District 12. A few hundred of them managed to escape and take refuge in the District that was long thought vanquished. - District 13.

Despite not having a clue, Katniss’ actions and bravery have made her the face of rebellion, the pawn, and the hope of the oppressed.

As the whole plan of the rebellion started to unfold, Katniss found it harder to believe who was the enemy or the ally. But her goal became clear in her mind, she must kill Snow.

“Fire is catching… and if we burn, you burn with us!”
- Katniss Everdeen

I finished reading two days ago, but I had to compose myself before being able to write this review. I don’t even know where to begin. Amongst the entire trilogy, Mockingjay is probably the most exhilarating. Each chapter ends with a twist that makes you want to read another chapter, and another, and another (I even forgot I need to go to work. Whoops). The writing, as always, is exquisite. It’s like watching an entire war and revolution unfold in my imagination.

The first two books had some chapters that paced slowly but I appreciate its importance in the last book. I’m able to relate more to the characters and understand the dilemma of choosing whether you follow your instincts, your feelings, or the orders from your superiors. Some people are not fond of Katniss’ role because it seemed that the sole reason she’s alive was that she’s the “protagonist”. I can totally agree with this comment in the first two books but what I love about the Mockingjay is that more characters have been brought to the stage. Some scenes do not involve Katniss at all.

Besides his love for Katniss, Peeta has become my favorite character in the last book because he was like the moral compass of the story. The tyranny of the Capitol must be stopped and the war seemed to be the only way to do it since neither of the two parties wanted to cease fire and give up their power, pride, and personal agendas. Nonetheless, Peeta held to his values and encouraged the nation to stop the war before more people could get hurt

“They’ve turned you into a weapon that could be instrumental in the destruction of humanity. If you’ve got any real influence, use it to put the brakes on this thing. Use it to stop the war before it’s too late.”
- Peeta Mellark

Today while I was going through my usual stroll through social media, a video of a man “making an experiment” with a “bucket full of cooking oil” just to make lava bubbles with Coke and Mentos really irked me. I thought:“What a waste”. There’s a chapter in the book wherein the Capitol people would drink vomit-inducing pills just so they could eat more while the rest of the country starved to death.

This book is a work of fiction but is it really far from the reality we’re living in?

War memes and cancel culture are rampant nowadays but taken lightly. Instead of having a healthy exchange of knowledge and perspective, if a person has a different view, they’d cancel them out just like how the rebels called Peeta a “traitor” for proposing a peaceful reconciliation.

“I no longer feel any allegiance to these monsters called 
human beings, despise being one myself”
- Katniss Everdeen

I highly recommend this book to everyone! This book will open your eyes to the effects of war and lust for power. However, consider this as a trigger warning for some chapters contain graphic references to topics such as sexual abuse, self-harm, suicide ideation, war, and violence.

Check out my other book reviews

  Hunger Games                  Catching Fire