I’m back and so is Katniss, though she’s a lot worse off than I. Even though it’s been a few months since she ha sleft the Arena no one will let her forget the trauma she’s experienced. Starting with the Victory Tour which President Snow makes a surprise appearance to blackmail Katniss into submission. Her act of defiance as the girl on fire has ignited a revolution in the Districts and nothing she can do, no matter how in love with Peeta she is, will subdue the flame.

And then she’s reaped for the Quarter Quell where previous Victors will fight to the death to show that even the Champions are not strong enough to fight the Capitol. the symbolism is clear but Collins keeps readers in suspense the whole time as Katniss veers between her two options die fighting or surviving to be face a worse death.

Like I said in my previous review, it’s been a few years and I’ve never read the books so even though I know the overview, it feels brand new too.

Starting with the Victory Tour. I completely forgot about that so even though Collins skims through the Districts, the impression and the unrest left in District 11 is striking as Katniss makes a meaningful speech to Thresh and Rue’s familys that made me misty and realizes how harsh life is in the other districts. That the thought of rebellion seems like a futile dream in District 11 but people are fighting back despite the odds. They’re rebelling rather than living under the Capitol’s heel.

While I wish we could have seen more of the other District’s, Collins, as always, gives excellent insight to Katniss’ psyche. Out of the arena and still haunted by her experience, Katniss is more vulnerable around her loved ones. She’s very aware that a wrong move from her will have her family and friends facing worst consequences just to hurt her. President Snow’s chilling appearance in katniss’ house is a great jump-scare and only heightens the feelings of Katniss’ clustraphobia and paranoia. Also the way he’s taking the choice away from her and laying out the rest of her life is just horrifying.

That’s why it is perfectly understandable that Katniss’ first instinct is to flee. She’s tired of fighting impossible odds and knows there are fates worse than death. Bt that brings to Gale, her best friend, apparently her “cousin” and he wants to take the other option-to fight. Katniss and Gale’s relationship have changed (even though Collins does a great job in threading how vital they are to each other), not just from her publicized romance with Peeta but Katniss fears that he despises her cowardice and willingness to do what the Capitol says instead of rebelling.

That rift is what helps makes Katniss’ connection to Peeta more compelling. Last book I found Peeta’s crush a bit weird and repeating history sort of thing. But after their shared experience and suffering the same nightmares, fears and the like, they just get each other that no one but other Victors like Haymitch can touch. As they agreed to near the middle of the book, they are a family now. I could do without the glorifying Peeta stuff. Yes, he’s good with words and inspiration but he’s not pure. He gets angry and lies like the rest of them which Collins refreshingly shows a break in Peeta’s usually calm exterior but I suppose it’s realistic with Katniss’ dwindling sense of esteem that she idealized someone who doesn’t accidentally hurts others as she does.

Then comes the Quarter Quell, another way to eliminate Katniss and the revolution she represents which incidentally backfires by the way the other Champions briefly unite during their interviews, bringing the Capitol audience to their side and almost causing a riot. Just as with the Victory Tour, what little we had of the other Victors was interesting that I wanted more. I know it wouldn’t be realistic and Katniss’ guilt/pragmatic thinking prevented her from getting too close but I wanted to know more.

Especially Cashmere and Gloss, I know I know they weren’t art of the greater conspiracy and it just wasn’t in Collins plans but imagine the freaking guilt that you and your sibling survive the Games only to come back again and have to fight with the possibility of seeing the other die. Just yeesh. Also the fact they were both picked? That’s just suspicious that out of all the District 1 tributes, the siblings were picked. PLus the way they tried to cancel the games during the interview, maybe they had been pissing off Snow too? See, it makes for a interesting idea but I’m one for family angst so it’s just a personal thing.

Anyway, back to the book at hand, Katniss’ POV remains engaging and moving as she continues her themes of the dehumanizing violence used as entertainment for Capitol propoganda, the rumbling conspiracy of rebellion and the use of repeated trauma and its effects on Katniss’ mental state and her relationships with others.

Once again, the world feels very real as she describes the worsening conditions under the crackdown, and the cultural mainstays as the Victory Tour and Quarter Quell and continues to create a creative, futuristic arenea for the 75th game.

Finally, we all know how the Quarter Quell ends and the amazing cliffhanger so to say it ends with an electrifying bang would be an understatement. Tune in next month when I finally venture back to District 13 and the Mockingjay rebellion comes into full swing.