Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games Series)

Mockingjay, book 3 of The Hunger Games series, brings a dubious conclusion to Katniss’s battle with the Capitol.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games book 3). Scholastic, 2010. 400 pages.

• Reading Level: Teens, ages 12-15
• Recommended For: Ages 12+

We left Katniss wounded and confused: she was rescued out of the Hunger Games and learned she’d been part of a plot to overthrow the Capitol and ruin the Games. Both she and Peeta had been in the dark; Haymitch and Plutarch Heavensbee, of all people, had been calling the shots off-stage. Now, Katniss is expected to rally and be the Mockingjay—a symbol of the rebellion for all the Districts rising up. Her Mockingjay pin, from her first Hunger Games, is the official trademark. Even her old costume designer, Cinna, was in on the plan.

Katniss and her family and the rest of the conspirators now live in District 13, which has been quietly doing its thing underground ever since the rebellion 75 years prior. The rebels are bringing more Districts to their side, engaging in all-out war in many areas, and have their sights set on the Capitol itself.

Meanwhile, Peeta is held by the Capitol, paraded out on the official video feeds each night. He begs Katniss to end the war. She knows she can’t. But neither answer seems right. And the more involved she gets, the less she can tell who to trust. Who is really on the side of right and not just power or revenge?

As a conclusion to the entire Hunger Games series, Mockingjay leaves a few holes. But it does show the murky waters in which leaders much make decisions during war. At what point are human casualties an acceptable risk? When is it okay to kill the enemy in cold blood? How do those fighting for a cause also care for their loved ones in the midst? War is never an easy answer, even if it looks like the “only option.” And Mockingjay does a good job of portraying that. Aside from that, the book’s end is depressing and feels a little incomplete. Janie’s reflection on the series is worth reading; she alludes to the fact that these books certainly raise more questions than they answer.

Considerations:

• Violence: This is The Hunger Games during war-time. Definitely violence and blood, but it doesn’t feel as sinister as the violence in the Games themselves.

Bottom Line: Mockingjay brings The Hunger Games series to a conclusion; fans will want to read it.

Related Reading From Redeemed Reader

• A Review: The Hunger Games and Catching Fire are the first two books; they should be read before Mockingjay!
• A Review: The Leviathan Trilogy by Scott Westerfield is a steampunk version of World War I. Kids who enjoy The Hunger Games may enjoy it, too.
• A Review: The Disappearances by Emily Bain Murphy is a clean mystery for teens who need to come up for air after The Hunger Games.

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