I finished Mockingjay Wednesday and I've been pondering and rereading ever since.
I really loved the book. It was very intense and fast paced. I had to take a couple breaks to slow my heart beat. Hey, I didn't want to go into preterm labor people. But I wasn't so sure I loved it at first. There were some awesome one liners and some sweet bow and arrow action.. but a couple of things (Peeta and Gale) just killed me. When I finished I thought "Hmmm, okay... What?!"
Let's talk about Gale, shall we? What the flippin' heck happened?!
The boy next door.. oh I have soft spot for you. But I hated every minute of Gale in this book. It seems like everyone of his scenes was building me up for a let down. And boy oh boy were we let down. The Nut. Not telling Katniss about Peeta's interview. Questioning why Katniss saved her stylists. Being partner's with Coin. LASTLY! How could he have just left Katniss in 12 without so much as a "good bye, we'll be friends forever.. but I'll let you live your life now."??? NO-- we get "Was it your bomb?" "I dunno? Does it matter? You'll always be thinking about it." ACCCKKKK! That's all you got boy?! Soooo mad. Oh Gale. You let me down.
That brings me to Finnick, a friend Katniss could actually depend on. I loved Finnick. I had to reread the page he died on multiple times to make sure it really happened. I loved Finnick's love for Annie. I loved the one on one moments he had with Katniss.. the night in the hallway when Katniss realizes what Snow is doing to Peeta and Finnick knows.. he's there too. Then his interview.. dang. All that big hot-stuff act was always just a front. A front for the pain he was going through. "Finnick. Maybe some pants?" "Why? Do you find this" -he strikes a ridiculously provocative pose- "distracting?" Oh, I laughed til I cried.
Talking about pain brings me to Haymitch. I wanted to rip his face off again for Katniss when he made his entrance in Mockingjay.. out of nowhere, just a voice overhead in the studio. But time after time Haymitch proves to know exactly what Katniss needs and what will best help her while benefiting the rebellion.
Coin. Oh man. I knew she was a bad egg. When Katniss said yes to the reinstatement of the Hunger Games, I knew something was up. Then BAM arrow through the heart. YES! Justice.
Johanna. Love. Hate. Love. "She got very squeaky. It was like someone stabbing a mouse with a fork repeatedly." Nice.
Now, we must talk about Peeta. I love Peeta. I truly do love him. He played a strong role throughout the series. At first I thought he was really screwed over in Mockingjay. I missed him. He was gone.. he was absent.. then he was back but it wasn't him. He was different. It scared me. I didn't want any one to kill him. I didn't want him to be different. But by being different and by falling in love with Katniss again I fell in love with him too. How he replayed lines from previous conversations. Giving Katniss the lamb stew. "You’re a painter. You’re a baker. You like to sleep with the windows open. You never take sugar in your tea. And you always double-knot your shoelaces." Ah! Tears. Then when Katniss kissed him in the tunnel, I knew she had made her choice. "Stay with me." "Always." Perfect. Lastly, the ending paragraph
"On the night I feel that thing again, the hunger that overtook me on the beach, I know this would have happened anyway. That what I need to survive is not Gale’s fire, kindled with rage and hatred. I have plenty of fire myself. What I need is the dandelion in spring. The bright yellow rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go one, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again. And only Peeta can give me that"
"So after, when he whispers 'You love me. Real or not real?' I tell him, 'Real.'"
Jessica you might kick me for this.. but I'm happy that Katniss and Peeta had their happily ever after. I'm happy that they had their babies and the book ended the way it did. I'm happy.
Finally, Katniss. Katniss grew and grew throughout the series. I can't believe she started the games at fifteen and the war was waged during her seventeenth year. What amazing strength. What bravery. She didn't always know what she was doing.. she didn't always know what to do. But she made it work. She rocked it. She never became a pawn for the rebels. Haymitch said in Mockingjay "Every time we coach her or give her lines, the best we can hope for is okay. It has to come from her. That's what people are responding to." It was all her. Katniss the Mockingjay. You go girl!
Okay I'm still not done...
The symbolism -- the pearl, the rose, the bow and arrow.. district 13 - being underground, the bomb, Prim, Buttercup!
This book drive to the core of your morals. What do you believe? How far would you go?
Plutarch said, "We're fickle, stupid beings with poor memories and a great gift for self-destruction. Although who knows? Maybe this will be it.." I don't believe that. I don't believe that at all. When Katniss writes the book about her experiences, I know that things will not repeat themselves. When she plays the game listing in her head every act of goodness she sees. We know. Good always triumphs over evil. This is a happy ending.
Deep in the meadow, under the willow
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes
And when again they open, the sun will rise.
Here it is safe, here it is warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you.
