The Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay

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debussygirl
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Re: The Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay

Post by debussygirl »

Wow, I haven't been on here in forever.
Just want to say I LOVED MOCKINGJAY.
It was perfect. And I am not even lying. Everything was so thought-provoking and perfect and I LOVED IT.

I'm copying this from my ff.net profile just cuz I'm too lazy to re-type it.
I did have to register everything Suzanne Collins wrote before making my decision. And I've reread it already and have come to my final conclusion. IT WAS BRILLIANT.

First thing you people should remember: THIS IS A WAR STORY. If you've read my stuff you know I'm a total cheeseball, but even I know that THG is not all about the romance. First of all, people are GOING to die. I think if we lived back in WWII or Vietnam more people would get it, however I think so many people take this all for granted now, because they aren't having their older brothers, friends, dads, husbands, etc. drafted in or feeling obligated to join the military. But being from a military town, having military in my family, this is such an accurate portrayal for me. Finnick dies, yes. It's sad and it's tragic because he's just married Annie, and they have a little baby in the oven (although I wonder if he knew about that before he left...) but who is it that goes and fights in wars? Young men, with wives and a family. Finnick was the only one who had that of the characters. His death represents so many deaths that have occurred because of war, all of the sacrifice. People also said his death wasn't dramatic enough. HELLO what do you think war is like? That every person gets a long epic death? They were in battle! That's as it happens! In fact, Katniss says she has a flashback of his life for him. That isn't enough for you people?! Some complained they didn't grieve enough for him. THEY COULDN'T THEY WERE IN BATTLE. Grieving would make them lose concentration and then they would DIE. Prim's death. I cried. It was terrible and it was sad. BUT THAT IS WAR. Some say it was pointless then, for Prim to die, because Katniss volunteered for her. Do you think life cares about that? Prim's death was the worst thing ever. I agree. But it was the best thing for the book. It brought such irony and horror to the situation. Innocent lives taken for no reason. That's what war is.

And I thought it was great how Coin was evil, and the rebels had to make sketchy choices. It's so realistic. Stalin was our ally in WWII...and wasn't he just a peach? Ever heard of Hiroshima? That's still under big debate to this day. Both sides in war do horrible, atrocious things.

CASE AND POINT: Mockingjay is about war. People die. People kill. People have to make hard decisions. If everyone lived, what would be the point? If the rebels could magically take over without needing to destroy, where's the thought, the side that we as humans now have to and should relate to and think about? This book was so brutally honest about that situation, it wasn't glorified and or idealized like Hollywood stuff. This was real. Suzanne Collins grew up learning this from her dad who was in Vietnam. It's uncomfortable, but Mockingjay was so brilliant with the war aspect I...it was so mature beyond YA I think that's why some people have problems with it.

THE LOVE TRIANGLE: Team Gale is only bitter that Katniss didn't end up with him. If you've read through Catching Fire, I don't see how anyone could think they were going to get together. In all honesty, that would have been the biggest shock to me, if Katniss ended up with him because that whole relationship is just..ick. Team Peeta is upset because Peeta got hijacked and he "isn't the same". WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE ON? Peeta is a million times a better character! First of all, it's not like he chose to hate Katniss. It was the Capitol's fault. Yes, through most of the book he was pretty crazy. But OH MY GOSH he is still amazing! After ALL that he went through, he came back the same, although a scarred, person. He saw all of Katniss' faults but loved her anyway. He kept her from committing suicide. Peeta is the best character ever written. I swear, I love him so much more after everything he went through and is still the sweet guy that goes and plants primroses for her.

On a similar note, Gale and Katniss' friendship breaking. First time through, I didn't like it. I didn't know what friends would leave it like that, with no closure. Then I realized...there was closure. Gale talked to Katniss. She made it pretty clear she wouldn't be able to see past the fact that his design for the bomb killed Prim. I KNOW he didn't kill her. But their relationship was breaking before. It was fraying, and that was just the final straw for them. Gale tried, but failed so he moved on. I'm sorry Team Gale. I was on your side at first. But after rereading it...I thought it was...fine. It's not one of those things I agree with 100%, but I can accept it and sort of see why it happened.

Katniss' loss of mental stability was BRILLIANT. I love Harry Potter. But is his reaction to all of those deaths and carnage realistic? Maybe, but I'm tired of the hero complex where this stuff doesn't bother them, or they can move on easily. Ever heard of PTSD? Yeah, it's real. It affects a lot of people. And after losing her sister, how could Katniss remain stable? I love that she broke down. Katniss is human. It's perfect. How many YA books have their main character, in first-person POV, go completely off their rocker? Only one that I can think of. Because Suzanne Collins is amazing!

The Epilogue: Starting off with the "ehhh, it was too mushy" people. First, are you Team Gale and just saying that because she ended up with Peeta? That's ridiculous. It was not mushy. Katniss still has dark episodes she will never ever forget. But what? Is Katniss supposed to be in an uber depression for the rest of her life? Are people supposed to start another war? Please. It was a perfect balance. It shows the haunting of the past, but that there is hope for the future. It was perfect. And the kids. Some are all "ewww Katniss didn't want kids!" She was 16/17 when she said that and under very different circumstances. Yeah, it took a long time to get her to have kids, which is in character. But I know people who were like that. They didn't want a kid but their spouse did, so they go on ahead with it. And they love that kid so much. One of my dad's friends was like that and ended up having another. It's completely realistic. And also, remember there is no Hunger Games anymore, no starvation. Other say Katniss was too...cold to them? What does this line mean to you? "Only the joy of holding her in my arms could tame it." THE JOY, people, THE JOY. She loves her kids. No, she didn't name them but...is Albus Severus really any better? It's a stylistic choice on Suzanne Collins' part not to name them, to leave the story more open and vague. Just for us to know they're there, and life is going on.

So...that's it for now. It was great. If you didn't like it the first time, reread it knowing what's going to happen and appreciate the brilliance of it.

And on a separate note, I found the perfect Peeta! Hunter Parrish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkeECBOgcO0
Go to like 1:28 in this one, HE'S BAKING! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1cNI95ceoo

Honestly, I was a little "meh" on him at first, but after watching him act, I am to the point where if he doesn't get cast I will be devastated. I even started a twitter supporting him as Peeta. :lol: Hunter4Baker: http://twitter.com/Hunter4Baker
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Re: The Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay

Post by Amanda Beth »

debussygirl wrote: And on a separate note, I found the perfect Peeta! Hunter Parrish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkeECBOgcO0
Go to like 1:28 in this one, HE'S BAKING! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1cNI95ceoo
You should come post on Mockingjay.net --he's the fan favorite there too. I like Sarah Hyland as Katniss, but right now Kaya Scodelario, a UK actress seems to be the favorite.
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Re: The Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay

Post by debussygirl »

LOL I am over there. You've probably seen me, likesunset.

Part of the reason I haven't been on here as much. Modding for them takes up time, since over there anyone can create a thread sometimes duplicates get made or put in the wrong place, and then there's the spam issue. There is so much spam.

But I'm with the mainstream KayaforKatniss people, Hunter4Baker, and the newest MiloSews (ok, that one isn't mainstream yet). But I can't grasp onto Gaspard Ulliel as Gale. :? Too pale, too French.
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Re: The Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay

Post by Amanda Beth »

hahaha didn't know that was you. i'm miss kay :)
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Re: The Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay

Post by blasphemous_contessa »

@Jenna: THAK YOU! Thank you for articulating everything I felt but couldn't figure out how to say. I wasn't too fond of the Epilogue myself but for a different reason.
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Re: The Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay

Post by debussygirl »

Glad I could help. :D I just go SO annoyed with people on ff.net saying "This is my version of Mockingjay because I hated it." or "How Mockingjay should have ended!" (which usually has the characters as Gale and Katniss :roll: ) And then on forums people whining about various stuff. Some, I think is more valid than others. Like I can see how people might have thought the ending was a little rushed, even though I was fine with it. But when people complain that Katniss isn't strong in MJ I just get so fricking ticked. It's like, you go through two Hunger Games, have the boy you love kidnapped only to come back wanting to kill you, be used as a pawn by both sides, watch your sister die in front of you, and tell me you aren't going to lose your mind. Gah.
In fact, I had someone PM me thanking me for what I said in my profile because her mom went to Afghanistan and came back with PTSD. She said she was really getting frustrated with the ignorance of the fans on a very real situation for people that go into war.

But I'm curious, why didn't you like the epilogue? Those are the only reasons I've seen as to why people disliked it.
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Re: The Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay

Post by blasphemous_contessa »

It felt wrong. Disjointed. Its hard to explain except that to me it felt like someone else, not SC wrote it to fill in a blank page.
I can understand a disjointedness in that passage of time and that after 20 years or whatever Katniss wouldn't be the same person she was in the last chapter but it just didn't feel right to me is all.

About Katniss not being strong in Mockingjay, she is very strong, she is determined throughout the whole story and has convistions she sticks to what she truly believes even if it seems that it changes. I know I couldn't have held on as long as she did, or come back as fully as she did either.

I grew up in a military town, out of my six siblings four have served in the military at some point and my younger sister is too young. My older sister has been to Afghanistan twice, another has done emergency natural disaster relief all over the world. My brother has been in combat situations almost my whole life, both my parents had military careers (Air Force) and of my closest friends from high school all either joined the military or married it. War is not pretty, it is not glamorous, people do not escape unscathed, every survivor has left someone or something behind even if we no longer fight on conventional battlefields. People who claim otherwise should try putting on a uniform and seeing how long they last.

PS I totally called Katniss/Peeta and the Prim would die at some point from the third chapter of the first book. Just saying.
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Re: The Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay

Post by Amanda Beth »

I actually had no problem with the epilogue itself after I let it sink it, it's the end of the book that went killcoingoto12makeabookgetbackwithpeetalovehimtada. I made my fanfic because that's the part I didn't like. MOSTLY I wanted to see her fall back in love with Peeta, not "We grew back together the end." THAT is what killed me because she made us such a part of their love story I felt cheated.

Personally, the fact that Gale was left out didn't really bug me--but because I was writing the fic anyway I figured I'd throw it in. I think a lot of readers on mj.net are younger than the Twilight crowd and they don't understand that the people you're best friends with when you're 16 are sometimes not even in your life anymore in your 20s. People change and grow apart and that's without the whole "your bombs probably killed my sister" buzz kill thrown in there lol.

I HATED the whole hijacking at first, but it really was necessary for Katniss and Peeta's relationship. He had her on this inaccurate pedestal and she had no freaking idea what she wanted. When he got hijacked she learned what it was to REALLY lose him, and he had to learn to love HER all over again--faults and all this time. I do feel horrible for her when it comes to Gale/Peeta, because her feelings for Gale started as friendship and she was taken from him for the games and doesn't get to work through "feelings" for him then there's Peeta who proclaims his love for her, she has no freaking idea she's even falling in love with him because she feels badly that Gale is watching and yet she's being TOLD to love Peeta. She was 16 and never really got a chance to fall in love on her own time.

Unlike most people I applaud SC for NOT naming her kids, because no one ever likes what the authors name the characters kids so why not let the readers decide for themselves. I think it's brilliant. Oh and I do NOT think the children would be named Prim, Cinna, Rue, Finnick or the like. How depressing would that be to name your child Cinna and remember seeing the original Cinna beaten to a pulp in front of you. Lovely memory.

I had no issue with the deaths. It's a catch 22. No one died in Eclipse or Breaking Dawn and SM was criticized. People did die in MJ were and SC gets criticized. Meh.
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Re: The Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay

Post by blasphemous_contessa »

Though I have to say I highly doubt the daughter would be named Rose. Not with Katniss' aversion to roses, I always imagined her having soem cuesy semi-hippie symbolic name like Hope or Joy.

I get the whole Renesmee thing (but god I hate that name) I didn't like how Eclipse was all about making a choice, sticking to it, and giving something up but then in Breaking Dawn she didn't have to give anythign up at all.

Harry's kids (from Harry Potter) had somewhat symboolic names, they were all named for people who hhad a major impact on Harry's live. That and the fact that the epilogue is the second child sttarting Hogwarts instead of the first and the fact that his initials spell out a type of snake tell us that he's going to be in Slytherin but probably do great and wonderful things for the world.
Woah, sorry I'm rambling.
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Re: The Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay

Post by debussygirl »

Amanda Beth wrote:I actually had no problem with the epilogue itself after I let it sink it, it's the end of the book that went killcoingoto12makeabookgetbackwithpeetalovehimtada. I made my fanfic because that's the part I didn't like. MOSTLY I wanted to see her fall back in love with Peeta, not "We grew back together the end." THAT is what killed me because she made us such a part of their love story I felt cheated.
I'm okay with those fics, about how Peeta and Katniss came back together. That's only expanding on what SC gave us, not "I'm going to write a fic where no one I like dies and Gale and Katniss get together, and Katniss doesn't go crazy." Those annoy me.

But I was fine with the ending, because, really, it could be a whole other book on what happened after as far as how Peeta and Katniss got back together. But they grew back together. She FINALLY admits she loves him. It's all good with me.

And heck no to dead people as baby names!
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