This Review Contains Spoilers
Well we waited for a very long time but Mockingjay arrived, it was a great tale of triumphs and misery. Katniss was to be the face of the revolution, and Peeta was stuck at the Capitol with evil President Snow. Katniss resided in 13 a futuristic underground district built on structure. Katniss in my opinion was lost, and really didn't know what to do without Peeta. I am Team Peeta and will never claim to be anything but that, I liked Gale for what he was. I think of Gale like I do Simon from The Mortal Instruments series another favorite of mine or perhaps Archer from Fire by Kristen Cashore. He was the first love interest the friend, some people do get attached to them because usually friend characters are made extremely lovable. Gale is a fantastic character he is brave, loyal, and determined for his cause. The parallel reminded me of protesters in the sixties, they were like a coin on one side you had the radical activist willing to blow things up, like Gale. Then on the other side of the coin you had the charismatic speaker able to sway people toward your cause, like Peeta. Then torn between the two the beautiful headstrong heroine. She is a reckless time bomb almost to the point of endangering herself, and without either Gale or Peeta to reign her in, who knows what Katniss would have done. She always had a goal to keep her going without Gale or Peeta, or even Prim, Katniss really was unmotivated. She grew used to having Peeta with her in the Hunger Games, a sort of catalyst for her recklessness. Gale no longer qualified for her because she'd grown accustomed to Peeta's calmness and steadfast bravery. Gale had tunnel vision toward the end, he was totally on board with the revolution, and a little self loathing when it came to Katnisss. He knew he would never compete with Peeta once Peeta was brainwashed. One reason in my opinion is that he knew Katniss blamed herself for Peeta being brainwashed, that Peeta would have made a more appropriate Mockingjay all along. Peeta being brainwashed nearly crushed me, and I will admit the first half of the book lulled along for me. Then when Peeta finally did arrive he wasn't even Peeta but some kind of dreadful shell of a Peeta. Then Gale coming to the conclusion he could never possibly compete with that, made me feel sorry for Gale. I then felt that even if Peeta does come around for me he will never be the same Peeta. I did write Gale off then though I knew she would never end up with Gale, and then I kept reading holding out hope for Peeta. Then it all got extremely confusing for me. I understand that they arrived at the Capitol took it over, and Gale blew something up, and the something killed Prim. In someway the accident was caused by District Thirteen. Everything about it was shady and Katniss realized that, and she realized she was used by District Thirteen. Gale also knew he killed Prim, and that his only job was to protect Katniss's family and he failed. Thus pushing Peeta further toward being THE ONE. At this point though I don't want Peeta to be the one, because I feel like Katniss will be some kind of crazed zombie now that Prim is dead. I mean I truly felt like I got a dagger through the heart when Prim died. I mean it completely makes the first book pointless. Katniss sacrificed herself for Prim, just to have Prim killed off, I mean it made for a great story, but it still hurt. Then Katniss looses her mind, and offs all the leaders in a way. Then tries to off herself at this point I'm feeling such a high level of frustration my family is giving me funny looks. Then the unavoidable, Harry Potter esque sum it all up chapter. I was happy with this, I felt like that Katniss in the future was true. If I could envision Katniss marrying, and having children that would be the attitude I would expect. It all felt rather real, I felt Gale's story was a little vague, weird coming from a Team Peeta person I know. The book was everything I hoped a total emotional ride, with things I loved and things I hated, but it was all worth it. I disliked things because the characters felt real, that for me is always a good thing. Its actually better when I love/ hate a book, it means I got emotionally attached. Sometimes I admit a book is just perfect, its rare but it happens. Mockingjay was bittersweet, I hated for it to end, but as long as Katniss is happy I'm happy, and she really seemed to be just that. Gale seemed to be content from what little we were told, and Peeta seemed happy, I can't imagine a better father for a child, and Katniss and Peeta truly do deserve to be content. I just couldn't imagine one of them dying having been through so much in books one and two. I know not everyone will have the same opinion as me, but I got enjoyment out of the book, and even found myself feeling something other than irritation toward Gale. I even found myself picturing what would have happened had Prim's name not been drawn, I'm sure Katniss would have married Gale, and her life would have been better, possibly. The life she had with Peeta was built on loss and pain, but in the end Peeta deserved Katniss. Peeta survived two Hunger Games, and Gale did not, that isn't his fault I know, but still Peeta was in no way undeserving. I know I don't need to campaign for him, Gale was indeed a stand up guy, he just wasn't my cup of tea. Also Peeta was tortured by the Capitol, and Gale had a adventurous little life, but for me it just doesn't compare to Peeta's. I would have been happy though if Katniss chose Gale, but I would want to know Peeta was happy, if he were killed off, I would have been inconsolable. I was heartbroken when Archer died, and I was totally team Brigan, so I have a heart. I would not want Gale to die, but if Peeta had to die for him to be with Katniss, that would be devastating. I really hope everyone loved Mockingjay, and also that you are able to see both sides. I try to be open minded when I read reviews for Mockingjay, but truthfully it was a captivating little trilogy in the end.
"A book full of its ups and downs, a bittersweet end to a trilogy that will forever be close to my heart" -Final thought on Mockingjay
No comments:
Post a Comment