A review by laerkefugl
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

5.0

I’d say The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is a fantastic successor to the first book. It retains everything that made the original great while adding more depth to Panem as a nation. A major overarching theme in this installment revolves around the beginnings of a rebellion against the Capitol. I found the snowball effect leading to a strong alliance between several districts particularly engaging—an alliance the Capitol had historically prevented through segregation and violence. Watching the cracks in the Capitol’s regime of fear widen and the Districts begin to rise was quite appealing to read. That said, I have to admit that the first part of the book (The Spark) didn’t fully capture my attention while I was reading it. In retrospect, I can appreciate its importance in setting up the rebellion’s groundwork, but some slower segments held me back a bit in the moment.

Having already watched and enjoyed the movie adaptation years ago, I went into the book familiar with the plot and its key twists. Still, this didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the source material. In fact, I appreciated noticing the subtle differences between the book and the film, which gave me a fresh perspective.

The characters remain just as compelling as in the first installment, and this is where the book truly shines for me. I loved the expanded focus on familiar characters, particularly Haymitch, and the evolving relationships between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. The introduction of new characters was also a highlight—Finnick, Johanna, Beetee, and Mags quickly became standouts for me.

All in all, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins earns another 5 stars from me. It’s an incredible sequel that builds on the foundation of the first book.

|—TL;DR—|

Focus Genre: Sci-Fi/Dystopian
Nostalgia: Lightly Influenced
Personal Enjoyment: 4,75⭐
Plot: 5⭐
World-Building/Setting: 5⭐
Characters: 5⭐
  • Relationships: 5⭐ (includes friendships, rivalries, etc.)
Writing: 5⭐
Pacing: 4,75⭐
System/Tech: 5⭐
Social Commentary: 5⭐ | Entertainment, Government's Power using Manipulation and Violence, Teamwork vs Survival |
Themes/Philosophy: 5⭐
Ending: 5⭐

=Overall=
4,95-stars⭐ ≈ 5-stars⭐

~25/01/25~
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