Mockingjay is the final instalment in the Hunger Games trilogy and I wasn't really looking forward to reading it and the only reason I did was so I could say I've read them all. All in all I would say I was right in not wanting to read it as I found it to be quite disappointing.
Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But she;s still not safe. A revolution is unfolding, and everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans - everyone except Katniss. And yet she must play the most vital part in the final battle. Katniss must become their Mockingjay - the symbol of rebellion - no matter what the personal cost.
The third instalment definitely kept up the writing quality of the last two, willing me to read on; even if it was just to see if anything exciting happened next. The plot seemed too obvious and too perfectly planned to actually be thrilling and suspenseful as everything that happened was ridiculously predictable. A lot happened and not a lot happened at the same time, the 'war' was too hyped up in the beginning of the book when not a lot actually happened - it was quite disappointing to say the least, as they made it out to be the biggest battle that Panem had seen in a while and that it would be devastating - nothing happened and most of all Katniss, this great Mockingjay, did nothing.
Collins' characters were the biggest disappointment of them all however; Katniss changed from headstrong to deranged and easily led, Gale had a massive change and he was portrayed as being a really nasty person in my opinion by the end of the book. The only decent character developments were Prim and Peeta - Prim has grown up throughout everything that has happened and has essentially become what Katniss should have been in this book. Peeta was the best character out of everyone, he was believable and had the best development that seemed realistic with the plot that surrounded him - he always kept something of himself. I know that you could argue that the reason these characters changed so drastically is due to the horrendous circumstances that they have been thrown in to, but I don't believe this to be the case, I just think they were poorly executed characters and got thrown into the stereotypical ground of how people should react in those situations rather than what they would react to.
Please don't get me started on the ending, it was probably one of the weakest most pathetic endings I think I have read in a while - it just ended. It's as if Suzanne Collins couldn't be bothered to write an exciting dramatic ending and just played it ridiculously safe, and when I say ridiculously safe I mean it. However much the ending was awful, it contained the best, if not only, twist in the book and I must say, I was thoroughly shocked when it happened - although the aftermath continued the pathetic ending. To top all of the negatives off, I need say only one word - epilogue. WHY?!
All in all I didn't like this book, it was okay if you like cheap thrills and predictable circumstances but I definitely would swerve someone reading the series off this book. Worst book of the three.
★★