Panem sweetheart and Capitol's most wanted, Katniss Everdeen, and her band of rebels from District 13 and the other remaining survivors of Districts 1-12 are determined to oust President Snow from power by overthrowing the Capitol. Peeta struggles to regain his humanity, if that's even possible, and Katniss pushes to fully embody her role as the Mockingjay, symbol of the rebellion. Near-death and fatal missions leave Katniss and the rebels shaken and damaged. Their assassination mission is clouded by political intrigue and heart-stopping risk around every corner. As Katniss leads her fellow rebel victors and protectors, the lines become blurred between who's in power and who's not and those thought to be trustworthy have their loyalty severely tested throughout the final charge of the rebellion.
Collins, S. (2010). Mockingjay. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
Review: School Library Journal
The final installment of Suzanne Collins's trilogy sets Katniss in one more Hunger Game, but this time it is for world control. While it is a clever twist on the original plot, it means that there is less focus on the individual characters and more on political intrigue and large scale destruction. That said, Carolyn McCormick continues to breathe life into a less vibrant Katniss by showing her despair both at those she feels responsible for killing and at her own motives and choices. This is an older, wiser, sadder, and very reluctant heroine, torn between revenge and compassion. McCormick captures these conflicts by changing the pitch and pacing of Katniss's voice. Katniss is both a pawn of the rebels and the victim of President Snow, who uses Peeta to try to control Katniss. Peeta's struggles are well evidenced in his voice, which goes from rage to puzzlement to an unsure return to sweetness. McCormick also makes the secondary characters--some malevolent, others benevolent, and many confused--very real with distinct voices and agendas/concerns. She acts like an outside chronicler in giving listeners just "the facts" but also respects the individuality and unique challenges of each of the main characters. A successful completion of a monumental series.
Ching, E. (2010). Mockingjay: The hunger games, book 3. School Library Journal, 56(11), 59.
My Impressions:
Despite popular opinion that this book, the final installment of the Hunger Games trilogy is boring and tedious, I found it very satisfying and a well-rounded conclusion to the story of Panem and its Hunger Games. While the Hunger Games is certainly considered a fantasy series, the dystopian environment and situations provide a context that make it appear closer to being futuristic for our own world. Mockingjay allows readers to experience other-wordly technology and framework through the mechanics of the Capitol and its obstacle-laden streets. The specific experience of the characters is foreign enough to provide escapism and a unique perspective, but the political unrest and context constructs a familiar dialogue that mirrors real life and the struggle for power among opposing and oppressive forces.
Library Use:
Mockingjay and its political context and setting could be used as a literary example for comparison when discussing different political systems in a history class. As the librarian, you can show students more familiar examples of concepts within the context of a narrative. When teaching communism, facism, or totalitarianism, references could be made and parallels drawn to the Hunger Games series, especially Mockingjay, to illustrate what related concepts to those types of governments look like in practice.
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