"What's with this book?" the checker at Target asked me, as he scanned Mockingjay and then bagged it for me. "Everybody's buying this book!"
I'd held off for six days. But I could not wait any longer. Within an hour, I'd bought it and had settled down nicely into chapter one.
I finished it nine days later. Yes, I could have dashed through it that night, but who really wants to finish that last, final book in the series?
So what do I think? Bottom line, thumbs up or thumbs down?
(I don't like spoilers, so I promise to give away none of the plot for the three of you out there who haven't yet read the book.)
Here goes. It's a safe bet I like the series or what I am I doing buying book three, right? So I like the series. And I thought book three was about as good as one and two.
But I want to say more than I like the series or that book three is about as good as one and two. This is what I want to say: The series made me think about our world and violence and tv and human nature. I'm glad it did. I'm hoping that all the kazillion kids reading this book are also thinking about our world and violence and tv and human nature. I'm pretty sure they are.
Because I'm a school librarian, I feel compelled to add that I honestly would not be crazy about my eight-year-old reading this series. It's violent. Read it first, mom.
If you want to read other reviews of Mockingjay, I've very nicely provided links below. And, if somehow I've skipped your review, feel free to add your link in the comments.
I haven't read the books of this series and I only learned about this one because the blog world are buzzing with excitement with the release of the 3rd installment. The series is already in my TBR list. Thanks for the review. =)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review! I echo your words about thinking about violence and so on that create such destruction. Since you're a librarian, have you read or heard of Battle Royale? I believe it's a British pub. I read a review where the blogger had read both Mockingjoy and Battle Royale and wrote that the two had really strong parallels, too strong, actually. She was a bit uneasy about this.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciated your review of this as a librarian and a mom...I had shied away from this series as it just seemed to violent for my tastes, and then felt like there was something wrong with me since everyone and his brother seemed to have read it:)
ReplyDeleteNo, I haven't heard of Battle Royale. There was a recent book, Surviving Antarctica, that had a premise that was similar. It was not as violent as The Hunger Games series.
ReplyDeleteEven in far flung Australia there is hype surrounding this series. I haven't read any of them yet. But want to of course. What age do you think it's appropriate for Debbie? Are they more of a teenage read?
ReplyDeletestill haven't gotten to it yet. poo.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, Louise, I'd read it first if I were a mom of young kids. You know best if your son is ready for it or not.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review. I loved Mockingjay but it isn't for everyone, especially a younger crowd. Ms. Collins doesn't skimp on the violence in her series. Thank you for following me and commenting on my Mockingjay review. If anyone else is interested, you can find it at www.allaboutyabooks.blogspot.com.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. I agree with you, it's too violent for young kids. I have a review at www.lifewithkarma.com if anyone's interested (but there are spoilers).
ReplyDeleteGreat review :) I can't believe that Hunger Games is over now :(...
ReplyDeleteMy review :) : http://ifmarybooks.blogspot.com/2010/09/mockingjay-by-suzanne-collins.html
I don't know if my comment worked :S So here it is again :
ReplyDeleteGreat review :) I can't believe taht hunger games is over now :(.
My review : http://ifmarybooks.blogspot.com/2010/09/mockingjay-by-suzanne-collins.html