“The only book that I can recall in a long, long time that forced me to sit up in bed at 4 am, still reading bleary-eyed on my kindle in the dark because I could not stop reading it!“

It’s difficult to review a second book in a Trilogy series because there is such a build up of story matter by this point that one has to be careful not to induce spoilers for those who want to read the entire series.

I highly commended Book 1: The Hunger Games in my initial review a few months ago, though it took me a while to get started on this second book; likely due to just my backlog of books to be read. I found the first book exceptional both in plot and pace. It held on to my attention throughout reading as I found it so unique, if not slightly distasteful, in its concept, but not enough to put me off by far.

The Hunger Games are set in a dystopian ‘future world’ where America is divided into ‘Districts’  that are warlorded over by ‘The Capitol.’  Try to think of a very powerful yet evil-capable Government. (Ah yes, that wasn’t hard at all was it?) In Panem each year Hunger Games are invented by highly creative Game-makers, and at what is know as a ‘reaping’ event children (between 10-18 years roughly) are selected from each of the districts to fight Gladiatorial-style in a large arena.

Rather than a stadium type construction the arena reminded me of the old BBC Comedy Games ‘It’s a Knock-out.’ Picture the same sense of audience excitement and hysteria as that particular show (though in The Hunger Games it is all watched on a big screen!) team-alliances, frantic bets on favourites-to-win.

Include weird and wonderful (yet dangerous props) in the form of mutated animals or poisonous objects, but all with a deadly and purposeful end. Each time a tribute (participator) dies somewhere in the arena, a loud trumpet blast alerts everyone to their death and each evening  the poor dead tributes faces are projected and lit up in the night sky.

Only one tribute can survive the Games, which can certainly go on for a few days or weeks in this large playing field as the entire event is televised and watched on large screens by the entire City.

The book is not gory enough to make you sick, but certainly shocking enough to surprise you, and all because we have that dreadful thread of ‘death’ running through something called a ‘Game!’

In ‘Catching Fire’ we succeed the first book by again taking on the main characters of the story; the  survivors of the previous ‘Games.’ But here Collins has bumped up the emotion enough to make these victors survival even more paramount and meaningful. Throw in a few conspiracies, unrequited love, laughter and tears, hate and regret, twists and turns and lots of surprises, and you have the makings of best-seller which undoubtedly this book is. Surprise endings seem to be Suzanne Collin’s forte!

The author has very expertly created an interesting and unique theme, cleverly weaving in a colourful and creative adventure through these entire three books. Speaking of my own tastes in books, for an adult female who usually turns her nose up at books aimed at the ‘Young Adult’ readership, Suzanne Collins has obviously done her job better than she likely predicted, as this particular series has taken adult readers by storm.

My conclusion is that I can’t recommend this Trilogy highly enough. It is probably the only book that I can recall in a long long time that has forced me to sit up in bed at 4 am still reading bleary-eyed on my kindle in the dark! Simply because I could not stop reading it!

Have we another ‘Harry Potter’ sensation on our hands? ‘The Hunger Games’  series is currently being made into movies.

If you love adventure tinged with excitement, a sprinkle of romance, hope and sadness amidst a warped and dangerous yet still very ‘human’ world then this series is for you.

Now only £3.99 at Amazon.

Catching Fire (Hunger Games, Book 2)