So I finished Mockingjay last Thursday, right after we discussed how teen guys read, when they stop, if they ever start reading again and why.
It's possible these two topics are related, because while I reacted one way to Mockingjay, based on our discussion, I suspect the guys reacted completely differently...
My nonspoiler review.
Two weeks ago I read The Hunger Games and Catching Fire and loved them. The plot was disturbing and the descriptions brutal, yet the characters were sympathetic and the relationships so well-drawn that it was easy to be pulled into the story.
Catching Fire ends with a cliffhanger, so naturally, I couldn't wait to grab Mockingjay, the third and final installment, as soon as it was released last Tuesday. I started reading right away, but by page 107, I was concerned.
If you read my other two reviews, you know the parts I found tiresome in those books. So at first I thought, "OK. This one's just frontloaded with those bits. It'll pass."
It didn't.
Mockingjay is pages and pages of misery. Around Part 2, it starts to get a little better, but as quickly as our reason to care appears, it disappears. And it's right back to bad things happening... bad things happening... more bad things... and just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, it does.
And then it's over.
The violence is significantly amped up--far beyond the previous two books--so much so that it spawned a big discussion over violence in Kidlit.
That did play a role in my diminished enthusiasm for Mockingjay. But my primary disappointment was the loss of what I felt made the books relatable and the resolution of the Gale-Katniss-Peeta love triangle.
Collins shows no compassion for her characters in this book--not that she ever did. But in the first two installments, she gave us a break and allowed them moments of joy or at least humanity. In Mockingjay the only peace comes on morphling and even then not so much.
As for the love triangle, I found the interactions between the three leads awkward and forced, and at times unbelieveable. (Two scenes in particular I wish I could share...)
It felt like Collins lost interest in that aspect of her story or was just trying to wrap it up. The book's conclusion in particular was inconsistent and irritating.
I keep reading that the message of Mockingjay is "war is hell." To that I say, "Perhaps."
The message I read was that everyone is evil and everyone will let you down. I suppose that's real life, but I felt like these brave, heroic characters deserved a better ending--reality notwithstanding. (This is fiction after all...)
It's an extremely cynical book. Some might argue it's the book we deserve, but I don't believe that. At least not yet.
My grade for Mockingjay: B- Because despite my reaction, Collins's writing is strong, and her ability to maintain the tone and keep you biting your nails at the horror of it all is masterful.
If your favorite parts of the trilogy are the battles and the brutality of the games, you will enjoy Mockingjay. If your favorite parts were the character development, the relationships and the love, you probably won't.
On to How Guys Read~
So last Monday I mentioned the discussion about how there's no market for YA male books. Or agents report asking for boy books only to find editors have one (1) slot for them. And often it's filled.
Several male readers left comments on what they read or Moms reported what their teen sons were reading, and based on all those comments I spotted a trend.
First, teen guys DO read! But often they jump straight from MG to the adult aisle. Specifically, adult fantasy, sci fi, thrillers, crime or nonfiction.
Four commenters (Matt, DL, Angie, and Ellie) noted guys sometimes take a reading break in their late teens/early 20s. Follow-up questioning revealed other extracurricular activities (e.g., parties, video games, girls, etc.) as the culprit, but these guys ultimately did start reading again.
Now I'm wondering: Can the YA guy market be created (or expanded)? If not, why? YA is working great with the girls.
And how did you guys feel about Mockingjay?
It's possible these two topics are related, because while I reacted one way to Mockingjay, based on our discussion, I suspect the guys reacted completely differently...
My nonspoiler review.
Two weeks ago I read The Hunger Games and Catching Fire and loved them. The plot was disturbing and the descriptions brutal, yet the characters were sympathetic and the relationships so well-drawn that it was easy to be pulled into the story.
Catching Fire ends with a cliffhanger, so naturally, I couldn't wait to grab Mockingjay, the third and final installment, as soon as it was released last Tuesday. I started reading right away, but by page 107, I was concerned.
It didn't.
Mockingjay is pages and pages of misery. Around Part 2, it starts to get a little better, but as quickly as our reason to care appears, it disappears. And it's right back to bad things happening... bad things happening... more bad things... and just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, it does.
And then it's over.
The violence is significantly amped up--far beyond the previous two books--so much so that it spawned a big discussion over violence in Kidlit.
That did play a role in my diminished enthusiasm for Mockingjay. But my primary disappointment was the loss of what I felt made the books relatable and the resolution of the Gale-Katniss-Peeta love triangle.
Collins shows no compassion for her characters in this book--not that she ever did. But in the first two installments, she gave us a break and allowed them moments of joy or at least humanity. In Mockingjay the only peace comes on morphling and even then not so much.
As for the love triangle, I found the interactions between the three leads awkward and forced, and at times unbelieveable. (Two scenes in particular I wish I could share...)
It felt like Collins lost interest in that aspect of her story or was just trying to wrap it up. The book's conclusion in particular was inconsistent and irritating.
I keep reading that the message of Mockingjay is "war is hell." To that I say, "Perhaps."
The message I read was that everyone is evil and everyone will let you down. I suppose that's real life, but I felt like these brave, heroic characters deserved a better ending--reality notwithstanding. (This is fiction after all...)
It's an extremely cynical book. Some might argue it's the book we deserve, but I don't believe that. At least not yet.
My grade for Mockingjay: B- Because despite my reaction, Collins's writing is strong, and her ability to maintain the tone and keep you biting your nails at the horror of it all is masterful.
If your favorite parts of the trilogy are the battles and the brutality of the games, you will enjoy Mockingjay. If your favorite parts were the character development, the relationships and the love, you probably won't.
On to How Guys Read~
So last Monday I mentioned the discussion about how there's no market for YA male books. Or agents report asking for boy books only to find editors have one (1) slot for them. And often it's filled.
Several male readers left comments on what they read or Moms reported what their teen sons were reading, and based on all those comments I spotted a trend.
First, teen guys DO read! But often they jump straight from MG to the adult aisle. Specifically, adult fantasy, sci fi, thrillers, crime or nonfiction.
Four commenters (Matt, DL, Angie, and Ellie) noted guys sometimes take a reading break in their late teens/early 20s. Follow-up questioning revealed other extracurricular activities (e.g., parties, video games, girls, etc.) as the culprit, but these guys ultimately did start reading again.
Now I'm wondering: Can the YA guy market be created (or expanded)? If not, why? YA is working great with the girls.
And how did you guys feel about Mockingjay?