Review - Catching Fire

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2)
by Suzanne Collins
Date: 2009
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Reading level: YA
Book type: prose novel
Pages: 391
Format: e-book
Source: bought from Kobo

Katniss Everdeen has somehow managed to survive the Hunger Games, bringing security and plenty to her family and friends. But her survival is viewed as an act of rebellion, and she unwittingly becomes the face of an uprising against the cruel government of the Capitol. Now the Capitol is furious and wants revenge.

Katniss soon finds herself thrust back into the spotlight once more, fighting for her life and the lives of those she loves. The Capitol is doing everything it can to quash the growing discontent in the districts, and Katniss is in their sights. Complicating matters are her feelings for the two important men in her life. Can she survive going head-to-head with the Capitol without hurting those she loves? Or will the Capitol ultimately destroy everything in its path -- including the "girl on fire"?

I read The Hunger Games not long ago, and when I finished, I just couldn't wait to get my hands on this sequel.  I'd heard it was even better than the first.  I don't know if I'd go quite that far, but I still really enjoyed it... and I'm now eagerly awaiting reading Mockingjay.

I found myself a little bored in places, so the pace wasn't quite as good as it was in The Hunger Games.  But I did like some of the new plot elements (which I can't really mention without giving too much away).  I'm also curious to see where this love triangle goes; I like both guys and the storyline events are so unpredictable that it's impossible to guess what will happen in the end.

I read (most of) this book on my new Kobo, and I noticed a few typos (missing line breaks, mostly).  I'm not sure if this is par for the course with e-books or not (I've heard some Kindle editions are also pretty lousy, though).

Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Pace: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Overall: 3.6 out of 5