Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

390 pg (Trade Paperback) Fiction

Mockingjay is the 3^rd and final book in the Hunger Games series. There will be spoilers for the earlier books in this post. 

At the end of Catching Fire  Katniss has been taken out of the arena only to find that there resistance against the Capitol is real and strong. District 13 is a large population living mostly underground.  She is soon made into a media spectacle and used as the face of the rebellion. She is involved in covert missions that become little more than photo shoots to show the power of the rebellion. The capitol responds with harsh bombings of the 13^th District, but the underground bunkers protect most of the inhabitants. Peeta has been captured by the capitol and after a heroic mission to save him  it is reveled that he has been brainwashed into thinking Katniss, The Mockingjay, is his enemy. At this point the book becomes a account of a war between the rebels and the Capitol. Eventually leading to an all out attack on the Capitol which, of course, Katniss participates in.

I have to take into consideration that the book was written from young adults. As this series has gone on  I became less interested in it. The Hunger Games is destined to be a classic book for young readers and it is sad that the series doesn’t hold up to the original book. This isn’t to say it isn’t worth reading, it just felt like the first book was fantastic and the second book really slowed things down. Mockingjay brings back the excitement, but not to the extent of the original.

3 Emotional/Intellectual -  I really had a hard time liking Katniss as the books went on. I cared about the plight of the districts and that is what kept me reading.

3 Style/ Readability-  Although some things were unexpected, over all the books become fairly predictable towards the end. The writing is fine, but not outstanding.

4 Long Term Impact – These books won’t make it to Harry Potter popularity, but I think they will be a part of main stream reading for a long time.

10 out of 13 – The Hunger Games book is well worth the read. Because of this you will get sucked into reading the rest of the series. That is fine just don’t expect it to end as well as it began.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

588 pages (Trade Paperback) Fiction

I have read a few books by Neil Gaiman. He is touted as a Young Readers author, but has the occasional adult themed book. Up until now I have had a rather lukewarm feeling towards his books. I like the ideas, but didn’t fall in love with them. I had been told that American Gods is one of his best and I wasn’t disappointed.

The book follows a man named Shadow just released from prison. He is confronted by a strange character named Mr. Wednesday. He offers him a job being his driver. Though he turns it down, a series of unlikely events leads to him being in the employ of Mr. Wednesday. Shadow soon starts to see a side of America that no one has experienced before. As people came from other parts of the world to settle in America they brought along with them the tales and stories that were a part of their culture. The characters in those stories were brought to life by the beliefs of the people. As time has passed the stories get told less and people forget the stories of their ancestors. The characters become just another person roaming through America. Shadow becomes deeply involved in this hidden part of America and tries to find his place in it.

I have always enjoyed Gaiman ability to take a real situation and add enough fantasy to make it fun. His writing is right on and the book moves along at a great pace. The book was very engaging and a worthwhile read for most anyone.

3 Emotional/Intellectual – How would you act if you were a forgotten tale from the Old World come to life? Some try just to survive. Others try to take what they can get.

4 Style/Readability – Of all Gaiman I have read so far this is the best writing and story yet.

4 Long Term Impact – Gaiman has already made a name for himself. This is considered one of his best and will enjoy popularity for some time.

11 out of 13. This book is well worth your time to pick up. If you have tried another of his books and thought it was ok I would suggest grabbing this and being delighted.

A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell

426 pages (Trade Paperback) Historical Fiction

 I was introduced to Russell with her fantastic book, The Sparrow. I was so touched by that book that I felt the need to read some others.

  A Thread of Grace starts in 1943 in France during World War II. A group of Jews have been informed that the Germans are going to take over the section of France they have recently settled in. They are forced to run for their lives over the mountains into Italy. Once they arrive in Italy the lives of the new inhabitants and the Italians become intermixed. The story focuses on the people’s efforts to protect the Jews, but also on how people try to live a “normal” life in the face of war.

 The book is an interesting take on WWII. Other books I have read in the past focus on soldiers or Jews involved in the concentration camps. This book has a more hopeful feeling. I was pleased to learn a different side of the war story.

 4 Emotional/Intellectual – It was easy to get involved in people’s stories. The fact that it is focused on a part of WWII that I knew nothing about added unexpected intellectual merit as well.

 3 Style/ Readability – Russell is an accomplished writer and is comfortable to read. I wasn’t as drawn in as I was with The Sparrow.

 2 Long Term Impact – Russell’s fame is not because of this book and it is unlikely that it will ever will be. The saving grace maybe it’s unique take on the war story.

 9 out of 13. If you are interested in a different look at World War II you should take a look at this. If you are just getting interested in it I would suggest Night by Elie Weisel or The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer. If you think Russell is interesting I would suggest starting with The Sparrow although it is not related to A Thread of Grace in anyway. This book is worth a read after enjoying her other work.

I'm Back!

I’m back after a long hiatus. I haven’t stopped reading, but a large amount of my time has been devoted to finishing my masters degree and having a new baby boy. In order to catch myself up I am going to be doing a number of mini reviews until I catch up to where I am.