Mini Reviews

I've been reading up a storm, but don't seem to have the time or brain power to write up full reviews for all of these books. So mini reviews! Short and sweet.

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

I really liked it. I enjoyed Bitterblue finding her footing in the world, even if this wasn't the most inventive of the three books. I enjoyed her romance, the court intrigue, the secret (or as it turns out not so secret) ventures into her city. What I could have done without was the crew from beyond the mountains coming to visit. It felt rushed and unnecessary. Sure they discovered the world, but for my tastes it would have been better to end on a different note. Like maybe they show up on the last page or something, but we're not privy to what happens next. For how long it took Bitterblue to figure everything out, this last part felt rushed and crammed in. Regardless, I read it very quickly and enjoyed it quite a bit.
[Purchased  Book]

The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi

Another one I had been dying to get my hands on. It was fantastic, but perhaps not as fantastic as Shipbreaker. And I only think that because I didn't connect to the characters quite as much as I did with those in Shipbreaker. That's not to say I didn't like them. Mahlia was pretty fantastic. I thought it was awesome to have a disabled main character and have her be capable, smart, and kick ass. We need more of that. I also loved having Tool as a main character, but I still didn't learn as much about him as I wanted to. I mean he is so crafty and such a rich character I wanted to get into his mind and really dig around. I am pretty much amazed at Bacigalupi's writing. It is stellar. I thought he did a fantastic job showing how useless violence is and how it can spiral downwards out of control until even children are forced to fight and no one even knows what they're fighting for anymore - only that they can't imagine any other way of life.
[Library Copy]

Double by Jenny Valentine

This was probably my least favorite of the three, which disappointed me because I've loved all her previous books. The ending was just too far fetched. And there was too much of "I'm a fake, they're going to find me out, oh no!" Without enough character development to back it up. And that ending. Mmmm. Did not work for me. I won't spoil it for you, but meh.
[ARC found on 4th floor]

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Holy mackerel people! I found the ARC to Insurgent squirreled away among the adult ARCs that our adult selectors receive. What are the chances! Needless to say, I snagged that sucker.

And I couldn't put it down. I think I liked it more than the first book. Seriously. It was pretty much awesome from start to finish.

The book basically begins where the last one left off. They are still on the train escaping. Tris, Tobias, Peter, Marcus, and Caleb hop off the train and are given refuge with the Amity. Only the refuge doesn't last long and from the start of the book until the end there is non-stop plot-progressing action that is fantastic. Tris is still Tris. Meaning she is still awfully hard on herself - to the point where it can detract a little from the story - but by mid-book I think you can see a turning point. And by the end, she's come to terms with a lot of things she needed to.

Looking back over my review of the first book, I feel as though the author addressed almost all of my "potential problem" list:

Love interest too perfect? Not anymore, now that we spend more time with Tobias we realize he's got flaws just like the rest of us. And some pretty gaping ones at that.

Factions don't really make sense? Well, they still are sort of strange - but we have an entire plot dedicated to learning more about them and we learn about all of them. We spend some quality time with Amity and Candor and it helps to expand the storyline in necessary ways. The author did a good job expanding the reader's knowledge of the political structure without it bogging down the action. And then we get to the end of the story and it blows the whole thing wide open. And I mean wide open. I can't wait to see where the story goes in the next book.

Are the simulations for real? As in, why wouldn't they have immediately recognized Tris as divergent? Well, turns out they sort of did, but there were things going on that couldn't be revealed until the sequel. I loved the continuation of the nefarious simulations created by Jeanine. And how Tris is forced to endure more of them.

People heal waaaaaay too quickly? No magical-at-the-speed-of-light healing in this one. People who were injured early on remained injured throughout - they did heal, but bullet wounds did not go away after a week. Indeed, serious injuries did not completely heal at all.

We've got people showing up that were thought to be dead, we've got more traitors than you can shake a stick at, we've got an entire political structure that is imploding and so many people fighting for power that it seems as though things are never going to improve.

If you at all liked the first book I think this one will knock your socks off.

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Book Source = ARC found on 4th floor

The Obsidian Blade by Pete Hautman

This is a title where the reviews have been sort of all over the place. A starred review from Booklist, a mostly positive from Kirkus and a rather confusing one from publisher’s weekly (I personally didn’t think the 9-11 segment was jaw-dropping or particularly daring. In fact, to be honest I found it odd that it was found to be an event of consequence on par with the crucifixion of Christ or the Holocaust, but I'm getting ahead of myself). Nevertheless, there was much to like in this book. There was much to be sort of bored with too.

So, yeah, there are some “events” in this book. It is essentially a time-travel book. There are special disks that are hidden in the town of Hopewell, the residence of one Tucker Feye, our main protagonist. These disks were created by an artist so far in the future that (s)he doesn’t even have a corporal form at the time of his/her life. The disks were an art project to remind those in the future of pivotal events in the past. Events such as listed above (again – 9-11? Not to be dismissive, but the scale of 9-11 is pretty small and concentrated when compared to the other historical events used).

Tucker becomes aware of the disks when his father inadvertently disappears through one after falling off the roof. After a while (and a several set-uppy-type-events that to this reader took more time than necessary to transpire) Tucker himself decides to go through a disk.

Here is my main complaint: There is far too much time dedicated to the set-up of this book. So much time is dedicated that it is hard to understand that there is actually a probable (and interesting) connection to what seem to at first be a random selection of historical events (well, I should point out that by the time the book ends only the crucifixion scene gets tied back in. The 9-11 scene could have been anything/anywhere at this point. It was important only because of an interaction that transpired there, but there could be more to it that isn’t revealed at this point).

Another more minor complaint: The made up future language of people like the Klaatu, awn, etc. The naming conventions didn’t seem well integrated into the story and seemed chosen for their futuristic sounds more than anything else.

The book literally ends with a bang. It was fantastic, heart-stopping awesome ending. I loved it. There was action, there was betrayal, there were villains…It was so good I wanted to know why it took so long to get to something at this level of excitement. If it had been this exciting for at least half the book I’d be chomping at the bit for the sequel. As it is now, I’m not sure the payoff was worth it for me. Which is a darned shame. I love Pete Hautman and I have a feeling this series is going to be really interesting come the next installment.

======================

Book Source = Publisher Copy

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Please note that this is posted for our Mock Printz discussion and will have spoilers and pertinent plot points discussed.

First review here.

On my second read the first thing I noticed is how well the author sets up all the major plot points in the book within the first few chapters. It is subtle and well integrated that I didn’t even realize that it was happening the first time I read, I was too busy being swept away by the story. We learn about the origins of Four, even though we don’t know enough to know what we’re learning. We learn about the factions and the stresses that are growing between them. We learn about the danger being a Divergent will bring, although not why or how or where.

I enjoyed the first person present tense. I enjoyed Tris’ perspective and her insecurities and feelings of inadequacies. Perhaps she picked up on things rather quickly and was rather tough for such a small person (but I’ve known some wicked mean-scary skinny people so…). I thought the characters were for the most part distinct and well developed, with there being enough building of the villains to keep them from being card-board cackling maniacs (except possibly Jeanine). And there was just the right amount of tension throughout the novel to keep you turning the pages.

Themes of friendship, morality, family (blood vs. faction were particularly strong), pride vs. bravery, forgiveness, and revenge ran through the novel.

Possible faults:

Tris’ romance with Four relied on some well-worn romantic tropes. He is distant, kindamaybe too perfect at everything he does, and has a mysterious past, is oh-so-strong and manages to come to the rescue at exactly the right time (ack!). And I would say that he has a secret soft side that only she sees (and then go barf), but I really think that we’re getting only Tris’ perspective and she only interacted with him as a trainer. However, when she saw him partying in public with his friends he was substantially different than in his role as trainer. Soooo, I bought that he was different in private. He was obviously different in public with his friends. I don’t know. I liked the romance regardless. I can’t help it.

The factions. Do they really make sense? I mean when you really think about them, does it make sense that people would organize themselves that way? I think the fact that they are crumbling doesn’t mean that their origins weren’t born out of noble aspirations. We know so little of what the cataclysmic event was that brought on this dystopian world (in my mind NOT a problem), that it is hard to know whether or not people would organize themselves this way. It seems to me we have a good idea of what their original purposes were and an even better idea of how far they have strayed from them. I don’t even mind that we don’t learn very much about 2 of the factions (Candor and Amity) since the sequel will have to be substantially different from this book and they could very well be explored there.

From the choosing ceremony on – the rate of healing was a little unbelievable. They cut their palms people and dribble blood – that hurts! And then you can't probably even pick up a pen. And I doubt it heals that fast. How deep did they cut it? Additionally, the beatings they took during Divergent initiation were brutal, yet they shuffled around and then sort of healed. And this is despite hospitalization... I dunno. It wasn't like it was over a period of months, it was at most two weeks.

The Simulations and the final test – the fear landscape. It seemed pretty clear that they weren’t directly connected. By that I mean, the simulations the initiates had when preparing for the final test, weren’t necessarily their fears. So why are Tris’ almost exactly the same as her practiced simulations? Four had four specific ones. They were directly related to his life. In real life he has a fear of heights. But birds pecking? The water tank? Peter burning her at the stake? In real life Tris does not have a fear of birds pecking her to death (etc.). At one point she wishes that she only had four fears to face, but she isn’t that brave. But. Um. Actually…no matter how you say it (powerless, weak, out of control) it is all basically the same thing. So if her one fear is powerlessness than how come she doesn’t just have one simulation? Why aren't more of hers related to her real life? Or is Tris just so damn bad-ass she really only has one fear?

And here is where my main problem comes. The very last simulation, where Tris sacrifices herself instead of shooting her family would have fairly screamed Divergent to the several leaders who were watching the whole freakin’ thing on a screen!

So, yeah, some potential issues. On the whole? I still loved it. I can't wait for the sequel.

=========================
Mock Printz Titles:

A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness

(Patti's 1st review)

Between Shades of Gray - Ruta Sepetys

(Patti's review)
Berlin Boxing Club - Robert Sharenow

(Patti's 1st review)
Blood Red Road - Moira Young

(Patti's 1st review)
Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor

(Joanna's review)
Divergent - Veronica Roth

(Patti's 1st review)
Everybody Loves the Ants - A.S. King

(Patti's 1st review)
Flesh and Blood so Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Legacy - Albert Marrin
Imaginary Girls - Nova Ren Suma

(Patti's review)

Where Things Come Back - John Corey Whaley

(Patti's 1st Review)

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Dystopian Chicago. Got to love it! No really, you do. Even if you think, "good god I can't take another," pick it up anyway and you won't regret it. This one has a dystopian setting, but the plot doesn't revolve around how the world got that way, it just happens to be set there. Which is the best kind of dystopia, no?

I really enjoyed the world building in this novel. It was extremely well done. This is a world where people recognized that there is something inherently bad about people. We just can't help it. We are greedy, lying, conniving, cruel, power-hungry creatures. So in recognition of that fact, they divided the world into five factions based on the best elements of human nature (there is a thorough explanation in the book so i'll skip it here).

When a person turns 16, they undergo a trial which helps them to pick which faction they will belong to for the rest of their life. Beatrice, our heroine, is about to turn 16. And, of course, once she does, she learns that things are not at all what they seem. The factions are on the point of crumbling. People are not sticking to the original plan and it is going to have disastrous results.

This is really a pulse pounding book. Beatrice is my favorite kind of character. She's tough as nails, she may not want to kill you, but she'll shoot you in the leg if she has to. On the flip side, she's filled with insecurity and self-doubt and yet manages to be deeply moral, loyal, and brave. She's also a bit reactionary and violent and has a lot to learn about friendship.

There is a romance in here which was pretty dang hot. Beatrice was a little slow on the uptake, but the author made it work and then went above and beyond when Beatrice must face her fears (oh fear landscape, how nice a literary touch were you).

This is the first in a series and I'm looking forward to where the author takes the story. There is a lot that happens in this book and the next book will be a whole different set of issues the author will have to tackle. It'll be interesting to see if the tension that was so wonderfully used in this book can be maintained in the second.

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Mock Printz

1. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Patti's Review)

2. Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt (Joanna's Review)

3. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

4. Blood Red Road by Moira Young (Patti's Review)

5. Divergent by Veronica Roth

===============================

Book Source = Tayshas Committee Copy

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Wither is set in a future time when genetic engineering has created something of a catch-22 for the human race, they can still reproduce, but they die early, really early. Girls at 20, boys at 25. There is one last long-lived generation that is beginning to die out, some are desperately trying to find a cure, some are fighting to end human life entirely. Those that are trying to keep the human race alive (and have the money to do so) kidnap young girls and sell them into polygamous marriages.

You can see why I wanted to read this one, what a premise! This is a total page-turner. I really wanted to see where this story was going to go and how it was going to end. It is a trilogy, so be prepared to not have all your questions answered, but there was quite a bit of growth both character and plot wise.

(Scroll over to see spoilers-->
The real strength of this novel was the author's ability to really delve into how a girl, Rhine, and her fellow sister wives would react to being kidnapped and forcibly married. It isn't very pretty, the author doesn't pull any punches, but she wisely chooses to have Rhine (who is our main protagonist and is telling us the story) not consummate the marriage. Instead it is the other two sister wives who consummate the marriage and so you can deal with the sexual politics of forced marriage without having to have your main character either be raped or become some male fantasy of a sex slave won over by her captor.

Yes there is definitely Stockholm Syndrome. But the author was really smart in how she portrayed the wives. Cecily, is young, an orphan and is more than willing to be the wife. Jenna, despises it, but has already been forced to sell her body to survive and is willing to spend her last year in comfort. Rhine has been protected by her brother and desperately wants to escape and get back to him. Complicating this whole thing is that their husband truly seems to have no idea that the girls were kidnapped. He doesn't, however, seem to mind having three girls who need to please him to survive. In fact, he doesn't seem to have any idea why they wouldn't want to be there. Which is disgusting and really not all that surprising.

The only other complaint I have is that in a world where technology can produce amazing holograms everywhere and for every purpose, surely someone would have thought to bug the wives quarters. Or at least put in a Teddy-Cam. Housemaster Vaughn seemed like he was fairly competent at being an evil SOB, so frankly I'm surprised he didn't think of that.
<--End of Spoilers)

I was somewhat unwilling to believe that the girls who are sold into these marriages absolutely needed to be kidnapped (other than it is needed to set up the tension in the story). The men who buy wives are incredibly rich. It seems to me, that in a world filled with such desperation, there would be more than enough willing girls that kidnapping and buying would be unnecessary. Wouldn't it be more economical to hold a cattle call audition American Idol Style? For a great review that isn't blanked out with spoilers, head over to Bookshelves of Doom.

Another one the teen ladies are going to go crazy over. Forbidden love, desperate death sentences to outwit, and a great premise.

=======================================

Book Source = committee review copy

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Love, or Amor Deliria Nervosa, is a disease. It is the real cause of stroke, heart disease, and pretty much any other ailment that humans once suffered from. Then came the cure which is administered to every person at age 18. The cure calms you. The cure makes you safe.

Lena longs for the cure. She is counting down the days until her 18th birthday and she can be free of all her troublesome emotions and paired with her life partner. That is at least until she meets Alex. Alex has another outlook on the cure and suddenly Lena is questioning everything she took for granted. Not to mention having a little steamy romance, which is, of course, completely forbidden (and probably a little hotter because of it, right?).

I really liked the way the author built up the mythology around the cure. Every chapter begins with a quote from a text that kids grow up studying. Much comes from the hilariously acronymed Book of Shhh (or The Safety, Health, and Happiness Handbook).

I would have liked to have known more about the procedure. It seemed to be some sort of lobotomy. What I was most curious about is if this “cure” made a person free from desire and love how come the society is so interested in preserving the family unit? I found the descriptions of child rearing chilling. And truthfully I didn’t understand how the children weren’t all sociopaths or wickedly unhappy with the lack of love and human touch they receive from their birth on.

And further more, just how exactly does sex work? I mean really, let’s just get to the point, no? Lena makes a couple references to her wedding night and how she would have to let her partner put his hands on her. Surely a procedure that removes desire would kill the sex drive too? Is it proscribed sex? Is there a mandatory sex regimen that they have to follow? Is the procedure different for men and women?

Finally, why is it enforced so thoroughly and harshly? This world that Lena lives in is essentially a dictatorship. There is a narrowly proscribed way to act. There are people who watch and turn you in for infractions. What I didn’t get a sense of is who is benefitting from this? And for a world like this to function, someone has to be top dog and getting something out of it. Like a secret harem. Just sayin'.

Despite my questions, I did enjoy this and think that it will be a big hit for the teen ladies who will swoon over the hot and heavy forbidden romance.

================================
Book Source = committee book

Matched by Ally Condie

In Cassia's world, the Society makes every decision for you, from what you eat to who you marry. When her match contains a surprising mistake, Cassia begins on a journey that will lead her to question everything about her life, including herself.

Okay, I see why people really love this book. The world-building is intriguing and well-imagined; the ethics very blurry. Nothing is truely what it seems, nor is anything black and white/good or evil. Cassia herself is both likeable and irritating at turns. And the boys, even moreso.

I especially liked how the romance was handled in the story. Cassia loves them both; she really is torn for most of the book. And the relationships change in a believable manner, over months and due to time spent together and things learned, just as real romances do. Cassia becomes an adult, in a way that many of the adults around her never do.

Even the side characters are well-drawn and believable. Gavin, her Grandfather, her parents, they all seemed very real and very stuck in the world they live in. Even when they make the "right" decisions (as if they really get to make any) things can take an awful turn.

I'll be thinking about this story for some time. And while I do see the similarities others have mentioned to The Giver and A Wrinkle in Time, I don't necessarily think that is a bad thing...

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

This is how it is done people. This is how you write a dysptopia. Just the right amount of world building (what little he does goes a long way. It is remarkable), awesome characterization, tight writing with no padding, and the slang. I LOVE the slang. And I love the names. In fact I think it would be safe to say that I pretty much love everything about this book.

I thought I had written about this before, but I couldn't find my post so I must not have (edited to add: I wrote a lame haiku). I would've liked to compare my first impressions with my second read of the book. I know I really liked it the first time and I think I loved it even more when I finished it for the second time. I couldn't help but compare it to Finnikin which I just wrote about. In every way Ship Breaker put Finnikin to shame (and I say that while still liking Finnikin FYI). The writing in this is really spare and to the point and totally effective. We don't know much about the wider world where this story is set, but we don't need to. We know everything we need to know in order for this story to work, nothing extra. The violence is just as evident and in your face but somehow managed to avoid being graphic and over the top. The dialogue was totally believable and that dang slang...honestly, incredible. I think I'm going to tell people to crew up. We'll see how that goes over at the next staff meeting.

This is a future where people live on beaches making shacks out of anything they can scavenge. Category six hurricanes, or city killers, are common. People's work crews are everything. In Nailer's world you're either small enough for light crew or you better hope you're big enough to fight for a spot on heavy crew. Either way the window for work is small and you better be loyal and reliable and hard working. Trust is everything. Break a blood oath and you'll get a knife through your work tattoos marking you as an oath breaker.

There are environmental themes, this is very much a commentary on where our reliance on oil is going to lead us. Themes of class division, morals and humanity, family, loyalty, and some genetic engineering thrown in to round us out (I am dying to learn more about Tool).

Joanna and Patti Discuss...Mockingjay!

:::SPOILERIFIC CONVERSATION:::

:::SPOILERIFIC CONVERSATION:::

:::SPOILERIFIC CONVERSATION:::

:::SPOILERIFIC CONVERSATION:::

You've been warned! In red! That means it is a serious warning people.

Patti: Alright, so first impressions?

Joanna: First impressions! I thought there would be more fighting. Although I'm usually not an epilogue person, I liked this one.

Patti: oh really? I can't say I was expecting more fighting, but I wasn't not expecting that either. And really, I thought there was a good bit of it throughout the story

Joanna: There was a bit much Peeta/Gale inner-Katniss dialogue that irked me.I guess I thought we'd see more Katniss like we did in the games. It really only came out in the 3rd part. (fighting)

Patti: What I noticed first was how damaged Katniss was. She was a different Katniss. Darker, more skeptical. I found her to be completely believable. I liked her a lot.

Joanna: PTSD for sure. I liked how she was hiding out. She is still a kid.

Patti: Yes. And how all of the victors were suffering. It was intense.

Joanna: Right. Combat wounds. Other people just don't get it. Finnick really got me.

Patti: And how there is such a large distance between them (like they really know what is up) and between the districk 12/13 ians

Joanna: Elaborate.

Patti: The difference between how Gale and Katniss see Coin. How they react to every situation. The lack of empathy Gale shows compared to the incredible empathy that Katniss shows. One is willing to kill for a point and the other knows killing doesn't lead to much other than killing (even though she's willing to do it to survive)

Joanna: Right. I really liked seeing that about Gale. I liked how he balanced out Katniss's thoughts and made her really consider what was going on. I also started to realize that he isn't the match for her. He had very valid positions (knowing your enemy's weeknesses) but he was very "ends justify the means". Like a hunter?

Patti: Good point. But i think it was also just a forest for the trees thing. What kind of new world will you have if your leader is every bit as ruthless as the old one?

Joanna: Katniss has a great line when she and gale go to see Beetee and they talk about the hummingbirds - about how we're all acting in self-defense.

Patti: And if you buy into that mentality, if the ends justify the means then you're just going to be the world's new peacekeaper

Joanna: YES. YES. That is one of my favorite points of the series. They were becoming the thing they were rebelling against. When Coin mentioned putting Capitol kids in the Hunger Games I about lost it.

Patti: There were a lot of great lines in here. I really have been disheartened at some of the reactions to the book. I thought it was strong and well written. This is exactly where Collins has been heading. War is ugly and senseless and we lose ourselves.

Joanna: District 13 is so interesting.

Patti: Oh man the "new" hunger games was ruthless.

Joanna: And being careful with power. Having the Katnisses and Peetas of the world remind us what it costs.

Patti: District 13 was fascinating. So totalitarian. Every little thing balanced and weighed out. Which for survival is good, but to continue indefinitely? What does that do to free will? When does it stop being for your own good and for someone else's climb to power.

Joanna: Someone else's form of submission. Brilliant. They did what they needed to survive and to their credit they did. But then they got freaky!

Patti: Right! They took it too far. They could have entered the world and hunted again to supplement their diet. Why not? No more creativity.

Joanna: No privacy!

Patti: Everything driven and focused on revenge. Which to a point. Yeah, they needed to get Snow out of there. But they were losing their ability to be human.

Joanna: The design team in the dungeon being tortured! Hello! So do you think Plutarch knew?

Patti: And you know, anyone who will torture (like the prep team was tortured) not people you want to lead you. Great minds!

Joanna: :)

Patti: I think Plutarch knew. I'm sure it fit into his plan somehow. I don't think there wasn't much he missed and calibrated into what would make the best T.V. He was calculating. And I think he knew Katniss well. What motivation she needed. Plus, he has probably seen way worse, maybe it didn't seem to bad to him. Or maybe he didn't know! I don't know.

Joanna: It's something to think about. It's left open. And yeah, he is a weirdo. The traps in the city - sick sick man. There's another itchy creepy little plot - staging propaganda and televising everything. What is "news."

Patti: Yes. You know what really got me? Finnick talking about how he was basically a sex slave.

Joanna: Moving on!

Patti: That kicked me in the gut.

Joanna: Finnick. I love him. But again. Back to the horrors of war. And he was a kid.

Patti: How you're a slave to the capital before, you're a slave during, and a slave after, even when you're supposed to be "safe."

Joanna: Look at what is going on in Africa? Southeast Asia?

Patti: And safe in the only way you're allowed to be. Totally.

Joanna: Exactly. Winning isn't winning. So so creepy.

Patti: All ties back into her themes. Everything.

Joanna: It made me rethink every Tribute we've met. HAYMITCH.

Patti: Yes. It explains why they were all in the rebellion for sure.

Joanna: I wish there was more of him, but I guess his story is to be guessed at. Pieced together with stories from the other champions. Almost every character is not to be trusted at one point in the book.

Patti: Yeah, I could have done with more details. I could have done with more Haymitch period. He was fun and always added interesting perspectives.

Joanna: But the trick was to figure out who was still on your side.

Patti: I found it interesting that he went back to district 12 and then just lost himself in a bottle again. No moving on for Haymitch.

Joanna: I love that he never gave up on Katniss or Peeta.

Patti: True that. He did what he had to do, but tried to make up for it when he could.

Joanna: In my imagination... he was the grumpy old man next door to Peeta and Katniss.

Patti: Ha!

Joanna: Keeping some happy in there.

Patti: What did you think of Peeta's brain hijacking? There has been some discontent on that. I thought it was interesting.

Joanna: Oh, relay me the discontent. Not believable? I thought it was smart of her. I mean, Snow managed to put white roses out for Katniss. Evil knows no bounds.

Patti: I think some people thought it was convenient. Like she had to make up some sort of tension. I thought it was interesting. There is a quote on p. 232 that I loved. Basically they meet and talk and he dismisses her coldly and says, "you're a piece of work, aren't you." and she is PISSED. Angry and hatefull and she says. "It's almost too mortifying to admit. All those months of taking it for granted that Peeta thought I was wonderful are over. Finally, he can see me for who I really am. Violent. Distrustful. Manipulative. Deadly. And I hate him for it." Wowzer! Because she is all those things, she's been forced to become all those things. But in fact she has kept her humanity so that it isn't all that she is. I thought it was a real definative turning point in the story. She is going to EFF things up.

Joanna: I liked that it wasn't a hugs and kisses reunion. Peeta's been borderline cheesy when it comes to Katniss in the past. I liked that their reunion was violent and he had to relearn about her by remembering those things the capitol could not take from him. So much tension! When he went on the mission. Comedy when he went to eat dinner

Patti: Yes yes yes. He really is. And honestly, that gets old and pathetic. So I enjoyed him more in this one that I have before. Much more dynamic, more nuanced.

Joanna: And clearly effed up. He didn't seem as traumatized at Katniss after book 1 and 2. (He made Finnick and Annie's cake! Hilarious. And adorable.)

Patti: Totally. That was one of my favorite part. How damaged everyone is. So realistic. And like you said, how Collins manages to add in the humor. It was brilliant.

Joanna: There were an number of times that I had to remember that Katniss and Peeta are still teenagers.

Patti: So if we must touch on Team Peeta and Team Gale (and I think we must...lol), now seems like a good time to do it.

Joanna: Drum roll....

Patti: Ha! I think that portion also pissed off a lot of readers... you know the ones that were cracked in the head and thought this was some sort of Twilighty love story. It wasn't really a happy ending. It was an ending with moments, glimpses of happiness

Joanna: And total utter heartbreak. Epic heartbreak.

Patti: Epic. Unending.

Joanna: I was happy she was with Peeta because I realized that Gale is not her choice. Honestly, going in I really didn't have an opinion about either.

Patti: Me neither, and I really didn't think it was the point of the story. I think I agree with you that in this book we got more of it, and i wonder if it was just that Katniss had more downtime to think about it in her wanderings. I mean, she is like 16/17. Why does she need to have things figured out. How many people find their forever friend at that age?

Joanna: The saddest part about the ending for me was Katniss's mom (name?) distancing herself from her daughter. Broke. My. Heart.

Patti: You know, I didn't read it like that. I thought she just needed time. But I think you're right.

Joanna: Right, but it is a teen novel.

Patti: Oh! and that about Prim dying. Many people thought it was gratuitous.

Joanna: Everybody died.

Patti: I thought it was senseless and made sense. War = senseless.

Joanna: You can't like one character in her novels without the thought that he/she will get offed in some horrific way. Melting skin? Torn apart by zombie reptiles? Dart in the eye?

Patti: LOLOL

Joanna: Right.

Patti: Redunculous violence.

Joanna: Again. Finnick.

Patti: Poor Finnick.

Joanna: I do admit, and we have to discuss it, the parachute disaster was a lot for her to ask of us readers.

Patti: Parachute disaster?

Joanna: The children at the capitol.

Patti: OOOOHHHHHHH right.

Joanna: Plutarch and Gale and Beetee's involvement.

Patti: What did you think? That it was the rebels? I thought it was strongly implied.

Joanna: And that creepy encounter with Snow when it comes to us that holy crap everyone is insane. Doesn't Gale apologize to her in the epilogue?

Patti: (and that he laughed/choked himself to death on his blood...sick)

Joanna: Yeah, but he didn't get the end of Katniss's arrow!

Patti: Gale did apologize, but it was a "we'll never know for sure." bullstein type of apology.

Joanna: Keeps you thinking. Mark of a great story.

Patti: Honestly, I loved it. I thought it showed once again, that just because you're fighting against an evil, doesn't automatically give you the moral high ground. It is your actions and most importantly how you treat your enemies that does that. And I totally thought Coin did it inspired by Gale's weapon. And I don't think that is really why Gale and Katniss didn't stay "friends" or whatever. I thought it was Gale's lack of empathy. I think if he felt remorse it could have been different.

Joanna: Agreed. Gale and Katniss aren't the same people they were before. It's okay.

Patti: Totally ok. Did you think the parachute was over the top? too much?

Joanna: Honestly. Yes. And that it was children. Ugh.

Patti: Ha! And that might be why i was the opposite. I thought it was a fitting conclusion to Plutarch's last hunger games.

Joanna: Oh. Interesting.'

Patti: Why kill just 24 when you can kill a whole bunch more. And film it all for posterity.

Joanna: I was kind of sad Plutarch made it alive.

Patti: Yeah, his type should die. BOGGS!

Joanna: BOGGS!

Patti: Oh I loved Boggs. That was sadness tripled.

Joanna: Interesting guy. Made me think that knowing Katniss turned his thoughts. Or more likely got him to think about 13. And Coin.

Patti: A brand new District 13 ally. I think she did, but there was probably some seeds there before. Not everyone can drink the koolaid.

Joanna: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

Patti: So what do you think? Where would you rate it between the three books? Best? Worst?

Joanna: Oh, I'm terrible at that. Er. I think it's hard to top 1.

Patti: The first is probably the best, or else none of us would have kept reading. But I thought it was probably one of the most powerful series closers that I have ever read.

Joanna: I was so grateful that it wasn't an 800 page ramble fest like Deathly Hallows. Cram it all in!

Patti: I thought it might have been even more breathless than the first. For one we get answers. Lots of tying up of plot points.

Joanna: But mysteries are what is great about the first one.

Patti: You know, I'm just going to say it I thought it was the strongest written of the three. The first was breathless and had me freaking out and I loved it, but this ending was so satisfying to me. She stayed totally true to the series, characters, everything. I loved it. Possibly even more than the Monsters of Men finale to the Chaos Walking Series.

Joanna: Oh! Strong words! It's very satisfying.

Patti: I know. My one complaint about Monsters of Men was the Mayor. He lived WAAAAYYYYY too long. It bored me a little. Just kill the MF already.

Joanna: As I read I always try to figure out what could happen and with these books it is almost impossible. She consistently pulls the rug out from under the reader.

Patti: Yes. Her plotting is impeccable. But I really do think her writing got stronger too.

Joanna: Agreed. You can't eff up this idea with lousy writing. Too important.

Patti: Maybe I could have dealt with a little less Katniss self reflection on her responsibility for so many people's deaths. Yes, Katniss I get it. But then I just remind myself that this entire series took place in like less than 2 years time. That is not a lot of time to process things. Not for an adult and especially not for a 16/17 year old kid.

Joanna: It also sets you up because there are way more deaths on the way. How is she going to handle that. When she was walking through District 12 at the beginning and saying "I killed you" to the bodies, that was brutal. But yeah, yeah she had a part in it.

===========================================

The part where the conversation turns to about other books....

Patti: Now for the finale to Skin Hunger... That is the only other series I'm anxiously awaiting a final book on. You?

Joanna: Interesting to make the connection between the two. And we will have to wait about 3 more years, right?

Patti: Probably. I hope not. But probably seeing as how she didn't seem to have the book plotted out. That was wild to find out.

Joanna: But she is good so one of those that will be worth the wait. Just hope that it doesn't become one of those "whoops, it's actually FOUR books!" and then that's a sign that it will stink.

Patti: lol

Joanna: Speaking of reading, I finally read Graceling. It was weird to read Katniss and Katsa next to each other. Both worried about being monsters.

Patti: Did you like?

Joanna: Yes. I'm curious about Fire. I'll have to get to that but my next book is Finnikin of the Rock. Went to get Ship Breaker but the librarian couldn't locate it in the library! Somebody stole it!

Patti: Alright, well it was lovely chatting with you!

Joanna: Yay! It was fun!