Just purchased the first one yesterday, which means I'll get around to reading it in about a month, which means I'll finish reading it sometime in the year 2015.

I agree for the most part. I will admit that the third book, for me had plenty of potential. The problem I had was that I don't think that the author really has a grasp of how to write that kind of story. The first one was excellent, the second was good and the third not so much. She probably would have been better served to have enlisted the assistance of another author more familiar with the genre that she was venturing into.

 

I noticed that about halfway through book 2. At some point, does fashion really matter? You wonder about that when more time is spent describing the attire than the acts of rebellion.

I agree for the most part. I will admit that the third book, for me had plenty of potential. The problem I had was that I don't think that the author really has a grasp of how to write that kind of story. The first one was excellent, the second was good and the third not so much. She probably would have been better served to have enlisted the assistance of another author more familiar with the genre that she was venturing into.

 

I agree. I read up a little on Suzanne Collins after getting a ways into the first book. She was a semi-unsuccessful children's television writer for Nickelodeon, and she wrote for some other children's shows, wrote some kids books, an "acclaimed" Christmas tv special...and then she got into young adult fantasy books. Not exactly what I'd call an overwhelming career of literary greatness. She kinda found something that worked after pecking away at writing, and then didn't know how to improve upon her success once she found it.

I have had the first one on loan for a month or so now. Plan to pick it up fairly soon.

I noticed that about halfway through book 2. At some point, does fashion really matter? You wonder about that when more time is spent describing the attire than the acts of rebellion.

 

Mrs. S, who has finished the series and loved it all, has a reasonable explanation for this. She seems to feel that the author was making a statement about current media culture where celebrity is everything.

Mrs. S, who has finished the series and loved it all, has a reasonable explanation for this. She seems to feel that the author was making a statement about current media culture where celebrity is everything.

 

That would make sense.

I couldn't get into it. It had its moments but I just didn't find the writing very compelling. Maybe first-person is just hard to do.

I couldn't get into it. It had its moments but I just didn't find the writing very compelling. Maybe first-person is just hard to do.

 

The first person style was not a problem for me. I love the Women's Murder Club series of Jame Patterson and those are written in first person, though the POV rotates among the characters.

Finished up Catching Fire Thursday night and read Mocking Jay Friday. Weird ending, at least it was for me. I predicted the execution scene after Chapter 1, though the wrap up felt like the author was tired of writing. Again, just my take. Mrs. S loved it.

The first person style was not a problem for me. I love the Women's Murder Club series of Jame Patterson and those are written in first person, though the POV rotates among the characters.

 

I meant that it might take more skill on the part of the author.

I agree for the most part. I will admit that the third book, for me had plenty of potential. The problem I had was that I don't think that the author really has a grasp of how to write that kind of story. The first one was excellent, the second was good and the third not so much. She probably would have been better served to have enlisted the assistance of another author more familiar with the genre that she was venturing into.

 

You hit the nail on the head. The first book was quite good - particularly for adolescent/young adult fiction. The second was a good read; the third was a disappointment (to me, anyway).

I've read and really enjoyed the first two books of the series, although admittedly I thought the first was better. I plan on reading the thrid one very soon.

Have read the entire trilogy and pretty much agree with the consensus that book 1 was outstanding and book 2 was very good. While book 3 had it's moments it was not up to the standard of the first 2 books.