Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins Book 2 of the Hunger Games

Catching Fire is the second book in The Hunger Games Trilogy. When we last left Katniss, the protagonist, she had been declared the winner of The Hunger Games along with Peeta, the other contestant of district 12. This win came at a great personal cost to her and was further complicated by the fact that on the return trip, she had to tell Peeta that she was unsure of her feelings for him.

Upon returning to district 12, Katniss settles into her new life. For the first time in her life she has the money not to have to worry about feeding her family; however, life in district 12 remains the same for everyone else. Her best friend Gale, now has to work 12 hours a day in the mines and so fills her time hunting for food to feed his family. For all that she gained being declared a winner, Katniss lost the closeness with Gale, a relationship that meant the world to her for five years. It turns out that having watched all of those tender kisses in the arena, Gale decided to declare his feelings for her with a kiss.

Katniss’ life quickly becomes even more complicated when she is visited by President Snow before starting on the victory tour with Peeta. He tells her that she become a symbol throughout the country thanks to her treatment of Rue and the fact that she threatened to commit suicide rather than engage in a battle to the death with Peeta. Snow tells her that the unity of the country is at stake, and on this tour she must convince the populace that her actions stemmed from being a silly girl caught up in love, rather than a desire to flout the power of the government.

For Katniss, it feels as though the very fate of Panem and the people that she loves rests upon her shoulders. She was only trying to survive and never meant to become a symbol to anyone. On the tour Peeta and Katniss agree to be friends and understand that for better or worse they are in this together. When they arrive at District 11 the home of Rue, Katniss thanks them for their gift and a man responds by whistling the very same tune that Rue whistled during the game. The crowd follows by saluting Katniss with the same salute she gave Rue before leaving her dead body. The government responds by shooting the man dead in front of Peeta and Katniss. As the violence increases Peeta proposes to Katniss in the hopes of having people believe the cover story of a couple in love but it is all for naught.

When Katniss returns to district 12 she meets two women who have escaped their district because of the violence due to open rebellion. They tell her that they are headed to District 13. Katiss is shocked because the government claims to have destroyed that district but the women claim that it is ruse and that in actuality the government reached a statement with District 13 because of their possession of nuclear weapons. Katniss begins to think of taking those she loves and escaping before things can get out of hand. Both Gale and Peeta agree to go with her but before she can actually formulate a plan to leave the government announces the quarter quell - a Hunger Game in which all former victors must participate in a special lottery and once again enter the ring.

There were many of the same themes present in Catching the Fire as there were in The Hunger Games. Many of the themes of oppression and classism are similar to what we saw in book 1 - and don’t really need repeating exactly but they are extremely well done and continue to be writ large.

But one of the new themes we started to see was hopelessness and inevitability. Especially in relation to oppression. Here Katniss has won the game. She is supposed to be as privileged as it is possible for a member of the districts to be. for the first time she doesn’t have to struggle to eat, for the first time she doesn’t have to fight to survive. She knows her sister is as safe as it’s possible to be and her mother has the resources to run the business she’s always wanted. Yet despite this, she’s still not safe. She has the constant pressure of the President’s threat looming over her, all her stability is an illusions, subject to being revoked on a whim. Her safety was an illusion - and one that inevitably lead her again back to the Games. And not just her, but the other Victors who, themselves, seemed to be the peak of their societies - none of them were safe.

Similar to that, we see the change of control in district 12. The people of district 12 had a comfortable rut - it was hard, people were oppressed and people starved, but compared to district 11 they were relatively comfortable. But that all changes this book with a new, more brutal, more sadistic overseer who enforces the rules brutally. Again, that safety, that comfort they had is illusory. It can be removed at any time and it shows oppressed groups, especially under an authoritarian regime, can never really be safe and can never relax or take their security for granted.

And that safety was universally illusory. While the districts are the most obviously threatened, even Cinna, a respected capital native and the former head of the games were both killed at the whim of President Snow. If there’s one thing this book made clear it is that no-one is safe and in an authoritarian society, conformity is a necessity.

We’re also introduced to a topic that is developed in the next book - the power of a symbol, a symbol of hope. It also shows how dangerous a symbol, an idea is to an authoritarian government - how hard it is to truly quash an idea or symbol. In a way it is reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1984 where Newspeak was created to destroy the very language of defiance because so long as people can think it, there’s no way to truly quash it. And so we see here the power of that symbol, of the Mockingjay, inspiring people in all these districts based on nothing more than a handful of berries. And, in turn it shows the measures the authority has to go to to try to oppress it.

Looking at that system, we also see a point that you cannot win in a system that is rigged for you to lose. Katniss won the Hunger Games but still lives with the threat over her life. Gale works 12 hours every day in the mines to feed his family - but still needs hunting to supplement their diet. even doing everything they can, everything they should do, they still can’t win.

And, perhaps most poignant in this series, we are faced with the inevitable truth about revolution - people are going to die. Always. There will be losses and there will be sacrifices and there will be people killed unjustly. Just like the last book, we see more people die and the losses that stain this series continue - there is always a cost.

This series continues to be great books that examine oppression and classism as well as revolution through a very stark and sometimes even painful lens. It’s an extremely powerful and impactful series that is gripping from the very first word.

INTERVIEW with Gail Carriger: Fangs for the Fantasy podcast, episode 46

This week, to our fanpoodling glee, we interviewed Gail Carriger, author of that most wonderful of series, the Parasol Protectorate

We have reviewed her first 4 books – Soulless, Changeless, Blamless and Heartless and fandpoodled them muchly (we’re waiting eagerly for Timeless to be released next February).

So grab a cup of tea and tune in

Merging Names, Merging Faces in Urban Fantasy

Ever since Brangelina society has taken on the most irritating habit of combining names to represent couples.  What does this irritation have to do with urban fantasy you wonder?  Well, this trend has become quite popular in urban fantasy as well.

I give you:

Ian Somerhalder (Damon)

+

Nina Dobrev (Elena)

=

Delena

and

Taylor Lautner (Jacob)

+

Kristen Stewart (Bella)

=

Jabella

And

Nina Dobrev (Elena)

+

Paul Wesley (Stefan)

=

Stelena

And

Review: Kiss of the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon Book 4 of the Dark Hunter Series

Wulf is cursed. Despite being an ancient Viking of massive size and incredible fighting prowess, anyone who sees him forgets him within 5 minutes. He can never have a friend and he is a stranger to everyone – even if he sees them every day. The only people exempt from this curse are his fellow Dark Hunters, who he can’t be around, his blood family – of which there’s only one left, his enemies – and one woman. Cassandra.

Except Cassandra is an Apollite. Doomed to die on her 27^th birthday unless she feeds on the souls of humans, becoming a Daimon and the very enemy Wulf fights to destroy. More, Cassandra is the last direct descendent of Apollo and enthused with his life essence. When her line dies, so too does Apollo – and so too does the sun itself. When she dies, everything dies.

And the Daimons are trying to kill her. Not just Daimons but Spathi, ancient warriors pledged to the goddess of destruction, far more deadly than anything the Dark Hunters have faced before.

Wulf has to keep Cassandra alive as their relationship grows deeper and as she becomes pregnant. Then both of them are faced with the harsh truth that, as a 26 year old Apollite, she only has months to live. Faced with this, Wulf gets a far greater insight into the pain the Apollites suffer and how the seemingly awful choice to kill humans so you can live seems so much more tempting when its your own loved one facing the inevitable death.

Reading this book is like watching a fascinating film, but you can’t see the screen because there’s a couple shagging in front of the screen. Great world, great setting, potentially fascinating setting – aaaand lots and lots of pages of bumping and grinding.

The sex isn’t as Ikea as Anita Blake, as dull as Vampire Huntress or as ridiculous as the Black Dagger Brotherhood, but it takes a special prize for the Iridescent Indigo writing. Yes, this prose is so purple that special eye protection may be needed (“He tasted of beer and wild, untamed masculinity!”). And this makes the scenes long, very very long. Extremely horribly long. Also, sorry but I have to quote this line:

“I need to go clean up”

He didn’t release her. “I don’t want you to.”

She cocked her head at him in confusion.

“I like the sight of my seed on you, Cassandra,” he said raggedly in her ear. “My scent on your skin.”

Yes, we have Anita Fug!

It doesn’t help that we have the standard “oh I’ve just seen you and now I can’t stop thinking about your hot, luscious loveliness” that is so very common in this series – I really dislike the trope, it’s kind of lazy and seems to stand in rather than developing an actual relationship.

Review of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This series has been recommended to us several times, but to be honest, I was reluctant to read it because it is Sci-Fi and Y.A.  Technically, Fangs for the Fantasy is primarily focused on urban fantasy, and so I used that as my excuse to avoid this series.  After receiving what amounts to the umpteenth recommendation, I finally broke down to read this book, firm in the belief that it cold never live up to all the hype that it has received from the fangs community and the blogosphere.  Well folks, I was wrong.  This book was so amazing that I read it in one sitting, pausing only to eat and go to the bathroom.  It is a rare thing for any novel to captivate me this way, let alone a Y.A. novel.

The novel takes place in a future earth in a country called Panem, which essentially consists of what we would consider to be North America.  Panem is divided into 13 different districts, and a capitol which is ruled by an extremely authoritarian government.  Each year the Capitol, hosts a tournament called The Hunger Games, to punish the districts for an earlier rebellion.  Each district must surrender one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18.  They are placed into a special arena, where they not only must survive the elements, but each other. All contestants are drawn by lottery.

The two contestants chosen from district 12 Primrose Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. When Primrose is chosen, her sister Katniss cannot bear the idea of Primrose in the games, and she volunteers to go in her stead.  Katniss has been the main provider for her mother and her sister since her father's death in the mines.  Each year she puts more than one entry into The Hunger Games lottery, because it allows her family the necessary grain that they need to survive the year.  She supplements their food by hunting illegally, and trading the meat that her family does not consume for the basic necessities of life.  Peeta is the bakers son, and though he has never really truly known hunger, he has never known prosperity.  Life in district 12 is hard, and it is not uncommon for people to die of hunger, accidents in the mine, or disease.  Peeta is brought to Katniss' attention one day when he risks a beating to give her two loaves of bread to prevent her from starving.  Though she is grateful, she can never let go of the feeling of owing him.

Interview Today with Gail Carriger

Today on the Fangs for the Fantasy Podcast, we are gleeful to announce that we'll be interviewing Gail Carriger, author of the most excellent Parasol Protectorate series

The show begins at 6:00pm EST, 11pm GMT

Please join us on this link

Come and join us in the fanpoodling

Being Human U.K. Season One, Episode Six: Bad Moon Rising

This episode begins with a flashback. George is working as a bus boy in a restaurant in which Seth and the other vampires happen to be having a bite to eat.  When he clears their table, they recognize him for exactly what he is.  When George takes the garbage outside, the vampires attack him in the alley. Mitchell comes out of the shadows and stops the vampires before they can beat George to death.  To convince them to stop, he tells them that killing George is a risk, because they have already been seen. When George asks why they were going to kill him, Mitchell answers, "people like us can recognize people like you".   Mitchell then informs George that he is going to have to leave, and George replies, "I can't keep, I've lost everything. I have had this for six months and now there are vampires. So I have to leave again and then what?"

In the present day day, George and Annie rush Mitchell to the emergency room   As they hook him up the monitors, the hospital staff realize that they cannot get a reading. Nina meets George in the hospital halls and wants to know what is going on. She tells him that she can't do this anymore.

In the hospital room, Mitchell is unconscious and Annie and George are watching over him.  George realizes that they have to get Mitchell out there, because he is raising too many questions, and because he is healing impossibly fast. The staff are confused with the way his heartbeat does not seem to want to register no matter which machine they use. Though his wound is healing quickly, and he is receiving copious amounts of blood, Annie does not understand why Mitchell is still unconscious. George changes the subject, and asks why Annie did not go through her door, because if he had the chance to be free from his curse he would take it, but Annie simply replies that she couldn't leave Mitchell like this.  They decide to take turns watching over Mitchell and Annie zips back home.

At the house she realizes that her door has disappeared.  As she wonders what to do now, a weird sensation touches her.

Back at the hospital, a priest enters Mitchell's room.  George confronts the priest and learns that the vicar had plans to pray over Mitchell, realizing that this would not be a good idea, George tells him that Mitchell is complicated and that he is Jewish.  The priest asks if he would like to engage in some silent complication, because he has seen Yentl and knows that Jewish people pray. Mitchell starts to stir in the hospital bed and he suddenly wakes and tells George that the vampires are coming.  When he starts making plans to move Mitchell, the vicar tells him that Mitchell should not be moved and that they should just call security.  When George resists, the vicar offers to talk to the vampires, completely unaware of what he is getting into.  They go into the hall and George grabs his star of David and tells the vicar to say something religious.  When the vicar stumbles, George suggests he say a passage from his most recent sermon. Later in the bathroom the vicar throws up.

In the morning, George brings Josie in to watch over Mitchell. When Mitchell wakes, he tells her that his body cannot make new blood.  Josie says, "George told me what happened. I don't understand, I thought you were vampire employee of the month.  My condition let's just say it wouldn't be worth me starting any new books.  In fact think of it like organ donation."  Mitchell responds, "Every time I do this, the gap between me and humanity gets worse. You saved me once so let me save you to."  Josie rejects his offer, saying that she is tired, but is worried about what will happen to him and then she gets into bed and cuddles Mitchell as they chat about how they first met.

In the cafeteria, attempting to get a coffee, the woman at the counter says to George, "do you want to see my tits little doggie?"  He turns and sees Herrick sitting by himself at a table.  Herrick tells George "that this is Darwinism and not a thing can stop it, not you or your friendly ghost.  I will chase you to end of the earth. You shouldn't have done for him." They begin a pushing match, and George pushes Herrick onto a table choking him.  Herrick taunts him saying you can take me now, you can end this whole thing.  You know your whole problem George, you're just a human."

In his hospital room, Mitchell is sitting up crying because Josie has died. Back at the house, Mitchell tells George and Annie that the hospital was all to happy to release him.  Annie tries to comfort him by saying that he does not need to worry about her, because Herrick cannot hurt her, but Mitchell tells her that he can because she is tied to the house and to him and George.  All Herrick needs to do is to kill Mitchell and George, and burn the house to the ground and Annie will cease to exist. Annie says "it won't come to that, because we will stop him.  You will get better and we will look after each other."

Grimm, Season 1, Episode 7: Let Your Hair Down

The enchantress was so hard-hearted she banished the poor girl to the wilderness, where she had to live in a miserable, wretched state.

So we start with 2 people doing that most incomprehensible of activities – hiking. And kissing in the woods and planning to skinny dip in the lake (leeches people!) when they run across an organic farmer! An organic farmer who is growing interesting plants and is Most Displeased with their presence. Before he can shoot them, he’s attacked and killed by something. His neck broken and a long strand of hair on his body.

In comes Nick and Hank to watch the organic farm be dismantled. All the drug grower’s supplies have been stolen but not his drugs and apparently it’s one in a string of murders.  Nick sees someone and goes off chasing a feral woman – but he has to stop to look dramatic at her monster face, so she gets away.

Nick and Hank get to deal with the dead man’s less than pleasant relatives who want to seek their own revenge – and have fixated on the hikers, kidnapping one of them and planning to torture a confession out of him.

Meanwhile the DNA on the hair comes back linking it to a girl, Holly, who went missing 9 years ago at the age of 7.

And wow Eddie loves his Christmas decorations. Wow, even my Grinch side is impressed. Yes, Eddie rocks. Nick has a theory, Holly as a Blutbaden, raised by adopted parents, ran away at 7 and has been living in the woods ever since, living on her instincts. Grimmopedia Eddie says it’s possible and Nick wants them to go out into the woods to look for her. Poor Eddie.