Catching Fire is the second novel in the critically-acclaimed series by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games.

Note: This review may contain spoilers for previous books in the series.

Books that are the second in a series are normally lackluster.  They normally fail to impress, and are riddled with things that make you go, “Well, this isn’t the same author who wrote book 1.”  Thankfully, this wasn’t the case with Catching Fire.  The second instalment in the Hunger Games series was just as, if not more, thrilling than the first.  The plot was thick and there were countless plot twists.

In the first novel of the trilogy, Katniss and Peeta had both come out victorious after a daring stunt.  Back home, they must face the consequences of defying the Capitol; however, they are being seen as a symbol of hope and rebellion by several districts.  They must fight to keep up their facade which is their love, and hush any rumours of rebellion which may end in certain death for themselves and their loved ones.

I really had no idea what Collins had up her sleeve, but boy did she not disappoint.  Once again she has managed to expertly craft a novel with an amazing plot and thoroughly fleshed-out, loveable characters.  There was not a moment in the novel where I wanted to put it down or stop reading; it was full-on, absolutely stunning.

The characters really helped drive the plot forward.  Katniss was amazing as always, and I found Peeta to be quite interesting in this novel.  We were also introduced to several new characters, including Beetee and Finnick.  The action scenes were intense, and there were plenty of them.  However, it wouldn’t be the Hunger Games if there weren’t several brutal deaths.  From the get-go I fell in love with all the characters and really cared about them; I was often fearing for their lives, such was the magic of Collins’ characters.

The language Collins used fit perfectly and was exciting without overdoing it.  The plot was well supported by an array of characters and language and really didn’t disappoint, with a plethora of plot twists and an ending that literally left my mouth gaping.

The society in which The Hunger Games is set in continued to intrigue me, and overall I felt that this novel was a worthy follow-up to the original.  I’ve really struggled to give it the praise it deserves, so please do yourselves a favour and purchase this book and the first.

Rating: 5/5