Month: November 2011

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Catching Fire: Hunger Games (Book 2)- Suzanne Collins (Narrator: Carolyn McCormick)

Cover of "Catching Fire (The Second Book ...
Cover via Amazon

This is a difficult review to write, simply because I don’t know how to talk about Catching Fire: Hunger Games (Book 2) by Suzanne Collins without giving away what happens in the first book The Hunger Games. So, if you have NOT read The Hunger Games I urge you to look away now. (A review of The Hunger Games  is posted below.) …..

Okay, now that they have all left, we can talk about Catching Fire. I would just like to say “Oh My God!” If you thought the first book was awesome, this second installment in the series goes to a whole new level.

We start out with Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark who are trying to settle back into life after winning the Hunger Games. Katniss, her family, and Peeta have all moved to the ‘victors’ village’ in District 12, and are using their new wealth to try to improve the living conditions of the rest of District 12. Also, Katniss has to deal with the complication of her ‘romance’ with Peeta that contributed to their victory in the game and how that will affect her relationship with Gale, her long time friend and hunting partner.

At the end of the first book, we saw that Katniss’ defiance  in the incident with the berries did not make her any friends amongst the powers-that-be in The Capital. Now, in Catching Fire,  Katniss is made aware that her actions in The Games have stirred up rebellion in a number of the districts. She, and Peeta, have become a dangerous symbol for those opposed to the oppressive regime overseen by The Capital.  How will The Capital respond?

As I said before this book is actually even better than the first. It is action packed and fast paced. If you liked The Hunger Games even a little bit, you MUST read this book.

 

 

 

 

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Lovesong- Alex Miller

Courtesy of Allen and Unwin.

I started reading Lovesong by Alex Miller because I had tickets to see him speak at The Wheeler Centre. I must confess that prior to the event I had never heard of him. But, I am always keen to find new authors whose work I will love so I jumped at the opportunity. It turns out that Alex Miller is a two-time winner of the Miles Franklin Literary Award. It could be argued that to win the prize once is a fluke, but to win it twice suggests some that can write. While not being one of the book that won that prestigious accolade, Lovesong has not been entirely missed by the various literary awards about the place. It was the winner of several prestigious awards including The Age 2010 Book of the Year and the 2011 NSW Premiers Literary Awards- People’s Choice Award.  Clearly this is a ‘great’ book.

Ken is a ‘retired’ writer living in Carlton with his grown up daughter. He has just returned from Venice when he discovers that one of the old shops in the local shopping strip has been turned into a pastry shop run by an Australian man and his exotic North African wife, and their five-year old daughter. His story teller’s antennae is up releasing that these people must have a great story to tell. He befriends John and begins to draw out their incredible story, and so we get the story of Sabiha, and John, and their life in the industrial arrondissement of Paris.

Miller’s is a talented and skillful writer. The tone of the story changes between the slow, almost dreamlike pace of the Paris story and the plain-spoken story of life in Carlton. The story of John and Sabiha is one about love, hopes, dreams and the pain that is caused by dreams going unfulfilled. In this case, Sabiha’s dream is to be a mother of a daughter. When, after sixteen years of marriage she is still without her child, she takes drastic action to remedy the situation, with consequences for all concerned.

This is a beautiful book. Miller has drawn all his characters, including the minor characters, with empathy. There were times when I didn’t like or approve of Sabiha or her actions. But, I remained committed to following her story to the end, and I was well rewarded when I got there. This book is excellent, admittedly not ‘high action’, just a good story about two people trying to make a life together.

 

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