When I first closed the book last night, I felt shattered, empty, and drained.

@Tricia Meyer, I STILL think about this trilogy all the time… so that’s DEFINITELY saying something, right?

But yeah… the third book just broke my heart. I am SUCH a happy endings kind of girl, and I think–in the end– that’s what I was really searching for.

But, if I had to read them all over again, would I? Oh hell yeah I would. 🙂

I’d love to hear your opinions once you have time to think about it all. It’s definitely something you have to digest.

I was/am Team Peeta and definitely thought that the revolution caused the bombing. those last few chapters just went by so fast with so many people dying and so much changing. ARGH!

Feeling like I need to go re-read the whole thing again. LOL

@jason, YES! The first one was GREAT, I mean–top three books I’ve ever read. Book two? Not horrible, but semi-interesting.

Book 3? Geez… WHy even write that?!?!

@Dorothy, But see!! That’s just it… I want to KNOW what happened, not just guess about it haha!

I am such a needer of the information!! 🙂

Also, I think that Prim had to die. I mean, I didn’t really think about it before the book came out. But once she died, it seemed to make sense. The entire series came about because Katniss took her sister’s place so she wouldn’t have to see her die–and it seemed like it was an ironic way of things coming full circle that she would then see her sister die right at the end of a war she had inadvertently set in motion.

Also, I don’t think it would’ve been so easy to extract Peeta if he hadn’t been completely hijacked. He gets more and more crazed as the televised interviews went on. I think that in his last interview–where he said “Dead by morning”–that was the last of the “real” Peeta coming through. Thus, they worked harder on hijacking him so that if Katniss and company survived their bombing (which they now would, because of his warning), he could do what they needed him to do and kill her.

Then again, these are just the ways I made it make sense in my head. I could be wrong.

@Jamie Harrington, and bu prologue, I mean epilogue. #jamiefail

@Elana Johnson, I agree. The actual ending wasn’t a bad one. The story concluded well, and I was happy with the prologue.

Did I want a happier for Kat? Well, of course I did… but I love Disney Princess–so that’s a personal taste thing, and wouldn’t have been as believable to a reader.

But it was the loose ends–she’s with Peeta, but we don’t know how Peeta himself fared after the hijack, the bomb went off and killed Prim, but we don’t know WHO did it, Gale went off to take a job, but did he ever find love, and WHAT WAS THE JOB?!?!?

I just feel like there was a chapter missing before the end. Not even that, really–just a couple of reactions from Peeta so I could see how he was doing, and then maybe a description or two.

What I wouldn’t give to get my hands on the first (and likely much longer) draft of this novel!!!

I will say that I’ve always been Team Gale, but I did like how Katniss realized that she has all the fire she needs, and Gale would just add more to that. I was totally bummed we didn’t get to see him and what kind of job he was working and who he was kissing (um, hello? I’ll sign up for that position!).

I totally wanted more info on the bombing, instead of just Katniss suffering into her fire-staring. I mean, I get it. She’s been through hell, and lost everything, but seriously? We don’t get to know who bombed her sister for certain? Double BOO!! (Cuz if it wasn’t Gale, then well, we still have a chance right Team Galers?!) I mean, seriously.

Also, I wasn’t all that surprised by the ending. I think most people read (and write) expecting for a happy ending. I never do. I don’t read that way, and I don’t write that way. So to me, it ended just the way it was supposed to.

I just wish I had a few things answered — and you nailed them all. 🙂

@Angela Felsted, See, she could have written an entire book about her and Peeta in a field picking flowers–and I still would have read it just because I was SO invested in the characters by this time that all I wanted to do was peek in their lives a little bit! 🙂

@Carolyn V, I would SO read another book in this series… even if it was just to fill in the years between the ending and the epilogue!

@HeatherM, You must read ALL THREE OF THEM…

But, block out some time, because once you start–you will pretty much not sleep until you’re finished.

@Liz, OMG YES! I was SO drained. I wanted it to end… and at the same time wanted it to keep going more than anything I’ve ever read!

@Holly Bodger, There were a couple of times when the characters tried to figure out who she’d choose, but I wonder if she hadn’t known all along, but was scared to admit it. Like, in Hunger Games, she’s so confused, but at the same time–she’s always willing to risk her life to save Peeta… I don’t know if she ever would do that for Gale.

I had been on team Gale and yes, it may have been nice for Katniss to actually have made the choice between the two men, but ultimately Gale’s choice to stay in district two was more significant to the meaning of the book . . . he chose his “the end justifies the means” philosphy over any personal feelings he may have had for Katniss.

This was significant because the author was constantly contrasting violience and tenderness. Gale ultimately chose his version of justice over his love for Katniss, while Peter chose mercy, which ultimately turned into love.

Love and hate. What more could anyone want in a story?
My only complaint was that the beginning was slow and that I didn’t truly get hooked in until about page 300.

@Jamie, Yeah, in hindsight, I would have liked to see more Peeta in every circumstance. At the time, though, I was so emotionally drained I just wanted it to end! 🙂