Book Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games #2)

Catching Fire Book Cover - Black with Mockingjay

When a book makes you ignore your to-do list, forget to check your phone and read for hours without looking up, you know it’s doing something right. Catching Fire had exactly that effect on me.

The second novel in The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire picks up directly after the events of the 74th Hunger Games, and the stakes are even higher now.

After Katniss and Peeta were both crowned victors of the 74th annual Hunger Games, there have been rumblings of rebellion in all twelve district of Panem and it’s fair to say the Capitol is not happy.

The Hunger Games is designed to remind the twelve districts of the power of the Capitol but Katniss’ act of defiance with the berries has sparked unrest across Panem.

She has unintentionally become a ‘Mockingjay’, a symbol of rebellion for all those in Panem and the Capitol is determined to suppress this.

With the 75th annual Hunger Games coming up (the third Quarter Quell, a special Hunger Games with a twist that comes about only once every 25 years), the Capitol’s got a trick up it’s sleeve to quiet the unrest in Panem, and it’s a shocker.

The Capitol intends to make an example of someone. And that “someone,” of course, is Katniss.

In the first book of The Hunger Games, the central focus is survival within a brutal dystopian system. Whilst a potential romance between Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark was already a plot point, it is framed as a survival strategy.

In Catching Fire, that romantic thread moves to the forefront – but of course this is not a simple love story, but a relationship shaped by political manipulation, public expectation and genuine emotional confusion.

Whether Katniss initially viewed her connection with Peeta as performance or protection is still unconfirmed, but the Capitol ensures that their lives, and their public image, are permanently entwined and the pressure to maintain the narrative of star-crossed lovers adds another layer of tension to an already volatile situation.

Gale’s presence complicates things further and a clear love triangle forms between Katniss, Peeta and Gale. But this is not simply a romantic subplot as each man represents something very different to Katniss, and a different possible future.

Through this dynamic, Suzanne Collins explores loyalty, identity and the cost of resistance in a way that feels far more nuanced than many YA dystopian novels.

There were a lot of shocking moments for me during this novel that I, in no way shape or form, saw coming, which is refreshing after reading so many predictable teen novels. Catching Fire made my heart pound like few books have done before it and is definitely one of the books at the top of my recommendations list.

Whilst there are more moments of warmth and tenderness than book 1, these are always counterbalanced by scenes of high stakes and sharp political manoeuvring. The emotional range is wide: you’ll feel hope, fear, frustration and heartbreak all in quick succession. Few novels manage to balance the external conflict and the internal struggles of their protagonist as effectively as this one.

Certain structural elements echo the first novel, but Catching Fire never feels repetitive. It expands the world of Panem, deepens its political themes and raises the consequences of defiance. This sequel doesn’t suffer from the usual transitional middle book crisis, but is a crucial turning point in the story, and my favourite in the trilogy.

It is both novel that remains shockingly relevant today and continues to justify its place among the most influential YA dystopian books of its generation.

Find a copy of Catching Fire here

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