Catching Fire

Coming to the conclusion of The Hunger Games, I realized that I had a bigger problem on my hands than the fact I was about to finish an amazing book- I needed to get a hold of Catching Fire and fast! Luckily, a friend had my back and saved me from nights of miserable curiosity. I started the very moment it was placed upon my hands.

As The Hunger Games came to an end, Katniss and Peeta returned to their district to start the Victory Tour and this is where Catching Fire begins. As Katniss prepares for the arrival of her team of stylists, she gets an unexpected visit from the president of Panem, President Snow. He makes his animosity of Katniss clear by ranting about his disapproval of the stunt she pulled in the arena to save her and Peeta's lives. President Snow warns that there are potential uprisings of citizens across the district. Although she is back in what she thinks is the safety of her home district, President Snow reveals he knows about absolutely everything she has been up to, including spending time with a close friend, Gale. The president threatens to take Gale's life away if Katniss doesn't obey his every word. As he gets up, he whispers in her ear and leaves. Katniss describes it: "The smell of blood . . . it was on his breath. What does he do? I think. Drink it? I imagine him sipping it form a teacup. Dipping a cookie into the stuff and pulling it out dripping red."
Her descriptions make him seem animal-like, like a savage slithering through the districts seeking out his next victim. His presence creates apprehensive and uncomfortable feelings. He is a villain craving to destroy the lives of others, especially Katniss for her deceit. By referring to the blood as "stuff", the author creates an uneasy feeling as if Katniss felt uncomfortable saying the word blood again because it felt too real. As Catching Fire continues, Katniss' fear intensifies as she continues the journey that will decide her fate.