Having returned to their home District, Katniss and Peeta were haunted by nightmares of the brutal deaths in the arena. Their guaranteed comfort and luxurious life following their victory was hardly triumphant, knowing that President Snow was keeping keen eyes on their every move. The source of Snow’s outrage was Katniss’ defiance during the first game. Her act of defiance in attempting a double suicide at the end of the Games forced the Gamemaker to allow both her and Peeta to live. Without her awareness, she has now become a symbol for rebellion in the Districts. The dire circumstances worsened because Katniss was confused by her feelings for Peeta and Gale, her hunting partner and oldest friend.
During The Victory Tour designed to remind the people in the Districts of the power of the Capitol, Katniss and Peeta had done acts that provoked sparks of riot in District 11, home for Rue and Thresh. Peeta had offered to donate a portion of his Victory winnings to Rue's family, and also Thresh's, the other fallen District 11 tribute. When their speeches concluded, an old man whistled the tune that Rue used in the Hunger Games arena to signal Katniss she was safe. The song prompted everyone to salute Katniss with the same gesture she used to bid farewell to Rue. It wasn’t long for them to realize that this action would bring repercussion to those they loved. Other uprisings have broken in several districts where life was much more oppressed. Panem was on the brink of chaos. President Snow was ever determined to quench these uprisings.
Before long, President Snow announced that, for the 75th Hunger Games, as part of the "Quarter Quell”, a special edition of the Games every quarter-century, tributes would be reaped from a pool of all living Victors of past Hunger Games, one male and one female from each district. It was obvious the changing rule targeted Katniss as retribution since she was the only living female survivor from 12. When Haymitch, their mentor, was chosen as male tribute, Peeta volunteered in his place to protect Katniss. Desperate to prepare, the trio began training and studying the winning tactics of past victors. To survive, Haymitch, strongly advised them to take allies of other tributes.
Arriving at the Capitol, Katniss and Peeta got to learn about the other tributes among others Finnick Odair, a 24-year-old man who successfully survived the Games at age 14, and Mags, Finnick's 80-year-old mentor who voluntereed for Annie (Finick’s girlfriend), both from District 4. They also made alliance with Beetee and Wiress, older tributes from District 3 who were said to be "exceptionally smart" and adept at working with electronics. Also they met Johanna Mason who had a unique character, and despised the Capitol bluntly. Before the Games resumed, Peeta, desperate to save Katniss, revealed to the audience, that Katniss was pregnant. It was a lie to win the hearts of the audience, to gain symphaty for her.
China was still appointed as Katniss’ Prep team who as always designed unforgettable and extraordinary outfit for her. As a protest of her being forced into the arena again, China designed a Mockingjay costume which instantly sparked anger over the Capitol. Katniss also learnt that the former Gamemaker, Seneca Crane, was hung after the first game. During the party, she met the new Gamemaker, Plutarch Heavensbee, who within a brief moment showed her a mockingjay watch. She was later realized how the arena of the game was devised. Seconds before her launch to the arena, Katniss was forced to see China beaten and bloodied by the peacekeepers. It was an act of repercussion resulting from his defiance of creating mockingjay outfit.
In the arena, Katniss was soon joined by Finnick whom the readers easily to love. He's the flamboyant casanova. Several times, he helped saving Peeta's life. His loyalty to protect Mags touched the readers' heart. It was heartbreaking to see him helpless to choose Peeta or Mags until Mags sacrificed herself for Peeta. Soon, their alliance was joined by Johana, Betee and Wires. Together, they had to outsmart the clock-woven arena, and fought other tributes from district 1, 2 and 3. Each time zone was trapped with devious cruel torments to kill them. The game makers controlled the vast, forested arena: they’re announcing the death of a tribute, organising sweeping poisonous forest fog or releasing terrifying monkey mutations. It only heightened our awareness of how cruel and callous the Games really were, as the gamers deliberately set out to inflict horrific deaths on the tributes. As the story progressed, Katniss realized something was amist in the alliance. The others were keeping secrets from her and Peeta. She found out only after it was too late.
All in all, I love the book as much as the first. It keeps me reading for days before I finish, and wants for more. Collins is brilliant in adapting the classic horrifying combination of gladiatorial combat and reality TV that really squeeze her readers’ emotion.
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