Reading – Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, p. 164- 218

In chapter 12, Katniss and Haymitch talk. Katniss has a photo shoot for her wedding dresses. Then President Snow comes on the television and talks about the Quarter Quell. When the laws for the games were made, they dictated that every twenty-five years the anniversary would be marked by a “Quarter Quell.” On the twenty-fifth anniversary, every district was made to hold an election and vote on the tributes who would represent it. On the fiftieth anniversary, every district was required to send twice as many tributes. Now, for the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors. Katniss understands what it means: District 12 only has three existing victors to choose from, one female and two males, so she is going back into the arena.

In chapter 13, Katniss breaks down because she has to go back to the games. She goes to Haymitch and they get drunk. Peeta gets rid of the liquor. He talks to them and tells them that Effie is going to send them recordings of the living victors and that they are going to put on some weight to get strong and start acting like Careers. They train intensely for the games. On the day of the Reaping, Katniss is the only piece of paper for the girls so she gets chosen immediately. Then Effie picks Haymitch’s name, but Peeta volunteers to take his place. Finally, they leave District 12 without getting to say goodbye to their families and friends.

In chapter 14, Haymitch and Katniss decide that they will try to protect Peeta this time. They watch the videos of the past Hunger Games. Then Peeta and Katniss secretly watch the Hunger Games that Haymitch won back in the day. I won’t say how they went because I don’t want to spoil it (but it was intense).

In chapter 15, they get ready for the opening ceremonies. Cinna dresses Katniss in a vicious and killer-like costume made to look like deadly fire, because that’s her trademark. Cinna tells her to look straight ahead as if the entire audience is beneath her notice. Before the ceremonies begin, she meets some of the other previous victors, including Finnick Odair, who is very sexy. Peeta and Katniss decide to hold hands again when they are in the chariots, but they are angry at the Capitol. They are portrayed as star-crossed lovers from District 12 who suffered so much and enjoyed so little of the rewards of their victory. They don’t seek the fans’ favor, grace them with their smiles, or cast their kisses, and are unforgiving. After the ceremonies, they meet Johanna Mason, another victor. When they get up to their rooms, they find that Darius, the peace-keeper from District 12, is their new Avox. Sucks for him.

Wow, that’s really sucks! I can’t believe she has to go back into the Games again! Making the old victors go back to the Games was no accident.  President Snow obviously picked that Quarter Quell just because of Katniss and the uprisings that are taking place.  This is the first time Katniss has really freaked out and she totally loses it.  I would too if I had endured the Games once and then found out that I had to go back to them.  It is literally Katniss’s worst nightmare.  I’m about half-way through the book now, so the Games must be shorter this time because they took up the entire previous book.  I wonder what Katniss and Peeta’s strategy will be now that they are acting like Careers.  It’s interesting that Peeta is all set on making sure Katniss wins, while Katniss and Haymitch are set on having Peeta live (which he is not aware of).  They are at a disadvantage in a way because they will be the youngest tributes this time.  However, that can also be in their favor because they will be strong and their heads have been in the Games recently.  It’s going to be interesting, though horrible, to see how the Games play out.