Mockingjay: Please tell me this is going to get better.

[alexandral]

I am through about 40% of "Mockingjay", and dear friends list, I am getting seriously annoyed. Katniss is undergoing what is probably the worst ever character development in the history of fiction.

Where is Katniss that was a strong survivor? Where? When was she replaced by this whiny clueless mess:

- "No-one is telling me anything! My life is a woooooooooe!" Me: no-one is telling her anything because she is naïve beyond any belief (to the point where her naivety has become brain-deficiency) and throws tantrums all the time?

- "EVERYONE IS EVIL! Capitol is EVIL! Rebels ARE EVIL! Everyone is evil! Even Haymitch! How dares he to try to keep me alive! Even cats are evil!". Me: I am eye-rolling so hard my eyes are in danger.

- "Everyone died because of Meeeeeeeeee! I should have died! Died!" . Me: Katniss, get a grip on yourself. Please get a grip.

- "Oh no! Look at poor me suffering so much when watching Peeta tortured on TV! I passed out! And I raged! " Me: Peeta is tortured. PEETA. How come it is all about YOU?

Leaving my "I am so annoyed at this" feelings aside and trying to be rational: the character development of Katniss is that of Sansa Stark (A Song of Ice and Fire) in reverse. Sansa starts as young and terribly naïve and grows into a survivor. Katniss starts as a survivor and disintegrates into a puddle of jelly with no brains.

Please tell me this is going to get better. As it stands now, I think Katniss is as good a role model to young girls as Bella (Twilight), just in a different way (no brains, tantrums, "me me me" attitude)! I am so horrified that this is supposed to be "a feminist book for young adults".

PS: Shall I keep listening? There are 6.5 more hours of this! Or shall I give up, find the spoilers, and move on to some better books?

Comments

[kem-viva.livejournal.com]

Totally agree with what your saying, I really disliked Mockingjay too but I think you should still finish it. I don't think its completely fair to critique a series unless you've read all of it (and it will give you a lot more arguing points :p).

I really couldnt stand Katniss in Mockingjay, I wouldn't say I found her selfish, just obnoxiously self-righteous. Most of it had to do with the failure of the author though, the world building is a total fail, I feel like you have just a faint taste of who the people of District 12 are and why they act like they do. I think its totally unfair to them tbh. Also she completely failed at portraying PTSD imo, she puts Katniss through so much torture but then the way she makes her seem after is just wrong. She does seem selfish at points, yes, but I think that is just the authors failings at showing her coping. It might also have to do with it being a young adult book instead of an adult book, but if that is the case I would say she should not tackle such dense subjects if they arent going to be handled right.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Absolutely agree with your every word. Personally I think it is more important to get all the points you mentioned right in the young adult book because there is more chance that the book will affect the minds of young adults who are still in formative stage.