Well despite my best efforts not to, I finished the series. However, I will not (despite what other people have) sit here and pretend that this book is as good as the last two. In my honest opinion, I did like the book but the ending was too condensed, yet at the same time, too flat.

The reason I say it is too condensed is because it is written as if the author had a limit as to how many pages they were allowed to use so the entire plot had to be condensed into a few chapters at the end. I liked however, that the final invasion scene was written in a way that was meant to be reminiscent of the 74th and 75th Hunger Games. The author uses the whole faked death guise that has been tried and true in so many other series (except Twilight if it happened, there is nothing legitimate about that book series) and it operates similarly here. The worst part of the entire series was the aftermath. I mean, it is obvious that a person should have PTSD after an ordeal like this (and it is ridiculous that the entire Alex Rider series ignores this) but leaving her in the state she is, was a ridiculous and unrealistic event.

The other thing that really stuck out as a negative was the reduction of Peeta’s role in the book. During the other two books, his role is to be the mentally sound one. I liked how they stripped him of that but it was ridiculous that his capacity in an actual combat situation was reduced to the level of liability.

Finally, I disliked the role that Katniss was reduced to during this book. At this point, having survived two separate Hunger Games, she should be allowed to enter combat situations. However, the reduction of her to nothing more than a figurehead was horrible and (in my opinion at least) may have alienated males that read the book by stripping away one of the reasons that guys picked up the first two and this one in the first place. When I got to this point, I was expecting a much bloodier and violent war. However, it was not and much of the story was told from an observers stand point until the invasion (jokingly referred to as the “76th Hunger Games”).

The book ended flatly with not enough major characters (or really minor characters). The notable one (not saying who) is a major loss but to be honest, I expected someone else. I think that the first person view point was a great way to write this series and the level of insight into the other characters available in the third person would have stripped away a certain level of suspense from the book. I rate it a 9/10 stars despite its many flaws.