Coffee Shop Musings: Catching Fire Book- Movie Adaptation

Coffee Shop Musings is a spin- off of Musings Monday that is originally hosted by Should Be Reading. This weekly feature spotlights occasionally bookish topics. This week’s topic is:

Catching Fire Book- Movie Adaptation 

Book to Movie. This movie was absolutely marvelous!!! I saw this movie first prior to reading the book and I was honestly in awe over the whole book after reading it. Why? Because this movie came pretty close to its book counterpart. One of the main reasons why people get turned off by book to movie adaptations is because the movie never really turns out exactly like the novel counterpart.  And I’m not saying that I’m one of those people who expect the movie to turn out exactly like the book, no I have made peace with that issue a long time ago and realized that it just can’t and won’t ever happen. In the case of the Catching Fire movie adaptation, I was caught by surprise when I realized that there were certain lines that was said in the book as well as in the movie. I have never seen that happen before or maybe I just can’t remember. Nevertheless, I loved it!

Extras and Omissions. As expected, there were a few scenes in the movie that was a bit different than how it was originally written in the book (I don’t want to mention any particular scenes as it might spoil the movie). However, the awesomeness of Catching Fire was too high for any changes/ omissions that had been made to the movie to affect the way I feel about this particular book to movie adaptation. It wasn’t really a big deal as it didn’t stray too far away from the main plot and it didn’t make anything awkward or petrifying to watch. 

Overall. Catching Fire was such a phenomenal book to movie adaptation. It was up to par! The movie played out exactly how it was described in the book. My feels were uncontrollable when I watched the movie, read the book and then watched the movie again…and again…and again! This movie was great and will forever be great! The acting, the scenes, the costumes, PEETA- was absolutely perfect! Amazing in every way!!! I swear, I fell in love- even more- with Peeta in this book/ movie. I love everything about it!!! It definitely sets the bar really high up there for future book to movie adaptations, INCLUDING the last two movies for the trilogy!!! YES! For those of you who do not know, Mockingjay will be divided into two movie parts. The first part is scheduled to be released by November 2014, according to IMDB. I know right?! The torture!!! 

Have you seen the Catching Fire movie? If so, let me know what you thought about it down below! 

Book Review: Mockingjay By Suzanne Collins

Title: Mockingjay

Author: Suzanne Collins

Series #: Book # 3 to The Hunger Games Trilogy

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Date Published: August 24, 2010

Source: Bought

Summary: (Goodreads)

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss’s family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans–except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss’s willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels’ Mockingjay–no matter what the personal cost.

Finally!!! It’s about time that I completed this trilogy! This was actually the first Hunger Games book that I had read first before watching the movie haha! Anyways… MOCKINGJAY! I can’t believe that it’s over… I just-…I can’t…

Unfortunately the series has ended and now- well, now I’m dealing with the book hangover symptoms, or in this case, the trilogy hangover symptoms. And I’ma tell yah, it is not a pretty thing.

A lot of things went down in this conclusion. The plot- is so frickin’ brilliant!!! Although, it did start out a little slow for me, however, the plot twists and excitement towards the middle and at the end of the book totally made up for it 😀 Yay! So it all starts off in District 13 and focused  on Katniss being the Mockingjay (as stated in the summary) and all the challenges that came with receiving the title of the face of the rebellion, or the symbol of rebellion against the Capitol. As for what she goes through specifically, you are going to have to read about that on your own, but I assure you this, you will not be disappointed ;). 

Characters. I did not expect so many interesting characters to be introduced in this novel considering that it’s the last installment to the trilogy, but when I thought through the plot line, I realized that it would only make sense now that Katniss had reached District 13. Of course there will be a lot of new faces! Anyways, I have come to love some of the new characters introduced in this book as their roles became quite apparent to the plot line. I think Suzanne Collins did such an amazing job with the new characters. Actually, with all the characters! I love them all so much, including Snow because Ms. Collins wrote about him in such a way that you come to hate what he stands for in the book, making him such a good villain. And I gotta admit, you just gotta love those villains who are good at being villains! As for Katniss, I kinda felt a little different as I read her this time around. I can’t really put my finger on it and I don’t mean it as a bad thing. She still is such a kick- ass character. Peeta is still and will forever be my favorite character of the entire trilogy forever, and ever and EVER! From the beginning, I always felt like there’s a part of Peeta that would always be stronger than Katniss. Although she has saved him on multiple occasions, I think he had saved her just as much, if not more. 

Overall, Suzanne Collins did such an amazing job with the third and final installment to The Hunger Games trilogy!!! It was such an exciting read, with brilliant plot twists and revelations, and even more heartbreaking moments from the first book to the last! 

My rating:

Would I recommend this book?: YES!!! 

Book Review: Catching Fire By Suzanne Collins

Title: Catching Fire

Author: Suzanne Collins

Series #: Book #2 on The Hunger Games Trilogy

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Published Date: September 1, 2009

Source: Bought

#of Pages: 391

Summary: (Goodreads)

Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol – a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she’s afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she’s not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol’s cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can’t prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

In Catching Fire, the second novel in the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before…and surprising readers at every turn.

I have no idea why it took me a year and a half to read this book but I’m so glad that I finally got around to it. Although I did watch the movie first, I was still very impressed with this book because it had a lot more things that the movie could not incorporate (I will have a book movie adaptation review on Catching Fire for Coffee Shop Musings Monday to elaborate more on this :)).

This book was a great follow up to the Hunger Games book as it mainly focused on Katniss’ life after surviving the games. There is a lot of new plot twists and interesting characters in this book that I absolutely loved!

First off, the plot- OMG!!! It’s crazy! This is one dystopian world that I DO NOT want to live in, even if it makes such an amazing story. It was definitely exciting from beginning til the very end. I absolutely loved it! Second, the characters! In this book, you get a better insight of Katniss as a character, as the girl on fire! I personally feel that Katniss was really well- written in this book because I really felt her emotions as I read. I felt a lot of her sadness, her fear, her desperation as well as those rare happy moments. Peeta, as well, was really well- written in this installment. I absolutely adored him. He’s definitely my favorite male character in this trilogy :D. 

Overall, Catching Fire was such an amazing read. It’s so full of action and amazing plot twists and revelations! I absolutely can’t wait to read on! 

My Rating:

Would you recommend this book?: Yes!!!