My long post responding to other posts about Mockingjay:

Consuela regarding your post about not really explaining why Katniss killed Coin, I personally think she did it for Prim. I think she decided that Coin is the one that ordered the attacks, and I also think that the book did a good job of showing the Coin was really no better than Snow, like sending Peeta out into the final battle and the way that 13 never reached out to help any of the others in Panem after they freed themselves from the government.

I didn't read it in one setting; I read the first 60 or so pages at my first go, and was left thinking that (1) it was slooooow, and (2) that "oh, this is a Buffy/Frodo/Sam Beckett/choose your own unwilling hero scenario!" She doesn't want to be the Mockingjay, but kind of has to.

Teppy, so very much yes. I was so excited to pick up the 3rd book after finish the first 2, but the beginning really was difficult to slog through.

But what I found so darkity dark about Mockingjay is that there is really no moment whatsoever s where Katniss has any kind of triumph, however small.

I think the author may have considered the fact that she did have two children a triumph for Katniss since at the beginning of her journey bringing children into the world she lived in was unthinkable to her. Although, it always kind of bugged me that she never even considered the possibility that she could marry and not have children.

Also, what did you all think about Katniss voting

I didn’t understand this at all. I could see Katniss still being bloodthirsty for adults but not for children. Although, I do think this is another example that highlights that Coin was not any better of a choice for President than Snow. I wanted this to be the moment that Katniss was going to kill Coin instead, which I actually saw coming, but they never explained it as such. And it looks like Teppy beat me to this explanation and said it better than I ever could. And I totally didn’t think of the fact that she was voting that way to ease Coin’s fears about her, but it totally makes sense! Good job Teppy!

Regarding Gale, it didn't surprise me at all that he became a bloodthirsty soldier. The seeds for that tendency in his character seemed to be there from Hunger Games.

I have no idea what to read next. My head doesn't want to leave this particular world. Has anyone read Collins's other series? Is it any good?

I'm reading Christopher Moore's Lamb. I had read Fluke and then forgotten about this author until my housemate shoved this one in my hand. Such yummy prose.

D is reading Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. I started quoting, "friends, romans, countrymen..." and then I wondered, wherefore do I know this particular quote. Was it featured in an episode of The Brady Bunch?

D is reading Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. I started quoting, "friends, romans, countrymen..." and then I wondered, wherefore do I know this particular quote. Was it featured in an episode of The Brady Bunch?

Uh, seriously?

Is it the climax of the play?

That particular bit has been quoted often and widely. I thought you were joking by singling out one specific usage of the quote.

It would be sort of like asking " 'Take my wife...please!' -- Was that on Cheers?"

I wonder what it is that makes that the Caesar quote. I can do 6 or 7 lines of that speech but I couldn't quote anything else from JC. I even thought "cry havoc!.." was a different play.

I wonder what it is that makes that the Caesar quote.

I don't know, "Et tu, Brute?" could give it a run for its money.

Is it the climax of the play?

No, it's the denouement. It's after Caesar's dead.

I think "Cry Havoc!" is also up there.

"he's got a lean and hungry look" and "beware the ides of march" are pretty big.

"he's got a lean and hungry look"

I've never heard this quoted before. Huh.

"beware the ides of march"

Oh, of course. Yeah, there are a lot of quotable lines. It's Shakespeare!