I found Katniss’ explanation of her prep team – the idea that people from the capital have no empathy or moral horror because they are so sheltered -- kind of unrealistic too. After all they must still suffer and die from other things. I know studies have shown that rich people have less empathy, but less is not none, and while the people in the capital are certainly rich compared to District 12 they are not the kind of super-rich that can control everything about their own existence and be surrounded by syncophants. Then again, that’s Katniss’ perspective, not necessarily the truth, and Cinna suggests things are more complicated.

I liked the last book slightly less than the other two – Katniss is more reactive and less active in it, and while it makes sense, it is less satisfying. And I found her comment about her being a child that no one cared about hurting did not ring true – she’s 17, and while that’s a child in the sense that she’s still eligible for the Hunger Games and not allowed to go down into the mines, it really doesn’t strike me that Katniss has seen herself as a child in a long time, nor has she functioned as one in the eyes of others. Nor do the people of District 13, who she is talking about, consider 17 year olds children in general, since they’ve already joined the army. It seemed like an interjection from planet 21^st Century North America.