'Mockingjay' has always been my least favourite in the Hunger Games series. I don't know why specifically, but it's just never gripped me as much as the other two. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with it, but I just think about the story and shrug. I was hoping that listening to the audio version might shed some new light on the story, or allow me to pick up on some nuance I'd missed in my previous rereads, but unfortunately it only reinforced my view. 

Despite being around the same length as the other recordings, this one has taken me far longer to get through, and that's including the fact that I didn't rewind to find the spots where I fell asleep while listening (intentionally, not because I was bored!). This isn't just the audiobook's problem - I do fibd that thr printed version also takes longer to get through. Where the other books feel like a proper slow burn, with tension building and plot layering until the Games begin, the pace of this book just drags. There might be brief shots of adrenaline, but they're just not enough to sustain a momentum. And I don't know if it's because Katniss has people overtly on her side in this one or just because there's so much 'hurry up and wait', but even the action when you do get to the 'arena' is not as gripping or interesting as the previous stories. 

I also find myself liking Katniss less in this book. She's not always a likeable character anyway, but I can normally at least partially understand what drives her. In this one, she crosses the line into a bit of a self-centered, woe-is-me teenager and I just can't empathise with her in the same way  The other characters still pop; love Haymitch, Finnick and Johanna in particular, but it feels like Katniss becomes overshadowed by events.

I'm sure it's just me, but I found Carolyn McCormick's voice reminiscent of Julianne Moore from the films, so hearing her play out President Coin brought her to life very well. But, as with the previous books, I just don't think she sounds right for Katniss' internal monologue. Indeed, she seemed to make Katniss sound even more childlike in this recording, which really didn't fit for me at all. So much of it sounded stilted and forced this time around, I found I didn't enjoy listening to her for long periods (another reason it's taken a while to finish). 

Also slightly disappointed by the 'bonus feature' of an interview with Suzanne Collins. It felt like a game of Jeopardy - you had to guess the questions from the answers she was giving, as there was noone actually asking anything. And it only lasted a couple of minutes, so to advertise is on the cover as a special feature feels a bit misleading. 

I'll be sticking with my physical or ebook copies of this one in future. I'm certainly glad I finished the whose series on audio, but I'm not jumping at the chance to relive the experience. It's still one of my favourites to read though!