3.75- a low 4 star
I found the pacing of the book to be a bit messy. The part before they re-entered the games had faster facing and felt more intense than the beginning parts of the actual games, and things picked up speed a bit once the group met up with Joanna and crew but then it slowed towards the end again.
So controversial but I do really prefer the movie to the book this time round, the pacing there was much better. I also think certain descriptions like the cornucopia spinning were!’t really done in a way where you could feel the intensity and of the sitaution, it read like the author was describing petunia in a garden. The movie also helped visualise that scene better imo.
But there were a few scenes that the movie didn’t have that I enjoyed reading, I especially loved being in Katniss’ head for the first 50% of the book. Especially when Gale gets whipped and we see Katniss struggle with trying to figure out what it is she wants to do, flee because she wants to or because Gale does, fight because she wants to or because it’s expected of her. That cognitive dissonance was so fun to read.

I do wish that we got to see more Katniss and Primrose scenes since she is meant to love her more than anything yet we barely see them spend time together like really close sister should.
I also loved the cast of characters this time round, Joanna they could never make me hate you and ofc Finnick. And of course Peeta was so sweet bless him but also the ultimate shit stirrer because I still gasped when he said ‘if it wasn’t for the baby’ and I already knew it was coming