{"id":155,"date":"2011-01-19T07:00:42","date_gmt":"2011-01-19T15:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/?p=155"},"modified":"2011-01-19T09:48:51","modified_gmt":"2011-01-19T17:48:51","slug":"mark-reads-catching-fire-chapter-23","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/2011\/01\/mark-reads-catching-fire-chapter-23\/","title":{"rendered":"Mark Reads ‘Catching Fire’: Chapter 23"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the twenty-third chapter of Catching Fire<\/em>, all of our precious hopes and desires and tiny pockets of joy are crushed into a trillion pieces. Intrigued? Then it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s time for Mark to read Catching Fire<\/em>.<\/p>\n

It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a goddamn clock. It explains how the traps are triggered, why they seem to stop based on location, and why it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s all regulated by those mysterious bells. It explains the shape of the arena and the spokes. So, now that they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve figured this out, doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t it make their survival a whole lot easier? If they can just determine which sections have what trap in them during a specific time, they can simply avoid them all.<\/p>\n

Ready for more brain explosions?<\/p>\n

A memory struggles to surface in my brain. I see a clock. No, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a watch, resting in Plutarch Heavensbee\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s palm. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It starts at midnight,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/em>Plutarch said. And then my mockingjay lit up briefly and vanished. In retrospect, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s like he was giving me a clue about the arena. But why would he? At the time, I was no more a tribute in these Games than he was. Maybe he thought it would help me as a mentor. Or maybe this had been the plan all along.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s my guess: President Snow planned ahead of time to make the Quarter Quell have previous victors in it. He told Plutarch. Plutarch sympathizes with Katniss and is perhaps even rooting for her as some sort subtle rebellion or something, so he gave her a heads up. (Yes, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m still sticking to the idea that Snow made this arena happen on purpose.)<\/p>\n
Things get more tense and awkward as Katniss convinces everyone that they need to move before the next trap catches them, but a small argument with Johanna makes things worse. Beetee keeps saying, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Wire,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and Johanna realizes he wants a roll of wire he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been carrying around. She\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not the brightest person, though, because she doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know why he wants it.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153He won his Games with wire. Setting up that electrical trap,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d says Peeta. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the best weapon he could have.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s something odd about Johanna not putting this together. Something that doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t quite ring true. Suspicious. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Seems like you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d have figured that out,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I say. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Since you named him Volts and all.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Ouch. Johanna doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t take to this kindly at all.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yeah, that was really stupid of me, wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she says. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I guess I must have been distracted by keeping your little friends alive. While you were\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6what, again? Getting Mags killed off?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
FUCKING BURNED.<\/p>\n
My fingers tighten on the knife handle at my belt.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Go ahead. Try it I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t care if you are knocked up, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll rip your throat out,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d says Johanna.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
HAHAHAHAAH I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122M SORRY, I HAVE TO LAUGH. I strangely don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t hate Johanna for some reason and maybe because it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nice to have another fierce female on the pages. I mean, this gal clearly doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t care what anyone thinks about her, and not even in the context of the Games. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not that she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s threatening this because she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s necessarily trying to win. I feel like she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d say it whenever she wanted to anywhere she was.<\/p>\n
The new group of tributes (six strong!) decide to heard to the Cornucopia at the center of the arena to confirm that Wiress\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s theory about the cock (did i seriously type this out) is correct<\/p>\n
Besides, I wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mind the chance of going over the weapons again. And there are six of us now. Even if you count Beetee and Wiress out, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got four good fighters. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s so different from where I was last year at this point, doing everything on my own. Yes, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s great to have allies as long as you can ignore the thought that you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll have to kill them.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Ok, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ignore that for a moment. I said a few reviews ago that Collins had to realize that she had to make this second visit to the Games drastically different from her first go around and I feel comfortable saying that she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s overwhelmingly succeeded at it. The Games have an entirely new context to them and the urgency of Katniss winning is far more important too. She\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s also given so much more information about this alternative world that I am left wanting more. (I STILL HAVEN\u00e2\u20ac\u2122T FORGOTTEN ABOUT DISTRICT 13, FOR THE RECORD.)<\/p>\n
At the Cornucopia, they talk a moment to appreciate how calm things are, though of course I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m thinking OH MY GOD WILL THE CORNUCOPIA EXPLODE or WHERE ARE THE CAREERS. I like that we have these moments, but they are soooo much shorter than in the first book.<\/p>\n
Suddenly Wiress stands up very straight and points to the jungle. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Two,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she says.<\/p>\n
I follow her finger to where the wall of fog has just begun to seep out onto the beach. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes, look, Wiress is right. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s two o\u00e2\u20ac\u2122clock and the fog has started.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Like clockwork,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d says Peeta. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You were very smart to figure that out, Wiress.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Wiress smiles and goes back to singing and dunking her coil. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh, she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s more than smart,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d says Beetee. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153She\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s intuitive.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d We all turn to look at Beetee, who seems to be coming back to life. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153She can sense things before anyone else. Like a canary in one of your coal mines.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Hmmm. Is this something Haymitch knew? Is this why he made sure that Johanna brought Wiress and Beetee to Katniss?<\/p>\n
Despite her annoyance at Wiress, Johanna\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s as happy as I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve seen her in the arena. While I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m adding to my stock of arrows, she pokes around until she comes up with a pair of lethal-looking axes. It seems an odd choice until I see her throw one with such force it sticks in the sunsoftened gold of the Cornucopia. Of course. Johanna Mason. District 7. Lumber. I bet she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been tossing around axes since she could toddle.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Ok, so District 7 is\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6Pacific Northwest, maybe? That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s my guess. Also, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m glad that at least temporarily, Johanna is on their side. She sounds vicious.<\/p>\n
While I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been messing with weapons, Peeta\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been squatting on the ground, drawing something with the tip of his knife on a large, smooth leaf he brought from the jungle. I look over his should and see he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s creating a map of the arena.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Oh, Peeta. Never change<\/em>. Dude, seriously, that is such a good idea. He uses the Cornucopia as the master guide and manages to plot out five of the twelve zones based on what they know and what time they occur.<\/p>\n
We all nod in agreement, and that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s when I notice it. The silence. Our canary has stopped singing.<\/p>\n
I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t wait. I load an arrow as I twist and get a glimpse of a dripping-wet Gloss letting Wiress slide to the ground, her throat slit open in a bright red smile. The point of my arrow disappears into his right temple, and in the instant it takes to reload, Johanna has buried an ax blade in Cashmere\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s chest.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
WHAT THE HOLY FUCK IS GOING ON <\/strong>OH MY GOD. Oh my god, Wiress!!!!!! NO NO NO NO NO WE JUST LEARNED SHE IS LIKE\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6MAGICAL AND SHIT<\/em>.<\/p>\n
Holy shit, I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t believe this is happening. I am so upset at Wiress.<\/p>\n
Finnick knocks away a spear Brutus throws at Peeta and takes Enobaria\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s knife in his thigh. If there wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t a Cornucopia to duck behind, they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d be dead, both of the tributes from District 2. I spring forward in pursuit. Boom! Boom! Boom!<\/em> The cannon confirms there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no way to help Wiress, no need to finish off Gloss and Cashmere. My allies and I are rounding the horn, starting to give chase to Brutus and Enobaria, who are sprinting down a sand strip toward the jungle.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
GOD DAMN IT. You cowards!!! You sneak into to kill Wiress and don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t stick around to actually fight!<\/p>\n
Suddenly the groud jerks beneath my feet and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m flung on my side in the sand. The circle of land that holds the Cornucopia starts spinning fast, really fast, and I can see the jungle going by in a blur. I feel the centrifugal force pulling me toward the water and dig my hands and feet into the sand, trying to get some purchase on the unstable ground. Between the flying sand and the dizziness, I have to squeeze my eyes shut. There is literally nothing I can do but hold on until, with no deceleration, we slam to a stop.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
What. What. What. What.<\/em> Why is the Cornucopia spinning<\/em>?????<\/p>\n
The bodies of the dead tributes have been flung out into the water along with Beetee; while Finnick heads out to bring Beetee back to land, Katniss realizes that Wiress is still clutching to the roll of wire that Beetee was so obsessed with. So, as uncomfortable as it is, she swims out to her body, retrieves the wire, and swims back to the land mass at the center of the arena.<\/p>\n
I place the reel of wire on his lap. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sparkling clean, no blood left at all. He unravels a piece of the wire and runs it through his fingers. For the first time I see it, and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s unlike any wire I know. A pale golden color and as fine as a piece of hair. I wonder how long it is. There must be miles of the stuff to fill the large spool.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Ok, so what could he use this for? A trap? I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know shit about wiring, so Collins, you are winning. I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t make an educated guess at all.<\/p>\n
I look at the others\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 sober faces. Now Finnick, Johanna, and Beetee have all lost their district partners. I cross to Peeta and wrap my arms around him, and for a while we all stay silent.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Well, I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t feel good about any of this anymore. I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t believe Wiress is gone. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know what Johanna and Finnick are up to. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t understand how Collins is going to resolve all of this in fifty pages. And I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m filled with dread: the Games are only going to worse at this point. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m basing that on the realization that when the Gamemakers spun the arena, they took away the advantage of knowing how the place worked. Now, they have to start all over and determine which area is which, which can also leave them exposed to the other remaining tributes. Staying at the Cornucopia is a bad idea because\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6well, they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re out in the open. They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve already lost Wiress and can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t risk another attack, so they risk going into the jungle to find water.<\/p>\n
As I stand there, weapons ready, I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t lose the uneasy feeling that something is going on and that it has to do with Peeta. I retrace our steps, starting from the moment the gong rang out, searching for the source of my discomfort. Finnick towing Peeta in off his metal plate. Finnick reviving Peeta after the force field stopped his heart. Mags running into the fog so that Finnick could carry Peeta. The morphling hurling herself in front of him to block the monkey\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s attack. The fight with the Careers was so quick, but didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Finnick block Brutus\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s spear from hitting Peeta even though it meant taking Enobaria\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s knife in his leg? And even now Johanna has him drawing a map on a leaf rather than risking the jungle\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n
There is no question about it. For reasons completely unfathomable to me, some of the other victors are trying to keep him alive, even if it means sacrificing themselves.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Haymitch. It has to be him. Maybe he listened Katniss\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s request and took it to its logical extreme. That has to be why he told her to ally with Finnick. Maybe he made an arrangement beforehand with other districts to keep Peeta alive!<\/p>\n
But\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6why? That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t figure out. Katniss has an idea, though:<\/p>\n
He can use words. He obliterated the rest of the field at both interviews. And maybe it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s because of that underlying goodness that he can move a crowd\u00e2\u20ac\u201dno, a country\u00e2\u20ac\u201dto his side with the turn of a simple sentence.<\/p>\n
I remember thinking that was the gift the leader of our revolution should have. Has Haymitch convinced the others of this? That Peeta\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s tongue would have far greater power against the Capitol than any physical strength the rest of us could claim? I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know. It still seems like a really long leap for some of the tributes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
It does, but it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s kind of a fascinating idea. What if Collins has mislead us this entire time and Peeta is the actual leader of the uprising? I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t deny that it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s an interesting concept and, to me, it seems to be the only thing that ties this all together.<\/p>\n
That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s when I hear the scream. So full of fear and pain it ices my blood. And so familiar. I drop the spile, forget where I am or what lies ahead, only know I must reach her, protect her. I run wildly in the direction of the voice, heedless of danger, ripping through vines and branches, through anything that keeps me from reaching her.<\/p>\n
From reaching my little sister.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
$\"\"$ <\/p>\n
I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t. I just can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In the twenty-third chapter of Catching Fire, all of our precious hopes and desires and tiny pockets of joy are crushed into a trillion pieces. Intrigued? Then it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s time for Mark to read Catching Fire.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,5],"tags":[32,28,33,24,27],"class_list":["post-155","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-catching-fire","category-hunger-games","tag-catching-fire-2","tag-katniss-everdeen","tag-mark-reads-catching-fire","tag-mark-reads-the-hunger-games","tag-suzanne-collins"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=155"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=155"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=155"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=155"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}