A Real-World Ending

We all knew what we wanted before we opened Mockingjay. We all had our perfect ending plotted out, the one with the official 'happily ever after' seal stamped all over the final pages.

That's not what happened.

I emerged from a one-sitting cover-to-cover reading of this book in a state of almost physical shock. In that first hour after finishing, I probably would have described the book as 'depraved.' Because how could Collins do this to the characters she made us love? How could she?

Then I sat back down and re-read the last thirty or so pages, and went online to look at reviews and see how others had responded to the book. There are a fair few people who are absolutely furious over the ending, saying it would have been easy to fix, to give her a happier ending. But when I tried to imagine those sorts of endings, instead of the one Collins gave us, I felt like a liar.

The problem with successful series like these is that we make the characters ours. They're our friends, our family, and because we know them so well, we're outraged when the hand which created them guides the characters somewhere other than the beautiful place we had built for them at the finish line.

Stephen King wrote something both simple and powerfully deep in his book, “On Writing.” Paraphrased, it goes something like, “Write what you want—but write the truth.” And Collins’s ending is the truth. The uncompromising, unapologetic, cruel, cold truth. If you’re honest with yourself, and let the fairy tale fall away, you’ll see that, as one reviewer on Amazon said quite well, Katniss’s story isn’t one of choosing between two loves. It’s a story of war.

I hope, when you open Mockingjay, if you haven’t already, that you’ll give the book the fair read it deserves, and not write it off just because the story doesn’t add up to your vision, as I almost did. Give the truth a chance.








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Three reviews, one blog!

I read four books and one short story in the past week. (Yes, I know, I’m a freak.)
The first book was Sam Morton’s Disavowed.

It’s a crime drama, which is not something I’d usually pick up and stay with, but—I loved it. There was a real humanity in the book which I think is missing from most other books in the genre. The main word I keep thinking of in connection with his book is honest. In addition to having an action-packed plot, it delves really deeply into the racial issues that still plague our country.

Next, I read Regan Black’s Pixie Chicks, a short story only available in eBook format. Now that was a fun read, and the first of hopefully many stories featuring Brianna, Austin, Claire, and Lana, four high school band “geeks” dubbed the Pixie Chicks. I think fans of Libba Bray and Meg Cabot will especially enjoy this series. Click here to download from Fictionwise.

The third was a book called The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.

I was enthralled by page 19, and by the end, my cheeks were actually flushed. The sequel comes out in September, and I just can’t wait. Katniss is one of those characters you connect with instantly and find yourself thinking about as you try to fall asleep that night.

The fourth—well, we’ll take the old saying, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all,” and apply it here. Major letdown. If you can’t deal with not knowing, though, email me at jacquelynsylvan@sylvaniamaniaDOTcom, and I’ll tell you. Being an author, I just can’t conscience blasting someone’s book publicly.

Here's what's on my upcoming to-read list:

Hunted (House of Night, Book 5) -The fifth enstallment of P.C. and Kristen Cast's House of Night series. Anyone know if this is the last one? Came out March 10.
The Forest of Hands and Teeth -A new novel I've been hearing a lot of buzz about. Post-apocalyptic-zombie novel, but with several plot twists that look like they'll be setting this book apart. Just released last weekend.
City of Glass (Mortal Instruments) -The third book in Cassandra Clare's series. Interestingly enough, she got her start doing Harry Potter fan fic! Releases March 24.
Fell -Second book in David Clement-Davies The Sight series. I got a pleasant shock when I realized I'd picked up one of his books a few years ago in a used bookstore, and loved it. About psychic wolves, from the wolves' perspective.
Exodus -I seem to really be into the post-apocalypse scene (now, if only I could spell 'apocalypse' on the first try!). This is another one, but where the seas rise up and take over the Earth. Recommended by Sam Morton!



And of course, if you’re still looking for something to read, you can check out Surviving Serendipity!


Beware the sound of crying children, watch out for the barmaids, and whatever you do, don't let the Pegasus spit on you.
Surviving Serendipity--http://www.sylvaniamania.com