Thoughts on Mockingjay (Spoilers Ahead)

You knew it was coming, right. It was only a matter of time before I got my hands on all three books in the Hunger Games trilogy, as was my wish. Well, I got them this weekend. And I'm finished.

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD

I really like happy endings. I don't care how depressing the book/series is if it has a happy ending.

Favorite Characters in The Hunger Games: Madge and Cinna and Rue (Rue died in The Hunger Games)
Favorite Characters in Catching Fire: Haymitch and Cinna and Finnick 
Favorite Characters in Mockingjay: Finnick and Prim and Boggs

Who died (or was dubbed dead) in Mockingjay? Let's see: Madge, Cinna, Finnick, Prim, and Boggs.

Suzanne Collins was obviously not writing this book for me.

At least she left Haymitch alive, but even that's not saying much, because the last time we see him, he's drinking himself into oblivion. For all I know, he was dead before the epilogue.

Madge. Cinna. Rue. Finnick. Prim. Boggs.

Are you kidding me? Can't you leave me at least something to work with in terms of happy endings? Bring Finnick back to Annie. Get Haymitch weaned off the alcohol. Save Prim, the most innocent member in the story. Maybe get Gale and Madge together, somehow.

Bring Cinna back.

I understand reality and the need for it. In revolutions, people die. Even people with tragic stories and beautiful faces, like Finnick. Even people whose bravery started before hope rose from the ashes, like Cinna. Even the innocent, like Madge and Rue and Prim.

I read books to get away from reality. Mockingjay was brilliantly written. I laughed out loud. I cried. But all it did, in the end, was make the world seem dark and dismal and hopeless. I didn't want that. I don't need rainbows and sparkles and daisies - but I need some semblance of hope for happiness. Having Katniss marry Peeta doesn't even cut it, because I know that somewhere, Gale's heart is broken forever. And it would be the same if Katniss married Gale. Someone loses.

As far as reviews go, the book was excellent. Five stars. Kept me riveted.

But was I riveted because I was sure, so sure, that Cinna was going to pop out around the corner and declare that his death had been a ruse? That Finnick was going to be around to finish the battle for the Capitol? That Madge was going to show up and be at least one life that wasn't lost? That Prim would grow up to be the doctor she wanted to be, a symbol of a shining new future?

Smashed. Into smithereens.

I have some depressing endings planned for my books, but I hereby promise never to do something like this. I promise never to kill off people's favorites unless it's really, really important. (Rue's death? Central to the plot. Cinna's? Not so much.) I promise to end my books with hope, not just hope of terror's end, but of a shining future.

I really liked Cinna and Finnick. Like, a lot. :/

While I'm here going on about my favorite characters dying, C. A. Marshall takes the time to note Mockingjay plot problems that I don't have time to go into here but need addressing. And the people over at Adventures in Children's publishing take time to see people's reactions to the believability of Mockingjay.

Was it just me, or did a great deal of Mockingjay remind anyone else of Star Wars: A New Hope?