Monday, May 16, 2011

Thank You, Suzanne Collins

For writing The Hunger Games trilogy, keeping me occupied through bedrest and modified activity, and, most importantly, for bringing me these:

(perhaps this may be a semi-spoiler if you haven't read the books, but I omitted some details, hopefully the quotes still makes sense...)

"There are still moments when he clutches the back of a chair and hangs on until the flashbacks are over.  I wake screaming from nightmares of mutts and lost children.  But his arms are there to comfort me....I know this would have happened anyway.  That what I need to survive is not [someone else's] fire, kindled with rage and hatred.  I have plenty of fire myself.  What I need is the dandelion in the spring.  The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction.  The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses.  That it can be good again.  And only [he] can give me that."

and


"One day I'll have to explain about my nightmares.  Why they came.  Why they won't ever really go away.   I'll tell them how I survive it.  I'll tell them on bad mornings, it feels impossible to take pleasure in anything, because I'm afraid it could be taken away.  That's when I make a list in my head of every act of goodness I've seen someone do."

Both quotes are from Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (book 3 in the trilogy).

I finished this book yesterday and sobbed, sobbed, sobbed my eyes out.  I miss my boy so much.

7 comments:

Brooke said...

I left a note about Mockingjay on your last post, but yes. That book made me feel just the same way. Grateful for what I have, and hopeful about what's to come, and so terribly, terribly sad.

Missy said...

I too enjoyed the hell out of those books with all the hidden and not so hidden meanings. I remember those quotes well and love the feeling of understanding that comes with the words.

Anonymous said...

Haven't read them yet.. but maybe I'll give them a try...

Tess said...

I read the The Hunger Games while pregnant with Elizabeth and remember asking my Ma if there was a happy ending to them; to which she replied, no - so the remaining two sat on my shelf waiting...

After reading Brooke's review of them a while back I have picked them up, I can feel the raw emotion behind the words and have a totally different perspective from the 'before' life. Thank you for sharing those quotes and highlighting the deeper meanings.

Shaina Gadow said...

I read these books too during my pregnancy and maternity leave. I love them, but it was before I lost Silas and didn't really remember these quotes, but am so glad you have posted. I got chills reading them again here. As Tess said, I appreciate you highlighting the deeper meanings of the book. I remember being so thankful at the end of mockingjay that she had some beauty and hope back in her life.

Molly King said...

I couldn't read this post before I finished all three books. I just finished them and immediately came to read your blog hoping to share that last quote with you because it hit me soooo hard. I didn't shed a tear until reading this last quote. I gotta go lay down now....

EJM said...

Hello Sarah! This blog entry is super deep. I can feel your emotions. I hope you're getting better by this time. Anyway, I also read the trilogy a year ago, and these same lines hit me. =)