thoughts on mockingjay

SPOILERS.

and if you didn't get that the first time, SPOILERS again.

Okay, in case you haven't read it, we'll start with something general in case you're still reading even after there were two spoiler warnings:

I sort of noticed that the story deteriorated as it went along.  Not as in this book, but the series.  The Hunger Games was incredibly strong, but Catching Fire was weaker, as well as Mockingjay.  I personally think that's because the author could not have all the time she needed to write three novels of the caliber of The Hunger Games, and she did amazingly well for having only a year between books. 

Like with Catching Fire, Mockingjay was confusing at times.  I guess what we all wanted to happen happened---no more Capitol, and no more Hunger Games. 

This was the first book when I realized just how dangerous Katniss was---from wanting a Capitol-children Hunger Games to shooting President Coin, she was frightening.  In some ways, she was much, much madder than Peeta, who was hallucinating for half the book.

While we're on the topic of Peeta, he plays damsel in distress far too often, I thought, wouldn't Katniss get bored of him? 

Uh, I was slightly 'Team Gale' as I read this, and am a little bitter, not that he didn't end up with Katniss, but because his story had no conclusion beyond Katniss supposing that he's off snogging someone else in District Two.  Really, Katniss?

I'm also confused about Gale setting off some bomb somewhere or something? 

Anyway, Katniss, Gale, and Peeta, but especially Katniss and Peeta, sort of lost personality during this final installment.  It was mostly because they both went unpredictable and mad, which is completely understandable in their horrific conditions, but it made things a little annoying for the reader.  We saw a lot more of Gale in this book than in the two previous, but he's become generic too---he's lost some of his cocky attitude, and has become slightly "Peeta---book 1" in personality. 

My only frustration with this is that I wanted to know the characters so much better, and after three books, I'm still not sure what exactly they are like, despite the strong ideas presented.  It's very confusing.

I'm not trying to totally slam the book, of course, I'm just confused!