The back third of the book picked up the pace and interest again, but the front end really felt pedestrian after the hi-jinks of the arena in the previous two volumes. The story morphed into a standard war against the bad guys with Katniss effectively sidelined (a pity for such an interesting and proactive character). At least it ended kind of happily although some elements felt rushed eg the resolution of the love triangle happened off-stage, and did a certain other secondary character really have to die?