My heart feels so heavy now that I have finished this series to the point where I almost wish I had not even read it. 
 Almost. 
 This final book in Suzanne Collins' fantastic series was harsh, heavy, and real. While I had heard through various friends this one was the slowest of the series, I was more engaged than ever. This book reminded me a lot of Kill Bill 2 in comparison to the first film. While the first featured extreme action, the second movie was more about battle psychologically. The same can be said for this series: the first two books were more about the action, getting the audience prepared for the mental onslaught and sorrow that came with the third. Mockingjay was about the effect war has on the mind. 
 From the beginning I was more on edge than with the first two books, perhaps due to the relationship I developed with the characters. When Kat feared for Peeta, I feared for him. When Peeta let out a scream, after (we can assume) bashed his head in, I let out a scream. And as characters died, I sobbed wholeheartedly. 
 I think that is why this book has left a mark on me (in this particular area) than other series. For instance, Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight books, obviously did not feel up to killing off any major characters. That, in a way, annoyed me. Collins, on the other hand, certainly had the balls to take away some crucial characters to the audience and the main character herself. 
 This was a compelling group of books and I cannot wait to see this series come to the big screen. I am pulling for Robert Downey Jr. as Haymitch.