[sbk(linda) Posts: 734 Status: Offline Yeehaw!]

oooh, sorry Whizbee. I would have hated that ending and it would have resulted in me throwing the book across the room when I finished.  Your ending would have meant everyone died for nothing. Absolutely nothing. I need a book with a little more hope than that. I thought this ending had a beautiful balance of tragedy and hope. I felt as though I'd been through everything with Katniss and was a mess for days after reading, but was grateful that in the end, it was all worth it. She'd been fighting for a reason.

[Whizbee Posts: 265 Status: Offline WWW]

Well, I was being a little facetious.

[andracill Posts: 5,579 Status: Offline Worlds within...screaming to get out! WWW]

I finally got my copy yesterday (yeesh, how long does it take FedEx to ship these things, anyway??) -- but now I can read this thread, so all's good

I didn't mind Prim's death -- she always seemed like a catalyst to me, rather than a real person.  First she shoved Katniss into the Games, and now she shoves Katniss into the ultimate showdown.  I expected it.

For me, Finnick's death was pointless.  I suppose that WAS the point, though -- war provides many pointless deaths.  However, since I'm reading fiction, I personally wouldn't mind a little more 'point' -- and I would've liked to see Finnick live.

I'm another who wanted more of a relationship resolution between both Gale and Katniss (though I do think their friendship/love was always secondary in Gale's mind to the overall cause -- something Katniss knew in her head, but not her heart until Prim) and Peeta and Katniss.  Even though Peeta and Katniss were manipulated from the beginning, I still think the opportunity to show the power of love was there, and SC didn't really take advantage of it.  It reminds me a bit of Ginny/Harry in HP -- not used to its full potential.

I liked the book, definitely, but it's not my favorite of the three -- in fact, it's my least favorite of the three.  Too much gore for my personal taste (although I get that war is gory) -- and it certainly brought to mind the debate about too much sex v. too much violence in YA.  If I had to choose between giving this book to my kiddos or a book with a graphic sex scene, the sex scene would win out every time!  ETA:  (I just blogged about this -- http://robinellen.livejournal.com/292561.html -- non-spoilery thoughts about some of the general themes in the book.)

[sbk(linda) Posts: 734 Status: Offline Yeehaw!]

Well, I was being a little facetious.

  LOL yeah, I realized that, but still had a bizarre strong reaction to it because it was similar to an ending I tried to pull off in my current WIP. If I had to give it up, then no one else is allowed to do it either. ;-)

[ccw]

The scene where Buttercup returns to Katniss ripped me up! I think this really drove home the loss of Prim for me and the void she left behind. Brilliantly done, I thought. Such an intense and powerful novel on so many levels. I think I'm still digesting it all.

[PJV Posts: 202 Status: Offline]

Little things like that make me wonder if she had that planned from the beginning, since Buttercup was introduced with Prim in the first chapter of HG. I'd love to be able to plan like that...

[YAchicka Posts: 667 Status: Offline Don't quit before the miracle! WWW]

I also thought the Hanging Tree song was leading up to Katniss's suicide beside her lover - who I'd hoped would be Peeta. So for me, the two of them ending up together and having children was practically a storybook ending 
All I can say is  to SC for the whole trilogy!

[Anne Marie Posts: 2,854 Status: Offline VAMPIRINA season 3 is on Disney Junior now! WWW]

Great comment thread here:

http://readroger.hbook.com/2010/08/spoiler-free-zone.html

[Megan Posts: 343 Status: Offline Dreaming away... WWW]

It's interesting to see how many different reactions there are!

I appreciated the violence and brutality--I actually felt there wasn't enough of that in the first two books (one of my major peeves with HG is that Katniss never actually has to kill someone in a way that isn't sort of an accident or out of mercy), and I wish there'd been more of it at least in CF so that the tone shifted more naturally.  I can see how people would be jarred by the change.  I liked that Collins didn't shy away from just how awful war is, or what effect it has on people.

Also really enjoyed some of the twists, like Peeta's hijacking.  And I didn't see Katniss as passive--many times she breaks orders and does things because *she* thinks she should do them, even though the people trying to control her would rather she didn't.  Yes, she isn't in total control, but is anyone else either?

What disappointed me, though, is a lot of the emotional stuff felt off.  There isn't a whole lot of time for emotions in the first two books--everyone's running around preparing for games and then trying not to be killed most of the time--but in this one Katniss spends a whole lot of time reflecting on things.  Which could have been good in theory, but I didn't like the way it was handled.  For one, it felt like Collins often pulled away from moments that should have been emotionally intense right as they started to happen, and then came back to Katniss hours or even days later when she'd reflect back.  The first time it really struck me was when Peeta attacks her, and it also bothered me when Prim dies--I didn't even know for sure Prim *had* died based on what is on the page in that moment.  I wanted to see Katniss reacting to things in the moment, rather than just after she'd already had some time to process them. 

I also didn't like that we're almost completely left out of Katniss's thoughts and feelings when she's hearing about Coin's proposed Hunger Games, deciding to shoot her, and then finding out what happened after.  She gets *very* distant at the end.  Honestly, the way it's written, I'm not sure we're even supposed to believe Katniss really loves Peeta.  As much as I do adore the last "Real/not real?" exchange, in the lines before she's not talking about feeling anything for him...  She's talking about what she "needs" and what Peeta can "give" her, and because of that, she tells him it's real that she loves him.  She never says it's because it really is real.

Which would be fine.  It's just that when I've stuck with a character through three books, by the end I want to feel closer to that character than I have before, and instead I felt more distant.  I wanted some sense of how Katniss felt about the decisions she'd made over the course of those books and how things had turned out for her, but she almost didn't seem to care about anything (not about her kids, which she admits she only had because Peeta pushed for them; not about how her society is changing or the role she played in making sure her kids won't have to experience Hunger Games).  Which maybe would happen to someone who's been through as much as she has.  But it makes for a pretty depressing ending, if the main character can't show even a little happiness out of having made it to the end of that journey.  (I just re-read the epilogue to confirm my impressions, and I still feel the same way--the closest thing to happiness is when she mentions "joy" when she held her daughter for the first time, but I don't *feel* any joy actually shown in the way it's written.)

So...  It's a book that's stuck with me after reading it, and that affected me a lot while I was reading it.  But in the end I feel kind of unsatisfied.

[andracill Posts: 5,579 Status: Offline Worlds within...screaming to get out! WWW]

What disappointed me, though, is a lot of the emotional stuff felt off...

I wanted to see Katniss reacting to things in the moment, rather than just after she'd already had some time to process them. 

I also didn't like that we're almost completely left out of Katniss's thoughts and feelings when she's hearing about Coin's proposed Hunger Games, deciding to shoot her, and then finding out what happened after.  She gets *very* distant at the end.  Honestly, the way it's written, I'm not sure we're even supposed to believe Katniss really loves Peeta. 

I definitely agree, especially with the emotional distance.  It bothered me that Katniss never really recovered her humanity (not that I thought she was a very approachable person, to begin with).  But by the end, she's so cold and calculated in everything -- she refers to her children as Girl and Boy, for crying out loud!

After a few days now, I'm glad I read it, but I'm definitely disappointed with how some things were handled.

[Larissa Posts: 678 Status: Offline Larissa WWW]

I definitely agree, especially with the emotional distance.  It bothered me that Katniss never really recovered her humanity (not that I thought she was a very approachable person, to begin with).  But by the end, she's so cold and calculated in everything -- she refers to her children as Girl and Boy, for crying out loud!

After a few days now, I'm glad I read it, but I'm definitely disappointed with how some things were handled.

Me three.

[mbwest1220]

I fourth the above (). I starting skimming through the last 1/3 of the book just to find out why Katniss was so detached. I love her character and love the HG trilogy in general, but I wanted so much more in this book. Peeta's reaction to Katniss should have sent her over the edge and I wanted to go there with her. Prim's death also felt off to me. I had to flip back to the previous page and read it again to be sure I understood what happened.

[Elaine (aka sweetpea) Posts: 1,227 Status: Offline Hope Springs Eternal]

Just finished!

To me, the coldness and damage in Katniss, it's subsequent reflection in Peeta, how he struggles to hold on to what is real and precious really is the most moving part of the book. Gale could never really be the counterpart to Katniss because he's got that same anger and fire from a lifetime of neglect and abuse. Gale and Katniss together they would only lead to the destruction, the way that having Coin take over would eventually lead right back to a regime that's based on fear, punishment, retailation and the Hunger Games to keep people in check.

War is brutal and SC did a fantastic job showing this in all the characters. While I agree there was the emotional distance with Katniss after Prim's death, we do get to see her crawl back out of that. She makes The Book to remember it. She lets Peeta back in. I think that even though she's been broken, she is a survivor and that even though she comes across as cold, Katniss does feel. Maybe too much, since she describes her fear over carrying her children, over having all that she's risked and built taken away from her. That's so real to me and so present, just look at all the people she feels responsible for their deaths that haunt her dreams every night.

Last, Finnick--I'm not surprised he died. He is someone who kept one thing pure and good throughout a lifetime of prostituting himself--his love for Annie. Being that this is a story of war and SC's message about how destructive it is, I'm just not surprised something that pure and happy was targeted. Plus, I imagine he was fighting for a better world for his unborn child and for the woman he loves. THAT is a good and noble thing that he would willingly sacrifice himself for. So like Finnick to let the Capital think he's shallow, but be anything but. Now THAT is rebellious!

[Pippa Posts: 386 Status: Offline Never give up! WWW]

I couldn't work out why I put Mockingjay down and instantly forgot it, when I wanted it to stick with me like other powerful stories do - it deserved a stronger emotional response from me, darnit!  But I think Whizzbee and Megan nailed the reason for my reaction (or lack of it). It was because Katniss pulled back and became distant.
The ending was all summary! Thanks for putting it so succinctly.

[m_stiefvater]

I was one of those that read it the moment it came out -- I almost never do that. I can't remember the last series book I pre-ordered!

I have to say that the whole "emotional scarring made Katniss distant and is realistic" excuse doesn't hold weight for me, as a writer or as a reader. Because if we were talking about the realistic, emotional effects of violence and war, then Katniss should have been useless in the original HUNGER GAMES book, which was equally savage and emotionally rending for our main character. As a writer, you aim for realism and a compelling story and also a steady character arc. Ideally in a trilogy there should be clues in the first books to how, character-wise, the last book is.

So I went digging through the first two books after finishing Mockingjay, trying to find out why I felt so at odds with Katniss' character arc. And I couldn't believe I'd forgotten about how Katniss hated her mom so much for being weak and catatonic after her father died. So . . . that's what Katniss turned in to?

[brendasturgis Posts: 312 Status: Offline WWW]

Having spent the last 10 days reading the entire trilogy, I came away with a lot of thoughts regarding Katniss. Didn't cry over any of the deaths, but did get teary at the very end when Katniss finally agreed after all those years to have children, and could totally relate to not wanting to because you don't want to get hurt again when somebody dies.

That felt like the most "REAL" thing to me out of all the books. I too wanted the pearl to play some signfigance, and I also wanted the book of her mother's to hold some secrets of their own.

[Jennifer Rush Posts: 404 Status: Offline WWW]

I just finished rereading HUNGER GAMES. I'm surprised at how much I missed on my first read and how much I enjoyed the story again the second time around. But I can't believe the Katniss from #1 is the same Katniss of #3. She was definitely more compassionate in the first book, and had such a terrible time hurting anyone or anything. At the same time, one of my favorite scenes is the one where she goes before the Gamekeepers and shoots the apple in the pig's mouth with the bow and arrow! I wish we could have seen more of that, because, as others have said, I didn't think she reacted the way she should have when Peeta attacked her in #3. In #1, she was ready to kill him at the lake at the end when he pulled out the knife (to toss it). So why didn't she fight back when he attacked her in #3?

Another thing that bothered me...the redheaded Avox girl was given so much face time (for a minor character)---why didn't she play a bigger role? I was sure she'd play a significant role somewhere in the book. Instead it was simply mentioned in #3 that she was killed in front of Peeta. Right? Or did I read that wrong? I still haven't read  #2, so perhaps I'm forgetting something...

[TrueImage]

Yes, you're right. The only thing we got about the Avox girl was her name.

I still feel a little cheated about Madge. I just knew we would see her in MOCKINGJAY. And I was still thinking it could be something between her and Gale. But she was killed with her family when the Capitol bombed District #13.

[HB]

Just finishing Mockingjay yesterday. Mixed feelings here.

It kept me completely riveted. Whenever I had to put the book down I couldn't stop thinking about it until I was able to get back to it again. Powerful stuff. I also feel the ending was what it had to be. It was creepy having people die off camera (Cinna, Madge). But that's war. No final goodbyes, no body to bury, possibly not knowing for years whether someone is dead or alive. Although books usually give a sense of closure, sadly, real life often doesn't.

I found the first two books more hopeful than this one. Even though they're almost starving and forced to send their children to their death every year, the hints of rebellion and growing frustration of the Capital over how the Games are going provide a promise for a better future. In Mockingjay, the future is now. People are dead or broken or mourning and that's as good as it gets. But although I understand the choices the author made, that's not to say I enjoyed it -- I generally avoid dystopian for that exact reason.

I figured Peeta and Gale would both survive. There could be no choice for Katniss to make if one them died. The other would just end up the default. But in the end I didn't feel it was much of a choice anyway. It didn't seem that she loved Peeta more, or felt more passionate about him, but simply that she couldn't forgive Gale for thinking up the bomb. Not that she "wouldn't" but she "couldn't," which doesn't seem like much of a choice on her part. Then Gale left without saying goodbye, never to return, which also seemed to take free choice away from Katniss.

Yes, Finnick was the most tragic death.

Only time I teared up was Buttercup's return. It reminded me of Rue's death. Why could she spend the time mourning the girl she'd known for only a few days when there wasn't time in this book to mourn anyone else?

That brings me to my main issue with the book. Scenes should have an action --> reaction. Instead we had action --> K gets injured and is put into a medically induced coma --> morphine stupor --> summary of what happened while she was sleeping with no emotion since it's old news for everyone else in the room. I don't have a problem with Katniss suppressing her emotions if that's what her character does, but let it be her choice to bury the pain, not just dump her into a coma until everyone else has gotten over the initial mourning / emotions. I felt the book could/should have been longer to deal with the emotional impact of some of events, and to show us certain scenes instead of just telling us. For example, it felt like there were two epilogues -- one summary description of Katniss and Peeta healing and finding each other at last and a second summary description 20 years later.

But still, a powerful, important book that made me feel like I was right there...even if Katniss didn't always seem that way.

[mrh Posts: 4,437 Status: Offline www.marciahoehne.com WWW]

Just finished this last night. Partway through, I disconnected from the story enough to realize it was way too gory for me but I'd read the first two and unquestionably wanted to find out what happened.

I agree that Finnick's death was the most tragic. I wasn't expecting it, but maybe I should have been. Gale, Peeta and Katniss all had to live, or K's choice would be taken away. You can't just kill the minor characters from team 451. I suppose Finnick had to go. But I worry about Annie. I loved their wedding, and was both comforted and troubled that she has their son, but has to raise him alone. She could only just hold onto sanity WITH Finnick, and now she's a single mom, and what are the chances she'll meet another man who'll really understand -- it's exactly this concern for Annie that makes Finnick's death affecting and real. Also agree that Prim's death hardly touched me. While I appreciated that Prim matured in this book, she has always been more a function than a person -- the whole reason K got into the Hunger Games and everything in Panem changed. In that way, she's just as significant as K, and that's the aspect of P that I most admire. She was just crucially, crucially important, but all the focus is on Katniss.

I really liked the explanation for why K ended up with Peeta. G & K really were too much alike to help each other grow as people. Though Prim's death was the last straw, it was over sooner and I think Gale knew it. When he said "She'll choose whichever one can help her survive," his mind knew this wasn't what HE wanted, even if his heart wasn't completely lined up with his head yet. But actually, I figured the edge went to Peeta when he tried to kill K. I mean that mostly from the writer's POV. Collins was going to redeem Peeta all the way from K's almost-murderer to her husband.

Thought Coin's assassination was a brilliant moment. But what would K have done if Snow hadn't already been in rough shape?

I was aware when I was reading that so much of the beginning was summary, but I appreciated it because I needed it after the long time between books. I did find some of the later summary "cheating." It seemed that when we were really on the brink of something momentous, K ended up incapacitated and we had to hear about it secondhand. While I'm not sure it worked from a pure storyteller's standpoint, I wonder if the reason wasn't to get a little more of the violence offstage.

[Kate Kae]

Just finished reading and am still haunted. In the first two books, Peeta brought hope to the story, which was absent in this one. The destruction of his personality was so painful. Then Gale gained ground throughout, but suddenly he was gone to that job in District 2. Sort of like, "Gale is out, Peeta is in. Can't be around him because his idea caused my sister's death." When they've already had SO MUCH to forgive and forget about, and such a deep friendship that involved sacrifice in many forms? Sorry that I must disagree with the consensus; I felt this was weak.

I know war is the worst thing on our planet, but I struggled with the graphic violence, the deaths--especially Finnick's as many of you have said (and Boggs) and for what? Driven by revenge and a desire to end the war, Katniss accomplishes neither. The rebels end the war and she wakes up after it's all over. Her headlong trek into destruction, which causes the death of her friends, was for nothing. By the time Prim died, I was numb.

Katniss did have far more character development, and her self-deprecating comments softened her brash personality which made her overall more likeable. And the rare moments of humor were brilliant. Overall, I won't soon forget this book. Despite having finished it two days ago I'm still haunted (as stated above) and that must prove the impact of the author's writing. Still, it's doubtful I will ever make it through these stories again. I think S.C. might have included the final decision of one last Hunger Games involving the Capitol's children to allow for a companion book in the future, but I won't be able to handle the escalating violence.

[olmue Posts: 3,452 Status: Offline WWW]

After being something like #172 on my library's waiting list, the book finally came in and I read it yesterday. I agree with some of the other comments here. I totally missed that it was Prim who died at the bombing at the end. Seriously, I had to go back and read it again to figure out who that was. Part of me sees that it's one of the reasons Katniss couldn't choose Gale in the end. But part of me is annoyed because this whole choice of K's to play in the games was to save Prim, and she still bit it in the end. Kind of like going through all kinds of stuff and then waking up and it was only a dream. So, I'm in two minds about that one. Also, I would have liked to know what was in her mind when she voted to continue the Hunger Games. What?? It would make sense if she was trying to get Coin to trust her, but there was no actual evidence WHAT was going on in Katniss's mind there.

I did like the change with Peeta; that was a good, new twist for his character. But--but--then things were all glossed over with a summary at the end! I wanted to SEE Katniss choose Peeta. I wanted to SEE him finally get past the stuff inserted in his mind and remember how much he loved her. I wanted to SEE her finally, irrevocably choose him--and it was all told to me after the fact. I'm glad she's happy, I'm glad she was able to move on and at least make a world for her children. That's a much bigger triumph, I think, than if she just went off by herself and nursed her hurts or something. But I just wanted to be there.

[andracill Posts: 5,579 Status: Offline Worlds within...screaming to get out! WWW]

I did like the change with Peeta; that was a good, new twist for his character. But--but--then things were all glossed over with a summary at the end! I wanted to SEE Katniss choose Peeta. I wanted to SEE him finally get past the stuff inserted in his mind and remember how much he loved her. I wanted to SEE her finally, irrevocably choose him--and it was all told to me after the fact. I'm glad she's happy, I'm glad she was able to move on and at least make a world for her children. That's a much bigger triumph, I think, than if she just went off by herself and nursed her hurts or something. But I just wanted to be there.

Yes!

[Kate Kae]

Yes, all excellent points. That's how I felt too--just being told afterwards about Peeta, etc. was a let-down. And yes, voting for the Hunger Games! Maybe that's true to K's character, though still disappointing. Was nothing learned?

Guess if the author wanted discussion about her book, she achieved her goal...

[Turtle9 Posts: 79 Status: Offline]

Just finished it yesterday (had to wait to get a copy)-- and I couldn't put it down once I got it.

Finnick's death was surprising and terrible--he was a wonderful character--but the weird thing I remember thinking when the mutts got him was "Huh. Maybe she didn't know how to end/continue on with his character." It felt so abrupt and pointless for him to die right then.

Word. I was actually expecting him to die, but thought his death was very anti-climatic. I wished he had gotten a more powerful death scene or scene leading up to his death.

Overall, I liked it. I think my feelings of disappointment stem more from the fact that it's over rather than how it ended. This was the first love triangle I actually liked, and I'm satisfied with how it ended, though they could have done more with Gale's exit.

[Marcia Posts: 474 Status: Offline Never Too Late To Be What You Were Meant to Be WWW]

I’ve just finished listening to the whole trilogy on audio. What a writer! Great pacing and Carolyn McCormick does a fantastic job narrating. I can still hear the voices of all the characters.

I agree with many of your comments. Katniss’s whole goal from the beginning was to save Prim. Her sweetness was shown more in the first books so Prim was fresh in my mind and I couldn’t believe Katniss had to lose her as well. It seemed a bit contrived to have her there just before the bombs.

Like everyone else, I also thought Finnick’s death unfair now that he was finally happy and with Annie.

I agree with PJF on why Katniss pretended to want more hunger games (but I was very surprised not to see a reaction from Peeta on her vote).

If Gale had shown an interest in Madge or that other girl who knew Peeta when he was young, it would have been easier for him to go off and for him and Katniss to remain friends. A bit more emotion between Katniss and Peeta at the end would seal the choice, although I guess Katniss remained true to her strong, reserved personality.

Congratulations to Suzanne Collins for this remarkable saga!

[Michael Sussman Posts: 179 Status: Offline WWW]

It's just that when I've stuck with a character through three books, by the end I want to feel closer to that character than I have before, and instead I felt more distant.

Yes! I hadn't realized it, but this captures much of my dissatisfaction with MOCKINGJAY.

I thoroughly enjoyed HUNGER GAMES and thought CATCHING FIRE was a good sequel, but I really didn't care for this one. Sure, there were some exciting scenes and clever twists, but I found much of the writing tedious and was eager for the story to end. I thought it was over the top, reminding me of a Hollywood summer blockbuster. The ending was particularly disappointing. SC handled the love triangle so brilliantly throughout the series, and then it just fizzles.

Given that so many kids are "reading up" these days, I am also concerned about the level of violence and cruelty in this last installment. My son, who is 12, was introduced to the series last year when his school librarian read HUNGER GAMES to his fifth grade class. He went on to devour the second book on his own. He started this third one before I had a chance to read it, but now that I have, I've asked him to wait until he's older to read it. I thought he'd put up a fight, given how much he'd liked the first two volumes, but I think he was relieved. The unrelenting violence and dysphoric mood are too overwhelming for a child of his age. I've given him a copy of Tom Sawyer!

[Michael Sussman Posts: 179 Status: Offline WWW]

Well, no one is responding, so I guess I'll continue my complaining. 

I wrote my post last night, right after finishing the book. Now, a day later, I feel even more strongly that MOCKINGJAY is poorly written, is a disappointing conclusion to a remarkable series, and is not a book that I'd recommend to teens (or adults.) It is nihilistic and offers no hope to the characters in the story or to humanity.

For an eloquent and incisive (one-star) review, see the second Customer Review (by Suzanne G.) at Amazon:
http://amzn.to/bpq3uY

She writes:
"To my mind, the purpose of good YA lit is to explore dark topics in a meaningful, well-written way that doesn't leave you in a bog of existential misery. If this is the brave new world into which young adult literature is heading, let me say now that I want no part of it."

[J-Bert Posts: 257 Status: Offline WWW]

I'm wondering, has anyone heard Suzanne Collins speak about MOCKINGJAY yet? Or has she written any thoughts about the book anywhere? I'd be really curious to hear her perspective.

[Tabitha Posts: 60 Status: Offline WWW]

I would, too.  I had many issues with this final book, many of which have already been voiced so I won't rehash it all.  I think Collins was trying so hard to show the atrocities and futility of war that she forgot about Katniss.  For me, it made the story seem a bit message-y.  But I could have overlooked this if Katniss had been more like her old self.

A few people have said that Katniss was too passive in this book, but I didn't see her that way.  She's still her belligerent self, and she does step up for many an action scene.  However, she spends the bulk of the story reacting to her environment instead of being proactive about getting what she wants.  As a result, she doesn't drive the story.  The story drives her.  That really bothered me.

In HG, she was reactive this way, but it made sense.  Who wouldn't want to hunker down and watch the fallout in your very first Hunger Games?  I would.    In CF, she starts to become more proactive as she tried to get Capitol citizens to see the Hunger Games in a different light.  So, in Mockingjay, I was hoping to see her progress to completely proactive and stop at nothing to save Peeta from Snow's clutches.  After all, she attacked Haymitch at the end of CF because Peeta got left behind, so it didn't make sense to me that she'd fall to pieces after finding herself in an environment not controlled by the Capitol.  I expected her to fight harder, but instead she let everyone else put her into situations where she'd have to react. 

I also had major issues with her concussion experiences.  I've been through a serious concussion, and her experiences weren't realistic in the slightest.  But I suspect not many would share my perspective on this, so I can understand this being acceoted.  Still immensely bothered me, though.

Tabitha