The Narrow Path

by FernWithy

In District Thirteen, Haymitch Abernathy is dealing with enforced sobriety, winning a war, and a troubled teenage girl. (Mockingjay, alternate POV)

Genres: Fan Fiction

ebook

Published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Carissa Victoria]

I read this whole series in two weeks in which I also got married and was on my honeymoon. Am I back in a hunger games obsession? Maybe. But this was fantastic. Great character development and relationships of haymitch and Effie and all the other victors. The rebellion was always there. Great switching of povs. They should make this cannon and hbo should buy it. This review was written at a bar midway through a honeymoon bar tour

[Ffion]

The epilogue is so cathartic

[annabelle.fs]

I really loved this fanfiction. Hearing about the complexities of 13's politics from Haymitch's perspective, who just like Katniss is trying to untangle Coin's true motivation, is fascinating. FernWithy has built up Haymitch (and 13, Coin, Katniss, etc.) so well from the source material over the course of the other 8 fanfictions, that everything that Haymitch thinks and and does is completely believable. I think my favorite part though is really getting a sense of the love Haymitch has for Katniss, Peeta, Finnick, Johanna, his past tributes and the people in his life. He is conflicted about it and questions his right to love, but it's intense and makes him such a wonderful character. I never got that from Katniss' narrow perspective of the original books, because Katniss doesn't allow herself to be loved.

The pessimist in me can't really imagine that everyone remaining gets their happy ending. Especially Johanna and Haymitch, both addicts and both reluctant to let themselves be supported and loved by the people around them. Johanna and Gale ending up together makes sense, if you consider that they look at people, revenge and war more similarly than Gale and Katniss ever did. I want her to be happy with him, but I don't know if she can be, maybe because the fanfiction doesn't explore the buildup to the relationship. The Haymitch and Effie pairing was one I never imagined while reading the original books, but built up to the way it was in these fanfictions, I absolutely love it and I will fully accept this as head-cannon.

[sofide]

"Finnick's dead," I say. I think I must have said it before.
"Yeah, I know."
"He wasn't really my son. I just called him one of my kids."
"Like Katniss. And Jo. And Peeta."
"I'm not their father. You shouldn't have to... I shouldn't be in shock. It's not my place to..."
Prim seems to understand me anyway.
"Haymitch, you have the right to grieve for people you love. And you have a right to love anyone who fits in your heart."

wow. simply wow. this is one of the best pieces of YA literature written in the 21st century and it's out there for FREE. give fernwithy the recognition they deserve!!

[Lyss]

3 stars for jo and gale
jo deserved to be happy not stuck with HIM

[Annaka]

I no longer rate fanfiction beyond did I enjoy it enough to reread it, and for this book/series it's a definite yes!

[noah (wes's version)]

now i feel empty

[Trina]

9 books in this series, finished in 19 days... I can't believe it's over.

I love Haymitch, despite his flaws. Nothing else to be said.

[emily]

wow I will never be the same again 😭