Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

203 reviews

macety's review against another edition

adventurous funny slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death, Suicidal thoughts, War, Grief, Gun violence, Child abuse, Violence, and Classism

imiinbook's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I came into this book with no expectations whatsoever and I really enjoyed it. It's got depth and the lack of redemption was refreshing - who wants to see Snow in a positive light?! He killed children!

I really liked experiencing and watching the development of a monster. Corilanus is so manipulative, self serving and opportunistic; but he also seems to be constantly convincing himself that he's making the right choices. I also love how Collins uses his internal monologue to foreshadow and allow the reader to predict his behaviour; fairly quickly into the book, you can immediately get a sense of what choices Corilanus will pick when he is presented with them because you know he will calculate what will benefit him most. Having said that, sometimes he does have a tenderness which caught me off guard a few times. I think the book really benefits from the complexity that these moments bring.

His interactions with the Plinths are one of my favourite parts of the book. The juxtaposition of how they see him and how he sees them is a fascinating part of his villain arc; and his conversation with Papa Plinth, where his expectation of some kind of monetary reward for saving Sejanus is thwarted, is one of my favourite scenes. Satisfying to see someone who sees all of his relationships as transactional be denied; but also oddly satisfying as a whole to see Corilanus succeed in the majority of his manipulations and deceits. Snow always comes out on top ;) Perhaps the satisfaction comes from knowing your assessment of him as an asshole is right?

Also hot take but I don't think Corilanus ever loved Lucy Gray. I think he loved the idea of her and the idea of what she could give him but I think that's as far as it goes. Curious if other people feel the same about that.

A final small note: I also liked that Collins stuck with the full 'Corilanus' name rather than referring to him as Corey. I enjoyed the sense of detachment that it brought - I didn't feel like I was supposed to like him or warm to him; or feel forced into familiarity.

This was a satisfying read and I really enjoyed the writing. Great to get back into some Suzanne Collins after so long.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Violence, Child death, and Classism

enchante's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Death of parent, War, Child death, Cannibalism, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Addiction, Vomit, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Torture, and Grief

Minor: Alcohol

oystersauce's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Toxic relationship, Murder, Death, Violence, and Gun violence

Moderate: Cannibalism, War, and Death of parent

erikalv97's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Death, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Violence, Classism, and Child abuse

Moderate: Slavery, Cannibalism, Blood, Grief, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Bullying, Alcohol, Addiction, War, Toxic friendship, Ableism, and Toxic relationship

eed8's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Gun violence, Confinement, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Blood, Child abuse, and Death

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

eguare's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The primary tension of this book comes from its status as a prequel, wherein the reader already knows that the main character is the primary villain of the Hunger Games trilogy 60-ish years after the events of this book. Knowing that, the book has a dark, ominous cloud over it even in the parts that would, in any other book, provide hope for the protagonist's redemption. The characterization and deep dive into the motivations of "future President Snow" were fascinating and often heart-droppingly horrifying. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, War, Toxic relationship, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, Gore, Genocide, Animal cruelty, Death, Classism, Body horror, Animal death, Blood, and Child death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Addiction

Minor: Cannibalism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

lj_sophia's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Wow. This was a much more complex story than that of the original Hunger Games trilogy. It's violent, dark, compelling, and a wonderful way to set up Katniss's story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Murder, Child death, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Violence, War, Death, Classism, Blood, Animal death, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, Suicide, Cannibalism, Infidelity, Addiction, and Grief

elspethmigliore's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

5.0

this was INSANE. the perfect way to begin the series. it literally sets up the latter books in the most beautiful way im in awe.

at first, i shipped lucy and snow SO HARD bc like obviously. but then i kept reading and i realized how they were so different and how power-hungry snow is that i knew it couldn’t work. and i’m glad it didnt. i dont think either of them deserve to be stuck with the other, despite how evil snow becomes. he’s good deep down, but whats engrained in him could never leave. i wish they had a better goodbye, but also i think it was the most clever way to end their story.

i cannot get over how they ended. what incredible revenge they had on each other. and i genuinely cannot get over how perfectly this sets up for the trilogy. 

it’s so eerie to know how in control the capitol is with every situation, but it makes for an even more satisfying end when it comes to the later trilogy. lucy sets up for katniss’s character perfectly. 

also, i know when i watch the movie im gonna ship them so hard bc tom blyth is so hot, but i still stand by what i said. 

✅ ONE HUNDRED PERCENT WILL BE REREADING THIS WAS INSANE

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Torture, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Drug use, Alcohol, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Animal death, Child abuse, Blood, Animal cruelty, Murder, Classism, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Child death, and Cannibalism

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Alcohol, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Classism, Blood, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Addiction, Murder, Drug use, Body horror, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Medical trauma, War, Gun violence, Grief, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Cannibalism, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Death, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Emotional abuse

kymboh78's review against another edition

tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Blood, Toxic friendship, Child death, Violence, Murder, Gun violence, War, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Cannibalism, Drug use, and Drug abuse