Reviews tagging 'Eating disorder'

De ballade van slangen en zangvogels by Suzanne Collins

12 reviews

kelseyr713's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Suzanne Collins knows how to write a compelling story! These 500+ pages flew by and I couldn't put the book down. Brought me back to devouring the original trilogy, which I think I'm about to again.

It is not fun to be inside Snow's head for this long, but it is enlightening. The plot also manages to be compelling despite knowing the foregone conclusion. Seeing an early version of the Hunger Games without all the technology that the later ones will have is interesting too.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Alcohol, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Child death, Murder, Blood, Gore, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Violence, Confinement, Death, Toxic friendship, and War

Moderate: Drug abuse, Infidelity, Death of parent, Vomit, Addiction, and Drug use

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, and Cannibalism

katelynnelawson's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Put off reading this because I thought it wouldn’t live up to the original trilogy… but just like all the books in the original trilogy, I read it in under 48 hours. Depressing but knew that going in and can’t wait to see the movie. I love that I both hated the villain and saw the good in him and wanted him to grow and change. The reader knows he won’t (and can’t as this is a prequel) but the author still makes you long for it and believe it could happen if he’d just made better choices and listened to that tiny little conscience inside. But everyone is a victim in war, even perpetrators, and grifters are always gonna grift.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Body horror, Classism, Child death, Murder, Gun violence, Torture, War, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Animal death, Medical content, Addiction, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Eating disorder, and Cannibalism

sedwards1992's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

2.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, War, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Police brutality, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Violence, Bullying, Child abuse, Eating disorder, and Cannibalism

olliepopop's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

I found this novel to be an amazing addition to Hunger Games lore. First, I enjoyed learning about the behind-the-scenes of the games so much since it helped me imagine Haymitch and the other mentors and what power or influence they could've tried to wield to help their tributes in the games, and the limitations of their influence too.

I also really appreciated getting to see Snow's perspective and the mindset of the Capitol elite (and eventually people) that would've contributed to the longevity of the Hunger Games.

I heard some people felt that reading Snow's perspective and the romance made him too sympathetic, but honestly, I felt it truly showed his character and how he could be capable of rising to such complete and vicous power. I started marking every time he talked about "his girl" who of course loved him, was devoted to him, and would only ever think about him while trying to fight for her life in the arena. Sure. 

I was shocked when it was revealed Lucy Gray did actually love him at all and wasn't just playing him, but that just further showed the sinister nature of his lying, that she could think he did things for her when it was really just to save his own reputation, future, or life every time. The last chapter felt the perfect culmination and reveal of Snow's true nature even while he was still making himself sick lying to himself.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and think it showed what it wanted to incredibly well!

Part 1: 4 ⭐️
Part 2: 4.25 ⭐️
Part 3: 5 ⭐️

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Gore, Blood, Child death, War, Body horror, Classism, and Confinement

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Cannibalism, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Drug use, and Sexual violence

rebecca_friels's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

A good book that is darker than the original series and fits the slightly more mature audience. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Blood, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Torture

Minor: Eating disorder

sadiaa's review against another edition

adventurous dark

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Child death, Classism, Drug use, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War, and Eating disorder

mattiedancer's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

Writing: 4.75⭐️/5 

As with much of Collins' writing, the book thrives on its visually stunning and well-described settings. What any artistry in her writing might have lacked, she made up for with the impact of the world. And, even with a few stumbly sections in her writing, much of it read cleanly and beautifully–an intriguing insight into a poisonous mind.

Characters: 4.75⭐️/5

A few characters felt a touch jarring, but otherwise, like the setting, the world came alive with the characters. The way in which we understand Corionalus’ thoughts and mental state without overly empathizing with his goals is stunning. The side characters felt explored in their relationship with Coriolanus, meaning the people he liked we knew the most about and the people he thought ill of, we also felt the toxicity of his opinions. 

Plot: 4⭐️/5 

While the plot overall is intriguing and fascinating to watch unfold (believe me, I was slackjawed at several moments), I did feel (SPOILERS HERE) that the resolution of his attempted escape with Lucy Gray was rushed and unclear. Had the book been written in first person, I would’ve accepted this section gleefully as a possible blip in our narration due to an unreliable narrator, but I would have loved more of this section to focus on his mind unravelling a bit slower – as well as Lucy Gray’s realization moving a bit slower – so we could understand this section fully. And, even though I loved all the symbolism that ties us to the original trilogy, the added details connecting Lucy Gray to Katniss’ rebellion and how personally it integrated into Corionalus’ life felt too on the nose. The moment in which Lucy uses the excuse of finding katniss (the plant) to leave him felt a bit too heavy-handed for the analogy that later Katniss (the person) will cause his undoing. The song, The Hanging Tree, being written for him by Lucy also felt too coincidental, especially when tied with his heavy hatred of the mockingjays around District 12 during his time there. I wish some of these tie-backs had been removed or made less vital to slowly grit on his nerves, rather than to so obviously connect him to Katniss. 

Who Should Read This Book? 

• Fans of The Hunger Games trilogy

Content Warnings? 

• Death, murder, child death, parent death, illness, cannibalism, blood, injury, medical trauma, gore

Post-Reading Rating:  5⭐️/5

I wish it had gone on a bit longer, but I was happy with the conclusion.

Final Rating: 4.5⭐️/5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Body horror, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Bullying, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Dementia, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Cannibalism, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, and War

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Eating disorder, Misogyny, and Sexism

laineydunne's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Murder, Alcoholism, Cannibalism, Child death, Drug use, Gun violence, Police brutality, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Addiction, Animal death, Slavery, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Hate crime, and War

haley_reads_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I really liked the first half of this book, but I felt it dragged on after the games until the last few chapters which held so many plot twists I didn’t see coming at all. I can’t wait to see how the movie turns out!!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Alcoholism, War, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Drug use, Death of parent, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Medical content, Classism, Chronic illness, Child death, Blood, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Death, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Torture, Gore, Emotional abuse, and Eating disorder

jojo_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, War, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Dementia, Drug abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Eating disorder, Grief, and Slavery