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jdgammons's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I enjoyed this book as a character study of Snow but in my reading I was well aware it was written for a younger audience of middle age to high-school age reading level. I found it too perfect how Lucy Grey's music fit perfectly with the music of the next book, like every song she wrote then became a folk song within district 12 and then influenced Katniss.
I was pretty much annoyed with Sejanus and Snow the entire book and found only Lucy Grey as the only semi enjoyable character but was consistently frustrated with her doe eyed complacency and ignorance. In comparison to Katniss who is one of the strongest women characters in teen fiction I found Lucy Grey lack luster in comparison.
Snow was the only person who had any sort of character development in the book and non of it good. I found the epilogue where suddenly Snow has no care for consequences very out of character suddenly when he spent the rest of the book careful of any repercussions that may come to him as well as the Plinth family adopting him as well as an easy way to wrap up loose ends with the Snow families low income and the Plinth's loss.
I was pretty much annoyed with Sejanus and Snow the entire book and found only Lucy Grey as the only semi enjoyable character but was consistently frustrated with her doe eyed complacency and ignorance. In comparison to Katniss who is one of the strongest women characters in teen fiction I found Lucy Grey lack luster in comparison.
Snow was the only person who had any sort of character development in the book and non of it good. I found the epilogue where suddenly Snow has no care for consequences very out of character suddenly when he spent the rest of the book careful of any repercussions that may come to him as well as the Plinth family adopting him as well as an easy way to wrap up loose ends with the Snow families low income and the Plinth's loss.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Classism
dyer's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book is incredibly thoughtful in every word. Suzanne Collins covers war, the nature of humanity, censorship, media as a weapon, classism, male mental health and more in 517 short pages.
I enjoyed reading about an evil character and his origin story. I also loved the relationship between LGB and Coriolanus. He is delusional! He loved thinking he controlled her, owned her. He loved the fantasy of her. A manic pixie dream girl that may trick the audience too.
I enjoyed reading about an evil character and his origin story. I also loved the relationship between LGB and Coriolanus. He is delusional! He loved thinking he controlled her, owned her. He loved the fantasy of her. A manic pixie dream girl that may trick the audience too.
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Grief, and Murder
onefineelephant's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
9/10. I really enjoyed this book. Coriolanus is a very complicated character and an unreliable narrator which makes him so intriguing. However, I was worried that he was going to come across as the hero of this story (considering how awful he is from the original trilogy) but thankfully his paranoia and selfishness permeate every page. Essentially, he is the main character but he is still a villain or at the very least problematic. It is fascinating seeing things from his point of view and even understanding his actions while also recognizing that he could have acted more humane. Coriolanus is more humanized because of this book since we get to see his hardships and emotions, but his putrid personality still affects everything he touches. Additionally, I love the Covey and addition of songs with their meaningful lyrics embedded in the story. It helped that I could listen to the movie's soundtrack, though, to actually grasp the songs' tunes. I knew how this book would go because I saw the movie first but I enjoyed the book so much more because I could actually understand his motivations and thought processes. Suzanne Collins does a great job of portraying him while also writing him in a way that clearly does not excuse his behavior. As always, I am in love with her writing and will always praise her work.
SPOILERS:
As I said, I watched the movie before reading the book so I knew the events of the book. While watching the movie, I wondered if Coriolanus actually loved Lucy Gray like he said or if he felt attracted to her but was manipulating her for his own benefit. I guess both could be true, but the book makes it clear that he does actually love her even though his own paranoia, selfishness, and manipulation spoil even the most pure thing in his life. The concepts of trust and love come up in this book quite a lot, especially at the end, and I think it is fascinating to examine what those concepts look and feel like. Coriolanus claims to love and trust Lucy Gray (even to himself) but ultimately proves that while he may love her, he is incapable of truly trusting anyone. I think the only person Coriolanus ever truly trusted was Tigris and we know that he ended up having a falling-out with her later in life. Considering his actions throughout the book (causing Sejanus's death, murdering people, becoming a Peacekeeper/cop, horrendously improving the Hunger Games, turning on Lucy Gray), I take deep satisfaction that he grows up to be miserable and alone. Snow may land on top, but tyrants always fall eventually.
SPOILERS:
As I said, I watched the movie before reading the book so I knew the events of the book. While watching the movie, I wondered if Coriolanus actually loved Lucy Gray like he said or if he felt attracted to her but was manipulating her for his own benefit. I guess both could be true, but the book makes it clear that he does actually love her even though his own paranoia, selfishness, and manipulation spoil even the most pure thing in his life. The concepts of trust and love come up in this book quite a lot, especially at the end, and I think it is fascinating to examine what those concepts look and feel like. Coriolanus claims to love and trust Lucy Gray (even to himself) but ultimately proves that while he may love her, he is incapable of truly trusting anyone. I think the only person Coriolanus ever truly trusted was Tigris and we know that he ended up having a falling-out with her later in life. Considering his actions throughout the book (causing Sejanus's death, murdering people, becoming a Peacekeeper/cop, horrendously improving the Hunger Games, turning on Lucy Gray), I take deep satisfaction that he grows up to be miserable and alone. Snow may land on top, but tyrants always fall eventually.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Torture, Blood, and Alcohol
Minor: Confinement, Police brutality, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, and War
jessiesnoww's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
I LOVED the first 2/3 of the book, but then the pace slowed way down and the stakes were much lower.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent
caelix's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-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
The first time I picked up was right after watching the movie if I’m not wrong, and I don’t know why but even though I was super excited to read it, I dropped it after reading not even a chapter.
This was in December 2023.
Now, August 2024, I picked it up again on a sunny day and started to read.. and then didn’t stop. I ate the whole book up in a total of less than 24 hours. It was another masterpiece by Suzanne of course, I don’t know why I doubted her pen the first time around!
Having now both watched the movie (though now I’m definitely due for a rewatch) and read the book, I can confidently agree with the people that complained that the movie was too different from the book. I have to say, though, it’s not changed I disagree with necessarily. All around, considering the director inability to see the anti-war statement in Suzanne’s books, I think it’s a good adaptation. Very enjoyable movie, really good cast (I love Rachel and Tom sm), dynamic change between the different parts of the story. It makes you like Snow, and then leave you with an awkward feeling toward him, which is what the book also goes for. But I think what the director missed was once again, the myriad of little things Suzanne adds in her writing that add this special touch to it, a certain humanity.
I did like Snow in the book, he’s funny, sharp, you can feel why people would feel interested in him, but he’s also just a boy. He has friends and he has family and he has morals that he follows because that’s how he was raised, even if some of them are questionable. All the moment where he interact with people he genuinely considers his friends, or all the time he talks about his childhood with those people around him; all the times those people talk to him and show their characters, and His character through this interaction, those are the bits that the director cut and changed, and I think it’s a big lost.
I personally think the arena scene was more interesting in the movie for sure (and it is my favourite version of the scene) but I do feel like there was another sense to the scene original. That this wasn’t a spectacle, no matter how much you try to make it one. Thats it’s just children killing each other’s.
Anyway, all of this to say, I loved the book and all the added details about the Capitals during the war and the political aspect of things! And I loved seeing Snow interactions with people throughout the whole book!
I would recommend 100%, but be wary of some gruesome scenes here and there!
This was in December 2023.
Now, August 2024, I picked it up again on a sunny day and started to read.. and then didn’t stop. I ate the whole book up in a total of less than 24 hours. It was another masterpiece by Suzanne of course, I don’t know why I doubted her pen the first time around!
Having now both watched the movie (though now I’m definitely due for a rewatch) and read the book, I can confidently agree with the people that complained that the movie was too different from the book. I have to say, though, it’s not changed I disagree with necessarily. All around, considering the director inability to see the anti-war statement in Suzanne’s books, I think it’s a good adaptation. Very enjoyable movie, really good cast (I love Rachel and Tom sm), dynamic change between the different parts of the story. It makes you like Snow, and then leave you with an awkward feeling toward him, which is what the book also goes for. But I think what the director missed was once again, the myriad of little things Suzanne adds in her writing that add this special touch to it, a certain humanity.
I personally think the arena scene was more interesting in the movie for sure (and it is my favourite version of the scene) but I do feel like there was another sense to the scene original. That this wasn’t a spectacle, no matter how much you try to make it one. Thats it’s just children killing each other’s.
Anyway, all of this to say, I loved the book and all the added details about the Capitals during the war and the political aspect of things! And I loved seeing Snow interactions with people throughout the whole book!
I would recommend 100%, but be wary of some gruesome scenes here and there!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, and Classism
Moderate: Death
Minor: Addiction, Drug use, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic
pagesihavenotyetread's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
ashley_est1988's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Drug use, and Blood
laurajordensharris's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, Police brutality, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
disnelyse's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Cannibalism, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
eli_drottningu's review against another edition
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
No estoy segura de si este libro era necesario, pero hace un gran trabajo explicando cómo es que los juegos del hambre llegaron a ser lo que vemos en la saga original, además de aportar una mirada a la visión de la gente del capitolio, la "común" y la que tiene el poder.
Ciertamente hace un gran trabajo desarrollando el personaje de Snow, mostrando su manera de ver el mundo, su lealtad al capitolio, su lado más calculador, y cómo definitivamente sus prioridades están en el poder, el control y la reputación. Es un poco un "coming-of-age" en el sentido que muestra cómo pierde la "inocencia" en más de un sentido, aunque principalmente creo que se deshace de la ilusión de "ser una buena persona", aunque, desde luego, manteniendo la reputación de serlo, al menos a ojos de la sociedad del capitolio.
La parte del romance no me es tan "creíble", pero tiene sentido porque en realidad no es un romance, es posesión, es infatuación, pero no es romance, aunque quizá sí una búsqueda de conexión. Y se hace claro cuando toca elegir, huir o quedarse por la oportunidad de poder. Que de todas maneras, sus ideales eran demasiado distintos para que funcionara, era más que al inicio Snow veía cómo lo beneficiaba Lucy Grey y era con quien podía confiar/en quien podía recurrir para lograr sus objetivos, además de que se encaprichó con ella, se alineaban esas dos cosas, el momento en que el encaprichamiento y los objetivos se dejaron de alinear, adiós "amor". Pero claro, Lucy Grey algo tenía para haber podido sobrevivir a la arena, así que pudo ver a través de eso último.
Me gustó bastante todo el contexto que da, de la guerra, de los juegos del hambre, del capitolio y los distritos, lo que definitivamente no me esperaba fue el giro de la tercera parte,que enviaran a Snow a ser agente de paz, pero, sobre todo, no me esperaba la muerte de Sejanus, aunque tampoco era tan sorprendente, su instinto de autopreservación era de -14, y claramente es un testimonio de las prioridades de Snow, de, a la hora de la verdad, qué pesa más.
Eso sí, el último capítulo pasaron demasiadas cosas, se sintió algo apresurado.
Y es curioso, como se desarrollan las cosas en el epílogo, particularmente, como pasa de"tres muertos son suficientes para toda la vida" a "mataré a quien tenga que matar (pero sin que me puedan conectar con ello")
Ciertamente hace un gran trabajo desarrollando el personaje de Snow, mostrando su manera de ver el mundo, su lealtad al capitolio, su lado más calculador, y cómo definitivamente sus prioridades están en el poder, el control y la reputación. Es un poco un "coming-of-age" en el sentido que muestra cómo pierde la "inocencia" en más de un sentido, aunque principalmente creo que se deshace de la ilusión de "ser una buena persona", aunque, desde luego, manteniendo la reputación de serlo, al menos a ojos de la sociedad del capitolio.
Me gustó bastante todo el contexto que da, de la guerra, de los juegos del hambre, del capitolio y los distritos, lo que definitivamente no me esperaba fue el giro de la tercera parte,
Eso sí, el último capítulo pasaron demasiadas cosas, se sintió algo apresurado.
Y es curioso, como se desarrollan las cosas en el epílogo, particularmente, como pasa de
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Medical content, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Drug use, Vomit, and Death of parent