Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

122 reviews

saumyagupta's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

While reading the book, time and time again, there are some moments where I want to root for Snow but few thoughts later, it dawns upon me that whatever is happening is not right. It should not have been happening in the first place. The mistreatment of tributes makes us think "Oh, they have it so much better in the original triology!" but even in the original triology, children are being sent to kill each other. This book releasing 10 years later might have felt like a cashgrab to many people, but its so well thought out and dives into topics which fleshes out the original story so much. I do not believe it as a sad back story which made a villian, no, because time and time again, Snow had the choice to do the right thing and time and time again, he chose not to. The only places he did something "right" were the places where he could benefit from. Suzanne Collins is such a great author and she never fails to write a story which hauntingly matches what goes on or what will happen in the real world. I was so conflicted while reading this because every chapter filled me with immense rage. Its wonderful

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction

kirbylover16's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

 

Suzanne Collins is so good at character development. In The Hunger Games, she takes one of the most evil characters in the series and makes the reader empathize with him. She does this by showing how even the most powerful people in the Capitol can be victims of the society they live in. President Snow's lack of control over his own life and the resulting choices he makes show excellent characterization. The new characters like Lucy Gray and Dean Highbottom are fantastic too. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as it delved deeply into themes of class, propaganda, and indoctrination. It was interesting to observe how the games transformed over time and the reasons behind these changes. I also appreciated the backstory provided on the creation of the games, as well as the integration of DNA and scientific elements.

My biggest complaints are all in the last third of the book. I was expecting the prequel to The Hunger Games book to be about the Hunger Games themselves, but it’s actually about the Capitol and District 12 again. Why?? We already spent so much time in District 12 in the original series! I think other districts deserve a little more love. I wish Snow got to go to District 2. The games in this book are so small that in-universe they are erased! The romance between Lucy and Snow is enjoyable. But the two of them don't really know each other, and it feels like something is missing.

If I'm supposed to believe that Lucy was using Snow, you need to give me more proof. The quick betrayal is written weirdly. Like blink and you miss it. 

Last third was so rushed that could she not write another chapter or two?

 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Dementia, Cannibalism, and Alcohol

haileyhardcover's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark inspiring sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This books starts on July 4th, so what a fitting day to finish it! I loved The Hunger Games series when I first read it, devouring each book within just a couple of hours. Still, for some reason, I wasn’t all that interested when I heard about this prequel. Who wants to read about the man we know becomes the ultimate villain? Turns out, I do.

Even if I hadn’t known the future of Coriolanus Snow, I would’ve hated him. From the very first page, he is vain, selfish, and entitled. There are plenty of new characters to love and root for in this book, but never once did I find myself rooting for him. Collins does an incredible job of giving us a look into the mind of a narcissist. 

Like the other Hunger Games books, this one is easy to binge. Even when there’s not a lot of action on-page, it spurs you forward and you’ll look back and wonder how you just blew through 200 pages at a time without realizing it. I’m glad I decided to read it, and I’m looking forward to the next prequel she has planned!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Vomit, Cannibalism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

lucyford's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Honestly, this is probably my favorite Hunger Games book yet. I loved the world-building and connections to the previous books, and the character depth of all the characters was amazing. Everything about it is so creative and I was continuously shocked by the genius ideas of the Author. Definitely worth reading (and watching the movie)! 

The only thing I didn’t like was that you were never super attached to the characters because you generally know where they’re going to end up (could also be a result of watching the movie first though).

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic

tabea1409's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

saaraah's review against another edition

dark 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Violence, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and War

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Cannibalism

sunflower7skull's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective 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

Very interesting to watch the character arc!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

britwalsh16's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I loved the hunger games trilogy, but this book about Snow, just wasn’t it for me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s well written and everything; but it’s just Snows character, we all know he’s a villain, but he spends the first 75% of the book pretending to be the good guy, & it just doesn’t fit him, it was driving me crazy! The book started out trying to paint him as a good guy. He’s not! Like Snow in this book doesn’t understand why they keep doing the hunger games, yet he’s the biggest supporter in the trilogy!! & he’s not a fan of the manipulations that come from those in power; but in the trilogy he’s the KING of manipulations. We’re supposed to believe it’s the same character, but it doesn’t feel like it, his personality is so diff. I love a good villain origin story, but this one seemed so far fetched. Atleast until the last quarter of the book where he finally started showing his true colors & became the heartless villain. 
Maybe it’s just me cause Snow was never a villain I loved to hate. He was always on par with characters like Umbridge from Harry Potter. They don’t deserve redemption, & that’s what this book seemed to try to convey for most of the book atleast. 🤷🏻‍♀️

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

valeriedittrich's review against another edition

adventurous 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

if coriolanus snow has no haters i’m dead. if sejanus plinth has no fans i’m dead. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

hannahcstocks's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation