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maddielags's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
My 14 year old self is absolutely screaming that this series is still something I’m enjoying 12 years later. I honestly thought that the trilogy would be all that we’d see but this book just adds so many more layers to the story that I’m so glad it exists.
Going into it after the first three and how much of a bad guy Snow is, I really wasn’t sure if I would like it but I loved the character of Lucy Gray. Snow is… hard to like, but that’s kinda the point.
This book had little nods to the trilogy and explained the back story of some pivotal stories from the trilogy, such as seeing the story of the hanging tree and how the song came to be.
All that’s left for me to say is… read the book, if you liked the trilogy, you will like this book.
Going into it after the first three and how much of a bad guy Snow is, I really wasn’t sure if I would like it but I loved the character of Lucy Gray. Snow is… hard to like, but that’s kinda the point.
This book had little nods to the trilogy and explained the back story of some pivotal stories from the trilogy, such as seeing the story of the hanging tree and how the song came to be.
All that’s left for me to say is… read the book, if you liked the trilogy, you will like this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Vomit, Alcohol, and Classism
lauren625's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Gun violence, Suicide, and Alcohol
jessy4550's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Medical content, and Classism
vonaegir's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
3.75
better than i expected. suzanne collins excels in writing something that keeps you guessing at the details despite you knowing where things are going in broad strokes. hard to ask for more, and yet i was still left wanting by the end. the character writing and internal thoughts of our narrator are a standout.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Drug abuse, Death of parent, War, and Classism
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
ratchetang's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Watched the movie before I read the book. Very descriptive. Great at exploring the insight of a characters thoughts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, War, and Classism
Moderate: Gun violence, Police brutality, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use and Injury/Injury detail
ballousclues's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
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
"But deep down, things could never be the same between them. He would always be in her debt. She had the right to demand things."
I haven't read any of Suzanne Collins' other books, so I can't compare The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes to her other works. That said, I've given it a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars.
I came into this book with a pretty clear image of President Snow as a complex, yet undeniably cruel villain, thanks to the Hunger Games movies. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was a fascinating dive into his origin story. It was intriguing to see this young man from the Capitol, someone who experienced the harsh realities of the districts firsthand, grapple with the morality of the Hunger Games.
For the majority of the book, there's a flicker of humanity in Snow. His connection with Lucy Gray was unexpected and added depth to his character. It felt like a genuine bond, at least on his end, and I was curious to see where their relationship would go. However, the narrative made it clear that their connection, while strong, was built on shared trauma rather than romantic love.
Snow’s internal struggle is fascinating. His decisions, particularly regarding Sejanus, show a man caught between his conscience and the ruthless world he’s being forced into. It’s clear that the latter half of the book is where Snow truly solidifies into the villain we know and loathe. His transformation is chilling, but also incredibly compelling. He really does remind readers that Snow lands on top, regardless of what it takes to get there.
Ultimately, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a well-crafted prequel that offers a fresh perspective on a familiar character.
I haven't read any of Suzanne Collins' other books, so I can't compare The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes to her other works. That said, I've given it a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars.
I came into this book with a pretty clear image of President Snow as a complex, yet undeniably cruel villain, thanks to the Hunger Games movies. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was a fascinating dive into his origin story. It was intriguing to see this young man from the Capitol, someone who experienced the harsh realities of the districts firsthand, grapple with the morality of the Hunger Games.
For the majority of the book, there's a flicker of humanity in Snow. His connection with Lucy Gray was unexpected and added depth to his character. It felt like a genuine bond, at least on his end, and I was curious to see where their relationship would go. However, the narrative made it clear that their connection, while strong, was built on shared trauma rather than romantic love.
Snow’s internal struggle is fascinating. His decisions, particularly regarding Sejanus, show a man caught between his conscience and the ruthless world he’s being forced into. It’s clear that the latter half of the book is where Snow truly solidifies into the villain we know and loathe. His transformation is chilling, but also incredibly compelling. He really does remind readers that Snow lands on top, regardless of what it takes to get there.
Ultimately, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a well-crafted prequel that offers a fresh perspective on a familiar character.
-
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = This book was phenomenal and very difficult to put down. The characters were lovable, the plot was great, and the writing was strong. Definitely have a book hangover. I know this will be a story I think about for a long time. Highly recommend to everyone!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = This book was very good but I was able to put it down for the night. The characters were good, the plot was fine, and the writing was good. I’ll recommend this book to others. There were definitely moments from the book I really liked, maybe even loved, and there were some parts that may have some room for improvement. I definitely recommend giving this book a try!
⭐️⭐️⭐️ = This book was fine. The characters, plot, and writing were all okay, but nothing extraordinary. I may have had an issue with some pieces in the plot or the writing. I may recommend this book to some people but not everyone I run into. It was a good book - it just wasn’t a favorite of mine.
⭐️⭐️ = This book was okay but far from a favorite. There may have been some moments that I liked, but overall, I may have had a bigger issue with the characters, plot, or the writing. I don’t plan on recommending this book to most people, or anyone at all. Just wasn’t for me.
⭐️ = This book I actually disliked. Definitely wasn’t my cup of tea and there wasn’t anything I enjoyed about it. I actually had a tough time getting through this book and may have not even finished it. I may have had major issues with the character, plot, or the writing. I do not recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, War, and Classism
Moderate: Cannibalism
Minor: Drug use, Torture, Vomit, Death of parent, and Alcohol
The book is a lot more gory than the movies are. While the series implies there is a food shortage, it is more of a focal point of the book than it is in the movies, in my opinion.carillon333's review against another edition
5.0
I’ll be thinking about this book for a while now. The complex characters just make you want to think “Dang, I want to write an essay about these characters.” thank you Suzanne for feeding us with these books and I’m so excited for Sunrise on the Reaping.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: War