befrazzledenby's review
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
I was really worried in the first half of the book because I was starting to...like Snow? He was relatable, he felt human and just very real. I was mad about that, but then I realized that's part of the brilliance of this book. I won't spoil anything, but let's just say Snow's downfall in the last ~200 pages is just amazing character development (devolvement? lol), especially given my feelings at the beginning.
So much happened in this book, so much so that the first half almost feels like a different book entirely. Collins moves through the plot pretty well, though, I think, knowing when to give us more character drama vs. plot drama and not overloading so much, which helped me with the length here. Very excited to talk more about this with Am especially given its really heavy social and political themes. Whew. What a ride this one was.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child death, Child abuse, Gun violence, Police brutality, Torture, Violence, Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Gore, Classism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Cannibalism, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Vomit, and War
ellieb09's review
- 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
4.0
That isn't to say that Suzanne Collins did a bad job with this POV. It was really well done. I'm just not a fan of following someone grow into the level of villainy we see in the original books and wearing that growth like a badge of honor.
Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Vomit, Violence, Death, War, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Confinement, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Medical content, Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Murder, Suicide, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts
cait's review
- 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
3.5
Minor: Abandonment, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Police brutality, Sexism, Slavery, Stalking, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Colonisation, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Classism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child death, Confinement, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Torture, and Toxic friendship
hayleyvem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, War, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Murder, Child abuse, Classism, Torture, Child death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, Stalking, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Dementia, Medical content, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Alcohol
Minor: Bullying and Medical trauma
abigpigeon's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, and War
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, and Kidnapping
Minor: Animal cruelty, Drug use, and Animal death
eagleshouse's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
The protagonist is schoolboy Coriolanus Snow - the primary antagonist for the original series. However, just because the book is written from Snow's POV, does not mean he is a likeable character or a good guy.
At the beginning, Snow is the main character, and you as the reader attach yourself to him. He's a little pretentious, but nothing more grating than that. However, as the story progresses, I felt further and further horrified and concerned for Snow - the book genuinely slowly shows his progression into a horrible, evil, man, without a massive change happening until right at the end. It was Collins' use of language that Snow used that first set me off, referring to his lover as 'belonging' to him throughout the book, and progressively gets worse until the climax at the end, which honestly I was not expecting at all and yet was one of the best plot twists I've read.
it also adds so much depth to the Hunger Games story - with so many metaphors and references to both classical literature (both Coriolanus and Lucy Gray are named after pieces of literature that fit their characters, with Grays being stated in the story itself), but also the original series. Lucy Gray being the composer to The Hanging Tree and also writing it for Snow makes Katnisses use of it as a rebel song so much more poignant.
Anyway, without fully spoiling the book, I think this is an essential read for anyone, even if theyre not fans of THG, because the use of government and capitalism and imperialism really shows through as well in such a good way. 5/5 book, my favourite of the year.
..
Graphic: Kidnapping, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Blood, Confinement, Colonisation, Murder, Violence, and War
Moderate: Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Drug use, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Cannibalism, Dementia, and Bullying
emsprobablyreading's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Torture, Violence, War, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Slavery, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Suicide, Addiction, Alcohol, Confinement, Medical content, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Confinement and Vomit
zombiezami's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Murder, Police brutality, Classism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Blood, Animal death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Alcohol, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Confinement, Gore, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Death, Stalking, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Death of parent, War, Infidelity, Vomit, Dementia, and Cursing
Minor: Pregnancy and Cannibalism
jessw17's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Cannibalism, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Murder, Police brutality, Blood, Emotional abuse, Grief, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War
amida's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Cannibalism
Minor: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Violence, and Murder