c_dmckinney's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Colonisation, Classism, Xenophobia, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Racism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Confinement, Gaslighting, and Grief
Minor: War, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Genocide, Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Police brutality, Toxic friendship, Dementia, Deportation, and Trafficking
risaleel's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Animal death, Body horror, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, War, Genocide, and Gun violence
Minor: Bullying, Classism, Medical content, Grief, Slavery, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
kkalicky94's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, War, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Slavery, Violence, Alcohol, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Drug use, and Grief
lucia_without_j's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: War, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Cannibalism, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
tea_kettle's review
- 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
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Violence, and War
Moderate: Cannibalism, Drug abuse, Blood, Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Vomit, Classism, Medical content, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Alcoholism
audriew9's review
- 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
Graphic: Classism, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Addiction, and Drug use
rashellyreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"Snow lands on top."
Suzanne Collins is the GOAT for gifting us this emotional rollercoaster of a book. Everything about this story, which is in the era of the 10th Hunger Games, is perfect. I loved the little homage to the original characters by the prequel's characters' last names. And I loved the ongoing theme of humanity, violence, and control. "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" is presented so perfectly in comparison to what we've seen and read in the original books.
One main idea that really caught my eye was capitalism and the surrounding factors of that. Everything has a price, including people. We see this with Strabo Plinth (Sejanus's dad) and Coriolanus Snow, especially at the mention of Strabo buying everything and the scene where Coriolanus expects money for protecting Sejanus. Furthering this theme, every mentor in the program is a nepotism baby, which is why the main original characters are in such higher standings in the 74th and 75th Hunger Games. As I will mention later in this review, this main idea is presented as a criticism of what we know to be America today. And I personally believe this ongoing theme in The Hunger Games was executed perfectly in Suzanne Collins's latest novel.
Another thing that is so obvious, and I hope they continue this theme in the movie, is the dehumanization of the Districts. It's the most significant thing in the first half of the book. In the originals, the tributes are sent in luxurious trains, they are fed, and given a lot of attention. In the originals, they are seen as more players to be taken care of for the benefit of the games being streamed across Panem than anything else. In the prequel, the tributes are rarely ever congratulated or greeted the same way due to the mentor program. The mentors are the players, highlighted especially by the way Coriolanus refers to Lucy Gray as "my girl." After the tributes arrive in the Capitol, they are literally dumped inside a zoo, symbolic of the Capitol's dehumanizing treatment and perspective towards them. After the war, Coriolanus and other Capitol people refer to or compare District-born people to animals or objects to be owned.
The criticism towards modern America is so genius as well, I can't ignore it. I don't remember in the originals being told that Reaping Day was held on the Fourth of July. When I read that I literally had to stop and stare at the wall in disbelief. To outright write that was so bold of Suzanne Collins. And you know what, it fits so perfectly with everything else: the careers in the originals symbolic of what we call patriotism today, the Peacekeepers and their inability to protect their country symbolic of police brutality and militarism, and the prioritization of the rich over the poor. I love Suzanne Collins for not only granting us a fictional story with important themes about children, violence, and the fine line between patriotism and evil. But to continue to write such criticism about the world we live in today is something I highly respect. I want more.
Lastly, I wanted to point out the small cameos and homages to the originals that are in "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes." Not only did I enjoy the comebacks of everyone's surnames, but the direct call-out to katniss. This time, not used as a name but as a plant. I found it so funny that katniss was mentioned more than once in the book, especially towards the end. In the last chapter where everything went to shit, it says a lot that Lucy Gray's last words to Coriolanus were about her "finding katniss". Was she really finding swamp potatoes, or could have Suzanne Collins been nudging at the soon-to-be-titled Mockingjay, Katniss Everdeen? That's another thing too about Coriolanus, he hates the Mockingjays but loves the Jabberjays. This shows his undying love for the Capitol, being that Jabberjays were a Capitol creation. I figured Mockingbirds were a metaphor that could be tied to the generation before the war and the Capitol's rise to power. Similar to that, I tied together the Mockingjay as a symbol of those who rebel and work towards a new and brighter Panem. For Coriolanus to outright despise the Mockingjays is not only a reflection of his love for the Capitol, but his hatred towards the Districts and rebels...and towards his future foe, Katniss Everdeen.
Just everything about this book is so fun to read, especially if you've been a fan of "The Hunger Games" since the beginning of the books and/or movies. I can't wait to watch the adaptation and I hope Suzanne Collins doesn't leave us hanging for another ten years.
Graphic: Murder and War
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Cannibalism, and Suicidal thoughts
emnime's review
- 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
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Gun violence, Child death, Death, Blood, and Classism
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, War, Cannibalism, and Drug abuse
Minor: Alcohol and Addiction
marthadude's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Spoiler
I’m also glad Snow was not made into a sympathetic character. That was a concern of mine and, while Snow is interesting here, he is still incredibly deplorable. It’s also fun that even though he is cunning and great at manipulation, he’s actually pretty stupid at points.Graphic: Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Blood, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Torture, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Child death, Child abuse, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, War, and Violence
Minor: Terminal illness, Cannibalism, and Dementia
2busyreading's review
2.75
Graphic: Child death, War, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent