Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, by Suzanne Collins

45 reviews

katieav's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-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

4.0

I was incredibly apprehensive to read this book. I was completely uninterested in a redemption arc for a character I found so deplorable, but I was happily surprised. We’ve actually owned this book since it came out and I was inspired to read it yesterday, I was immediately captivated by the book-especially Lucy Gray, Tigris, and those who questioned the hunger games. I especially loved

Spoiler

the ways in which Suzanne Collins helped us understand some of the reasons that Katniss irked President Snow so much including the songs she sang, her singing, the constant references to Mockingjays, district 12 and more

The first 2/3 of the book I couldn’t stop reading, but towards the end I found myself wanting more from the end of the book.

Spoiler

I am alright with the ambiguity the ending holds, but I wish that we saw the build up of him deciding to leave Lucy Gray before the last few pages of the book.

overall, if you enjoy the hunger games I so recommend the book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, Child death, Classism, Gore, Grief, and Blood

Moderate: Alcohol

smasson13's review

challenging emotional reflective 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

4.5

This book was a wild ride. While I still prefer the original series, this novel was full of twists! 

At first I was confused as why it didn't end after act 2, and the start of act 3 felt like it was dragging on but not leading anywhere...but the end threw me. I think Suzanne Collins does a lovely jobs of trying to convince you of some sort of compassion in Coriolanus while he is struggling in the Capitol. Yet, by act 3, my hatred was renewed.

I would love to read more about the development of the early Hunger Games, I thought this was a really interesting perspective to take for a prequel novel. 

As well, I know critics seemed not to enjoy the folk songs throughout the book, but I think they lend nicely to the story telling as well as the history of the area of the USA that District 12 apparently occupies. 

Overall, it was a huge novel to get through, but never felt like a struggle. The tension and anticipation was high throughout, though at times frustrating. Definitely recommend it for those who have read the original series, it did not take away from what has already been created. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Murder, Death, Injury/injury detail, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, War, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, and Animal death

Minor: Confinement, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Gun violence, and Death of parent

mozimmerm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-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

It was so interesting to read the backstory to Snow and discover how he got where we find him in the Hunger Games series. I love a morally gray character. He was so charming, you almost want to cheer him on before you remember how he ends up. 

I loved all the references to the Hunger Games series, especially the songs 💕

Highly recommend if you love Hunger Games!! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Classism, Death, Gore, Grief, Injury/injury detail, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Violence, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Vomit, and War

Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Cannibalism, Dementia, and Drug use

zozo_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

Woah was not expecting that. I thought it would focus on the games but the second half was so strange!! Last part freaked me out but worth the read if you like the hunger games.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/injury detail, Animal death, Child abuse, Classism, Murder, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War

bookthief's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This was a very interesting book. It was completely different to how I imagined it to be before I read it. I thought it was mainly going to be based around Coriolanus being a mentor but that was only a small portion of the book. 
The first half of the book was a slow pace with each chapter ending in a cliff hanger and the second half got considerably intense and the story changed.
Suzanne Collins originally made us feel sorry for Snow as he was poor and had no parents, but by the end of the book you could see his development from being poor and empathetic to controlling and manipulative. 

Theories :
Could Lucy Gray be Katniss’ grandmother?
Could it be that Katniss’ dad was Lucy Gray’s son and she taught him the Hanging tree song and who taught that to Katniss?
Is Lucy Gray dead or did she run away or escaped to those who she claimed to be hiding in the woods?

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Vomit, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Alcohol, Animal death, War, Death, Grief, and Alcoholism

lucimolri's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective 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? It's complicated

3.75

3,75/4 

Desde que se anunció tenía poquísimas expectativas y no tenía intención de leerlo, pero al final me ha enganchado un montón y me ha dejado con ganas de releer la trilogía. 

¿Que si es bueno? Pues a ver, para mí ha sido muy entretenido, pero si no eres muy fan de la trilogía y sientes mucha nostalgia por su historia… pues a lo mejor no te gusta. 

Para mí empieza muy bien pero pierde fuerza una vez empiezan los juegos del hambre. Está repleta de referencias a la trilogía, claramente hechas para los fanses, y de canciones, muuuuuuuuuchas canciones. No mentiré, llegaba un punto en el que prácticamente me saltaba las canciones, porque igualmente el narrador te las explicaba. 

En conclusión: me ha gustado, pero si no te lo lees no te pierdes tampoco nada

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Death, Alcohol, Blood, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Genocide, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Child death, and War

Moderate: Cannibalism

meghanelizabeth's review

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child death, War, and Blood

Moderate: Police brutality, Injury/injury detail, Grief, Cannibalism, Violence, Gun violence, Gore, Death of parent, Death, Classism, Alcohol, and Torture

tinybluepixel's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-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: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Alcohol, Gore, Addiction, Classism, Physical abuse, Death, War, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: War, Confinement, Injury/injury detail, Death of parent, and Vomit

Minor: Infidelity

hannahbailey's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

TW: violence, death (of parent, children), torture, war, gun violence, toxic relationship, animal death/cruelty, body horror, suicide attempt, grief, cannibalism, emotional abuse, forced institutionalisation, stalking, genocide, vomit

It was great to be back in Panem again-I've missed it! I'm aware how unhinged that sounds given the horrendous TWs I've listed above. But it's YA! And its Panem, a place we know is not famous for its kindness and generosity towards children.

So it was interesting to see Panem from the perspectives of Capitol citizens, however the perspective is limited through Coriolanus' gaze...make of that what you will 🥸 The POV was not quite a revelatory as I'd hoped it would be. Although, as with everything Suzanne Collins writes, I'm now thinking maybe this was intentional. There's no big reveal, we go to war and we fight and we kill each other because that's what humans do. There's no deeper message to be understood or secret to be discovered. Dammit Suzanne, you got me again! We have to stan.

I of course enjoyed the Hunger Games part, how could I not?! But the rest was overly long and stretched out. I didn't feel like we were given anything new, especially as District 12 was featured again over other districts. I wanted a lot more from Snow than I was given too. In every aspect of the novel and THG world, I'm itching to know more. Maybe one day we'll get the Finnick and Joanna novellas we deserve!

I know it's cringe and cliche but I want nothing more than for the movie adaptation to end with a close up of young Snow's face slowly morphing into old Snow's face either during his most evil in Catching Fire or at the end of Mockingjay when he *redacted*. The satisfaction would be too much to bear!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Blood, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, Alcohol, Body horror, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/injury detail, Suicide attempt, Torture, Animal cruelty, Gore, Gun violence, Cannibalism, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Death of parent, Drug use, Genocide, and Grief

violetends's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, Confinement, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Gore, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Cannibalism, Police brutality, Death of parent, Grief, and War