I was such a big fan of The Hunger Games trilogy, so of course I had to read this prequel about Coriolanus Snow (i.e. President Snow to-be) as a young, poor, student and mentor in the 10th Hunger Games. Picking up this book, I was intrigued to know how Suzanne Collins would try to make us sympathize with one of the most evil villains in YA literature and had hoped for something that would shake things up and alter my whole impression of him. But unfortunately that didn’t happen. If anything, this book made me like President Snow even less. Even though the book provided Snow’s perspectives and gave more depth to his character, it didn’t really do enough to endear him to me. It was interesting to learn more about the consequences of the war and how Snow had to struggle with keeping the façade up and protect his family legacy, while starving in post-war Panem. But already from the start, there was something selfish, manipulative and spineless about him, with his ambitions and his need to always keep up appearances. Also his mentorship and kindness towards Lucy Gray was really just another project for his portfolio and a means to get him the desired university scholarship. And as the book continues, he becomes more and more ruthless, willing to do anything, betray anyone, in his quest for power.
I did enjoy the backstory of the games though, and to see how Snow impacted them to evolve the way they did to Katniss’s time. It was also interesting to get the history as to why the mockingjay became a symbol for the rebellion. I loved Lucy Gray Baird’s character and I enjoyed getting to know more about Snow’s cousin Tigris and his grandmother, but I never really felt attached to any of the characters the way I did in the original series. I missed the bravery and honesty of the original characters, and their struggle for the freedom and their willingness to sacrifice themselves for the greater good that made the original story so addictive and engaging. All in all, this book felt unnecessary. I did enjoy parts of it, but it didn’t make me change my mind about President Snow. My main problem was the lack of characters I loved and rooted for, which made me not feel as invested in this book as I had hoped for. It was also a bit slow and it definitely would have benefited from being shorter. So even though the book was enjoyable enough, it was still quite the disappointment. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Bookshop.org Amazon Book Depository Author info: Suzanne Collins
0 Comments
The Hunger Games is such an amazing, breathtaking and action-filled story about survival, evilness, goodness, betrayal, love, family values, ethics, discrimination and rebellion. It’s set in a dystopian future, but the topics are fully relatable to our world today. It’s also a groundbreaking book with its female lead character and the way it shows the woman’s perspective. Katniss Everdeen is one of the strongest female protagonists in history. Not only for the heroic way in which she faces the challenges, fears and horrors, or how she’s a fighter, a survivor and a hunter, or how she’s stronger and better than most boys, but because she’s not at all dependent on boys or focused on finding love. She doesn’t need a guy to be fulfilled.
Yes, I do know that there is not only one, but two guys, that she has feelings for, but it’s not the main focus of the story. Whatever Gale or Peeta are thinking or feeling for her, it does not consume all of Katniss’s mind or influence her decisions or actions. The romance, the love triangle, is there, but it’s happening more or less in the background while Katniss is busy surviving, saving her family and leading a revolution. Before The Hunger Games (with the exception of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and a few others), most teen stories had female protagonists focusing primarily on their feelings, often fighting passion and lust for the “wrong guy”, and girls not really having any ambitions or wanting or doing anything for themselves, but spending most of her time wondering what the boy was thinking and feeling. So this way, that Suzanne Collins let Katniss really fight for herself and be both strong and broken at the same time, was absolutely amazing and one of the main reasons that I love this book so much. And then add all the action, the nerve-wracking games, the epic battles, the amazing world-building, the complex characters and the hope, love and friendship in the midst of the dark dystopian setting and I truly believe that this series will be seen as a classic that will be read for years and years to come. Rating: 5 stars Get your own copy: Bookshop.org Amazon Book Depository Author info: Suzanne Collins |
CategoriesAll 1 Star 2 Stars 3 Stars 4 Stars 5 Stars Abbi Glines Abdi Nazemian Adam Silvera Adib Khorram Aiden Thomas Aisha Saeed Aislinn Brophy AJ Collins Alexandra Christo Alex Beltran Alexene Farol Follmuth Alexis Hall Alex Kelly Alex Sanchez Alice Dolman Alice Oseman Ali Hazelwood Alison Cochrun Al Riske Alwyn Hamilton Amanda Ferreira A. Meredith Walters Amy Aislin Amy Harmon Amy S. Foster Amy Spalding André Aciman Andy V Roamer Angie Thomas Annabeth Albert A. Poland Ashley Poston Ashley Woodfolk Ashlyn Kane Audrey Coulthurst Becca Fitzpatrick Becky Albertalli Benjamin Alire Saenz Beth Bolden Bill Konigsberg B.L. Maxwell Briar Prescott Bri Spicer Brooke Skipstone Cale Dietrich Casey McQuiston Cassandra Clare C.F. White C.G. Drews Charli Meadows Chris Bedell Ciara Smyth Clarissa Pattern C.L. Beaumont Colette Davison Colleen Hoover Crystal Frasier C.S. Pacat Daven McQueen David Biddle David Yoon Dean Atta Debbie McGowan Debbie Rigaud Debbie Schrack Deborah Harkness Delia Owens D.G. Carothers Dhonielle Clayton Douglas Stuart Dustin Thao Elisa A. Bonnin Elizabeth Acevedo Elizabeth Arroyo Elle Kennedy Elle Wright E. Lockhart Emily M. Danforth Emily Mims Erin Watt Ernest Cline Evan J. Corbin Eve Morton Everina Maxwell Evie Dunmore Felice Stevens Grace Williams Gwen Martin Hanya Yanagihara Hayden Stone Heather Truett H.E. Edgmon Hettie Bell Holly Black Hope Irving Hudson Lin Ingrid Sterling Jacqueline Lee Jacqueline Woodson James L. Sutter Jamie Deacon Jandy Nelson Jax Calder Jay Hogan Jeanette Winterson Jeff Zentner Jen Bailey Jenna Evans Welch Jenn Burke Jennifer E. Smith Jennifer G. Edelson Jennifer Gilmore Jennifer Iacopelli Jennifer Kropf Jennifer Niven Jenny Downham Jenny Han Jeremy Ray Jesse H. Reign Joelle Lynne John Green Jonny Garza Villa Julianne Donaldson Julian Winters Kacen Callender Kami Garcia Kara Leigh Miller Kasie West Kate Larkindale Katharine McGee Kathleen Mareé KD Casey Kendall Grey Kevin Van Whye Kiley Reid Kim Fielding Kim Holden Kim Liggett Kitty Bardot Kris Ripper K.S. Marsden Laura Hall Laura Pavlov Laura Silverman Lauren James Laurie Frankel Leah Johnson Lee Matthew Goldberg Leigh Bardugo Leylah Attar Lisa Henry Lisa Williamson Lisa Wingate Liv Rancourt Liz Plum Lola Noire Lynn Michaels Mackenzi Lee Madeline Miller Magdalena Di Sotru Maggie Doolin Maggie Stiefvater Malin Persson Giolito Malorie Blackman Margaret Stohl Marie Lu Mary E. Pearson Mason Deaver Matthew R. Corr Melina Marchetta Meredith Russo Miel Moreland Mila Gray Miranda Kenneally Moa Backe Astot Morgan James M. Tasia Nancy Garden Natalie Haynes Nicholas Sparks Nicola Yoon Nic Starr Nic Stone Nina Kenwood Nita Tyndall Nora Sakavic N.R. Walker Owen Lach Penny Aimes Phil Stamper Quinn Anderson Rachael Brownell Rachael Lippincott Rachel Hawkins Rainbow Rowell Ray Stoeve Renée Dahlia Rhiannon Wilde Riley Hart River Braun Roan Parrish Robin Gow Roseanne A. Brown Rowan MacKemsley Ruby Moone Ruta Sepetys Ryan La Sala Sally Green Sally Rooney Sarah J. Maas Sarah Waters Sarina Bowen Sasha Laurens Saundra Mitchell Saxon James Serena Bell Shannon O’Connor Sidney Bell Simone Elkeles Siryn Sueng Sophia DeRise Sophia Soames Sophie Gonzales S.R. Lane Stephen Chbosky Stephenie Meyer Steven Salvatore Susan Mac Nicol Suzanne Collins Tahereh Mafi Tal Bauer Tamara Girardi Teagan Hunter Terry J. Benton-Walker Tiffany D. Jackson Timothy Janovsky T.J. Klune T.L. Bradford Tobly McSmith Tomasz Jedrowski Tomi Adeyemi Tracy Deonn Val Wise Veronica Rossi Veronica Roth V.E. Schwab Victor Dixen Victoria Aveyard V.L. Stuart Wesley Chu Xan Van Rooyen Yamile Saied Méndez Archives
December 2022
|