dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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dark inspiring sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced
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

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adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

This book is absolutely brutal. Not that the Hunger Games trilogy wasn't, but this one tore me up. 

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dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective tense fast-paced
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

I adore the way that Haymitch describes Lenore Dove with colors. Collins has done it again, and she keeps the narrative compelling even as we know the ending.

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Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Absolutely harrowing.
Especially those last two chapters, what a portrayal of descent into despair.

The epilogue was beautiful - sad but beautiful - very glad it was included. Otherwise it might all have been a bit much.

In several ways felt more like a sequel to Ballad than a prequel to the originals. Not a bad thing though. Loved seeing more of
The Covey
.

The character of Lenore Dove was great.

Felt very topical, timely, with the themes of propaganda and media+government driving the narrative through editorialising.

A lovely little authorial dig against generative AI! Quite on-the-nose but no complaints there tbh

I liked the incorporation of The Raven. Made it apparent early on how things would end with
Lenore
, though of course that was already predictable.
Perhaps it wouldn't have hurt to quote a bit less of the poem in the book and leave it as a thing to explore afterwards. Though it did nicely underline
Haymitch's final deterioration.

Definitely a good addition to the overall saga. Although the broad strokes were already known, plenty of surprises along the way, and a very poignant portrait of Haymitch.

If I had to criticise something, it did feel a bit out of character to have
President Snow
chatting to Haymitch about
those troublesome Covey girls as if he were a jaded old uncle sharing romantic advice lol

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