Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

22 reviews

theaceofpages's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• 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

4.0

Let me preface this by saying that I listened to the audiobook. I suspect that this has a negative effect in my reading experience and I have attempted to adjust my rating bases on this. I switched between being okay with the narrator and being very frustrated. There are a lot of songs and while I don't expect them to come up with a whole score for an audiobook, some kind of tone, enthusiasm, energy (you get the idea) would have been a massive improvement. The Gem of Panem sounds almost AI generated and his female "singing" voice is just frustrating. Other than that the narrator was okay, but nothing special either.

Set not too long after the war against the rebels, this book explores the Capitol and the early Hunger Games through the eyes of Snow (yes, that Snow). He is assigned as a mentor and plans to exploit this to ensure a good future for himself. Unfortunately for him, he is assigned the underdog of the underdogs - Lucy Gray Baird the district 12 female tribute. But she is not your usual district 13 citizen and Snow works with her to try ensure her survival and his future.

It's been a while since I've read the original trilogy (maybe I should reread them actually...) but I remember what reading it was like. I enjoyed the prequel but it reads a lot like fanfiction. And I don't necessarily mean this in a bad way. There are a lot of what feel like *see, see* moments (e.g. several references to the katniss plant, songs, I'm sure there are several others I'm missing). There were parts I absolutely loved and others that... Yeah. I think parts could have been better/explained more/etc. The book maybe tries to fit a bit too much story in. I'd say it maybe contains content equal to about two of the original trilogy. There were also parts of the end that I just didn't like, but others were interesting

It's quite a lot more violent than the original books. It gets quite disturbing at times. You get to see into parts of just how messed up the Capitol is. I absolutely loved the world building and the insight into the Capitol it provided. I think this was my favourite part of the book. Honestly, I'd be interested in reading more about it, particularly the

genetics lab

(not really a spoiler but a thing that exists). It was inter sting to see into the aftermath of the war and at least at this point that not everyone lives the same glamorous lifestyle. Being able to see how things started growing into the world we saw in the last book was great. The games (still relatively new) are quite different to what we see then. 

I wasn't a big fan of the main characters. I know other liked her but Lucy annoyed me, although I don't know how much of that is because of Snow's views. Snow... Well, I didn't like him. Not because of who he becomes but because who he is in this book. I know he's young but he's kind of all over the place. I think it might be an attempt to make him complex, but it just didn't work for me. It is an interesting look into how mind works though and his thought processes and reasoning.

Was it worth reading? Yes. Just be prepared for something far darker than the original trilogy that somehow managed to be the same and nothing like it at the same time. I think it delves into a lot of interesting ideas and expands on the world 

Some notes on some of the content warnings (all are individually spoilered)

 
Child death:

Obviously these would occur, bit I thought it's Worth mentioning that these are more on page than I remember the original trilogy being

Child abuse:

Let's just say that the cushy conditiobs the tributes live in weren't a thing in the past

Murder:

Includes execution

War:

In the past. Lot's of mentions of the aftermath

Gaslighting:

Propaganda

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Child abuse, and Child death

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death of parent, War, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Police brutality, Confinement, Medical trauma, Deportation, and Infidelity

Minor: Alcohol, Body horror, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Cannibalism, Animal death, Vomit, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Terminal illness, and Addiction

andyandnormski's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

5.0

Suzanne Collins never fails to disappoint me. Each book in The Hunger Games series is well thought out, carefully planned, and has some of the best world building I've seen in years. I found it difficult to put the book down and read late into the night more than once.

The story follows Snow as a young teenager on the cusp of adulthood and shows you just how irredeemable he was from the very beginning. The narrative is haunting from his perspective. What you gain is a deeper understanding of how the games and Panem itself evolved into what we see during Katniss's time. Without giving too much away, all I can say is you'll likely find yourself wanting to personally punch Snow by the time the story is finished. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, War, Violence, Toxic relationship, Child death, Gore, Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Cannibalism, Addiction, and Blood

Minor: Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Grief, and Medical content

trashcanmoose's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Confinement, Terminal illness, Gun violence, Death, Classism, Emotional abuse, War, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Child death, and Police brutality

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Torture, Slavery, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Toxic friendship, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death of parent, Bullying, and Toxic relationship

theuncannydani's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Violence, Gore, Slavery, Xenophobia, Death, Grief, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Body horror, Torture, and War

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Vomit, Addiction, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Alcohol, Sexism, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Drug use and Terminal illness

katattack345's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

5.0

This book had me hooked from the get go as did the original trilogy. I went into it not knowing what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised. 

It is far more darker than the original trilogy but I still loved every page. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Violence, Murder, Grief, Gore, Addiction, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Cannibalism, Death, Blood, Child death, Vomit, War, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: War, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical trauma, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Cannibalism, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Murder, Gun violence, Grief, Gore, Forced institutionalization, and Drug use

Minor: Dementia, Torture, Colonisation, Body horror, Dysphoria, Classism, Cursing, Infidelity, and Terminal illness

marthadude's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

Before reading, I really didn’t think this book was going to be necessary and I didn’t think Snow’s origin story would be worth telling. After reading I think this book is a great addition to the series even if it’s not required reading. It was interesting to see how the world of The Hunger Games evolved from this into the one we see during the main series.

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.

There’s definitely more threads I would have liked to seen just from the original books. I also wouldn’t have been opposed to seeing more of Snow’s career as he ages and becomes more powerful but I guess there could be another sequel. 

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Content Warnings

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

astrangewind's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

If Veronica Roth killed the genre of dystopian fiction, Suzanne Collins has revived it.

The Hunger Games take on a whole new meaning in this book - only ten years after the war, before all the pomp and flair, from the perspective of not only a mentor, but Corionalus Snow, the Big Bad Villain Man in the original Hunger Games trilogy. Here, we see the televised nature of the Games as an awkward affair, which provide the barest suggestion of what they will become by the time Katniss gets to them. The Games themselves are distanced; we only see the violence that happens from the mentors' eyes, who are largely interested in their tribute's survival only inasmuch as their fame and recognition depend on it. So much unlike the original trilogy where the reader, too, is inside the arena. 

It's 500+ pages of following around the future president of Panem; of course we know it doesn't end well. That's what makes this book so captivating - Coriolanus is not a hero. He's a bystander, only caring about others in terms of how they affect his long-term goals, willing to step on those he deems subhuman.

When I read The Hunger Games for the first time, I was barely in high school. Back then, the draw of the books for me was that a bunch of teenagers were killing each other. Now, as I read Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, I wonder if the trilogy was this damn obvious. The reaping on July 4th, Coriolanus's hatred of Sejanus as a district-born Capitol citizen whose family has more money than his, the way he talks about the tributes other than his, the one he can use. 

The Hunger Games were books about rebellion, revolution, fighting against oppression, no matter the cost. And there were costs. But this is a book about suppression. About how apathy and self-interest turns you into a monster that you don't care about becoming. About how the circumstances of your birth and life informs how you see others - that even though you might be eating cabbage soup inside of a penthouse with marbled floors, at least you're not district poor.

Coriolanus's obliviousness, selfishness, and downright sociopathy make him so unlikeable, but I couldn't put this book down. I wanted to see him punished - but, of course, why would he be? He gets the top spot in Panem's hierarchy.

Everything Collins does is clever: Sejanus's name, rooted from Janus, a god often portrayed with two faces; Coriolanus's abject hatred of the mockingjays as soon as he encounters them; the funeral of the Ring twins, where several tributes were dragged behind horse-drawn chariots, conjuring images of Achilles's dragging of Hector during the Trojan War. Her treatment of Coriolanus's PTSD from the bombings is superb and accurate. The characterization of Tigris as a mother figure, too.

Really just an incredible book that makes me want to reread The Hunger Games. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Child death, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Classism, and Murder

Moderate: War, Slavery, Grief, and Addiction

Minor: Vomit, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury

percivaljoyce's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Police brutality, War, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Torture, Terminal illness, Vomit, and Violence

haley_reads_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

I really liked the first half of this book, but I felt it dragged on after the games until the last few chapters which held so many plot twists I didn’t see coming at all. I can’t wait to see how the movie turns out!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Alcoholism, War, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Drug use, Death of parent, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Medical content, Classism, Chronic illness, Child death, Blood, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Death, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Torture, Gore, Emotional abuse, and Eating disorder

lindasoderlundd's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gore, Death, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Toxic relationship, War, Terminal illness, Alcohol, and Death of parent

Minor: Drug use