Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

470 reviews

kristihiggi's review

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, Physical abuse, and War

acadiaclar42's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This was wonderfully done. The intrigue, the mystery, the suspense-- it was a delightful and emotional read. The plot moved swiftly and yet Snow's character development was hidden. Lucy Gray's character was especially interesting.

Her disappearance made me want to reread the whole thing and look for clues as to why and how she left.

I can't wait to watch the movie, as I've heard complimentary things about it as well.
All in all, this tied quite well into the Hunger Games Trilogy and is definitely worth the read.
 
For first time readers- If you're new to the Hunger Games franchise, I suggest you read those first, as this won't make sense/will spoil the plot of the trilogy.

/16 March 2024/ UPDATE: Holy smokes the movie was amazing. 10/10 for sure. The tension between Coryo and Lucy Gray was palpable, and the soundtrack was incredible. Even if you're not a huge HG fan or didn't care for the book, you HAVE to see the movie.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Death, Drug abuse, Murder, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief

Moderate: War, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Vomit

lovosii's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, War, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Body horror, Classism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Physical abuse, Self harm, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Dementia, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Bullying, Cannibalism, and Drug use

lorenmarie7's review

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: War, Drug use, Addiction, Child death, Murder, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Genocide, Violence, Gun violence, Alcohol, Death, and Death of parent

angela005's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Classism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Addiction, Drug use, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Dementia, Suicidal thoughts, and Cannibalism

eficca33's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense 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 has done it again!!! Ok, I was VERY wary going into this book. Why do I need to read a book about how one of the most awful dictators came to be??? I could not have been more wrong. THIS IS A VILLAIN ORIGIN STORY!! oh it was so good. So many morally gray characters! So much nuance around oppression and survival! Oh Lucy Gray you are everything I want in a heroine.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Dementia, Grief, Alcohol, Addiction, Gun violence, Police brutality, Colonisation, Classism, Violence, Murder, and Torture

clara01's review

adventurous challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

I was really looking forward to reading this book as I loved the Hunger Games but I'm quite disappointed. The book is really slow throughout and I did have to push myself to finish it.

From the Hunger Games I know the character of Snow but he was even more despicable in this book. I don't think I've ever disliked a character more, he was self absorbed and pure evil at times. He always believes he's right and most of the book is just him justifying his actions. 

Also the female singing parts were quite weird and unnerving to listen to when being spoken by a man. There was quite a lot of singing, it would've been nice for it to be sung on the audiobook.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, War, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic and Police brutality

Minor: Suicide attempt, Classism, Death of parent, and Cannibalism

picnicatthehangingtree's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.75

A fascinating look into Snow’s journey to being the tyrant we know from the original trilogy, the red flags were there from the beginning. I am choosing to believe

that Lucy Gray survived and escaped into the woods and doesn’t just live on through her songs.

The pacing was a little off sometimes but overall exciting and gripping. Suzanne Collins is a genius. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Classism, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Murder, Gore, Gun violence, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, War, Addiction, Blood, Drug use, Death, Death of parent, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Medical content, Pregnancy, Animal death, Vomit, Sexism, Kidnapping, Bullying, Medical trauma, Body horror, Grief, Misogyny, Pandemic/Epidemic, Confinement, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Religious bigotry, and Infidelity

loveisabird's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

i saw the movie first and while there’s much more in the book that fills the story out much better, there’s definitely some touches/changes from the movie i missed desperately here. coriolanus ripping out his own stitches. tigris’ last line about his father. YOU CAN KISS MY ASS!!!!!

but between the book and the movie together i think i’m even more taken in by this era of THG storyline than the original trilogy. don’t get me wrong i love the story of the final rebellion. but i also just adore worldbuilding and seeing the world of panem getting built, setting up the eventual rebellion, at this earlier point is entrancing to me. the way it recontextualizes things from the original trilogy that are already so provocative… the mockingjay, the hanging tree, the unnamed first district 12 victor, the traditions and spectacle of the hunger games… delicious. 

also like. as much as i hate the bitch coriolanus was a more compelling narrator. then again maybe if katniss’ books weren’t in fucking first person i’d be more into her narration and inner world also. 

finally lucy gray baird is the best character suzanne collins ever created and if you ask me she lived a long life in the woods. maybe not a happy one. but she survived that motherfucker i know it in my heart. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Child death, Emotional abuse, Classism, Death, Genocide, Violence, Grief, Murder, War, and Child abuse

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Blood, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Torture

Minor: Medical content, Cannibalism, Alcohol, Animal death, and Suicidal thoughts

lasunflower's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I watched the movie first and watched a few analyses before reading the book too.

Bc of this, I didn't go into it blindly. To me especially, it is  less of a prequel but an analysis of themes of nature and control, nature and nurture, and the nature of humanity. All this is done through the setting of Panem, the Hunger Games and Snow. A lot to think about on those themes for sure.

That being said, it was interesting how Collins built upon the lore of the Hunger Games, answering questions such as why it was made, who made it and who developed it. She is a great and thoughtful writer and did this very well. And she weaved it into the preexisting trilogy if the book so well. So well in fact you are like oh so that's why Snow reacted this way or that way with the 74th Hunger Games: it's like the prequel already existed! Now I want to re-read them all.

Perhaps a detailed analysis coming soon?

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child death, and Violence

Moderate: Confinement and Toxic friendship

Minor: Alcoholism, Cannibalism, Classism, War, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Gun violence