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Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Excrement, Medical content, Stalking, Suicide attempt, War
Minor: Ableism, Cursing, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Suicide, Terminal illness, Death of parent, War
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Torture, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, War, Classism
I'm pretty sure everybody knows the basis of this story by now as it is the 50th hunger games in which Haymitch won and the whole book is done from his POV. It starts with him waking up on the day of the reaping, which is also his birthday which I have to say is a depressing but awesome added detail for Haymitch's character. He is also dating girl by the name Lenore Dove who is a covey (foreshadowing). Adding anything else would be considered a spoiler so I will just go on to the good, bad, and even a rant sections of the review.
The Good:
- I mean what else can I say, many fans have been waiting for a Haymitch prequel and we got it.
- I mentioned it briefly but adding the detail that the 50th hunger games is on Haymitch's birthday, is a disturbing yet insanely cool detail to be added in.
- The newcomers, most of them are loveable characters and when they combine forces you really want to root for them to beat the hell out of the careers.
- Some of the careers are also great characters. However, known of them get any real big developments.
- The two new tributes we know from district 12 which are Wyatt Callow and Louella Mccoy are great additions to the lore and Louella's both versions (if you know, you know) really add to who Haymitch is and what he becomes in the future.
- I do not think a lot of people mention Wyatt but I will give him some attention. He comes off as cold and calculating, he was a booker boy which are kids that who organized and took bets on the tributes for the games. He is great at telling the odds of certain outcomes and is serious most of the times and does not joke around. However, huge spoiler
When the games start, Haymitch (who was known to be the one protecting Lou Lou) left the rest of the group to do his mission (more on that in the bad section) and Wyatt ends up dying protecting Lou Lou. This goes to show you that Wyatt was a truly caring individual that on the outside looks like a selfish ass who would do anything to save himself but he truly does care for others more than himself. - Louella/Lou Lou story(s) are absolutely heartbreaking.
- Haymitch's similarities to both Snow and Katniss are done extremely well.
- Maysilee and Haymitch's relationship is done the best it could have. At least in my opionion.
- The fate of Haymitch family, not including the fate of Lenore Dove cause that was just dumb.
The Bad:
- The first two pages of the book felt, weird and did not feel up to par with Collins usual writing. Does get better after that though.
- Lenore Dove, outside of her being covey and having similarities to Katniss and Lucy. She just comes off as forgettable. After the reaping she is basically a memory and then
dies in a really dumb way, by eating poisoned candy..... - The start of the games is just bad, outside of the interaction with Lou Lou a lot of the things that were built up never get realized. The story was built up as the newcomers vs. the careers with Haymitch being set to do a small plot that leads absolutely nowhere but to the death of one of the most interesting characters in the book. I will get to the side plot in the rant section of the review.
- outside of the main characters (Haymitch and Maysilee) most tributes are not even given any lines, the only others are Panache, Silka, and Mariette the only ones getting any dialogue. all the other interactions are see through a highlight reel or Haymtich just arriving to see the aftermath of whatever cool scene was happening.
The Rant:
This is the moment you were all waiting, just to quickly note, this will be an enormous spoiler so do not look if you do not mind being spoiled.
By the length of my rant, it may seem like I don't like this book, but I truly did love this book. It also adds to other characters I have not mentioned like Wiress, Mags, Beetee, and others. It was just that one big plot that happened in the middle of the book that just pissed me off with all the missed potential that can never be gained now for obvious reasons. Still a fantastic book and I look forward to rereading it in the future.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol
Minor: Suicide, Torture
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder
Minor: Alcoholism, Vomit, Alcohol
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, Police brutality, Medical content, Alcohol, War
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Torture, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, War
Minor: Homophobia, Rape
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol
That means
1) Hunger Games
2)Catching Fire
3)Mockingjay
4)A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Then and only then
5)Sunrise on the reaping
Any ways…
I loved this book!!! Backstory was crazy! Loved seeing Haymitch’s story. Reading this book definitely made me realize that him and Katniss think about things very similarly. Even during my first read I picked up on SOO MANY CALLBACKS!!! I loved absolutely all the details Suzanne put into this book!!!
(Kinda spoilers)
Snow had an interesting character development. I would describe it as Suzanne Collins gave us A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes as a way to try and show us readers that Snow has redeeming qualities and whatever but her fan base did not take that very well. Sooooo she was like “Oh you still don’t like him…Here I will make him worse than you ever thought he could be! Mwahahaha!” So in all honesty by the time Katniss got to know Snow he DEFINITELY mellowed out in his old age!
I will just leave that there ;)
(I HAVE read all the books in the series including Ballad, but I personally think that ballad was the prequel no one asked for but we got any way)
And by the way THE EPILOGUE WAS TO DIE FOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It had me in almost tears!!!
Fair warning though this book will rip your heart out and stomp all over it so be ready for some emotional damage reading this!
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol
Graphic: Child death, Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol
Minor: Animal death