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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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
It’s likely not 5* only because of the devastation of thinking that we are living through the 50th Hunger Games right now and we may never see the happy ending we’re hoping for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Suicide attempt, Alcohol
Moderate: Suicide, Death of parent
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Well that was very depressing but how else did I think Haymitch’s story would go? It’s a relief to learn his story and understand him better. I read through it relatively quickly and the whole thing is barely about his time in the hunger game itself which sounds insane but it’s still a great set up and I still really was enthralled with the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
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
Ouch
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt
adventurous
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
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
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:
Yes
It has been a long time since I read The Hunger Games, but it didn’t matter. Haymitch was a memorable enough character and I could recall his basic involvement in the original series, and this prequel did a good job of diving deeper into his background and taking us through his iteration of the games. I loved the new characters but this story definitely ends on a sad note, and explains why Haymitch turns to alcohol as a coping mechanism.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Suicide, Blood, Alcohol
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Alcohol
“Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease. Incompetence. You can’t ignore it or it spreads.”
As a fan of the original series, I felt myself slightly let down by this.
The narrative of the strength that propaganda has, is important and very relevant within both the Hunger Games Universe and ours. My favourite scenes are Haymitch's direct interactions with President Snow – showcasing his fearful charm that he is well known for.
As a fan of the original series, I felt myself slightly let down by this.
The narrative of the strength that propaganda has, is important and very relevant within both the Hunger Games Universe and ours. My favourite scenes are Haymitch's direct interactions with President Snow – showcasing his fearful charm that he is well known for.
Snow: Do you know much about doves, Haymitch?
Haymitch: They’re peaceful
Snow: If they are, they're outliers. All the birds I’ve encountered are vicious.”
Other than those interactions, I felt like a lot of the other characterisations left a lot to be desired. A lot of the relationships felt shallow when I know I was meant to feel more. Wyatt, Maysilee and Louella have a "found family" type of relationship which I didn't believe in. Haymitch's interactions with characters like Plutarch and Beetee just feel strange.
Haymitch's character to me, does not feel like Haymitch. I am aware I was not going to get the same character we have seen in the other books, as we see how he becomes so snarky and cynical in Sunrise on the Reaping. However, he felt way too bland to me. I didn't understand his thought process a lot of the time. Does he want to get back to Lenore Dove or does he want to spark a revolution? His focus would alternate and it didn't click well for me, and a lot of his decisions felt like he made them for the sake of the plot. (ie separating himself from
The games were extremely underwhelming to me. This is an arena with 48 kids in it, yet it feels the most empty. Most of the games Haymitch is alone,
That might link back to the Newcomers, which is described as this incredible alliance that has never been done before. It is basically all the tributes, except the Careers (1,2, and 4). Haymitch narratively says how its a really smart alliance, but to me it's more of an agreement not the target each other. They didn't really have a plan for the arena, and they never collect in groups either.
“The Careers have been edited to appear smarter, the Newcomers less unified.”
The plot to
So many characters are placed just to make references. Mags and Wireness being mentors was weird, did there need to be two of them? Effie's inclusion, although I love her, felt awkward.
I know I have complained, but I don't think I can rate it lower than a 3. I do appreciate what it went for, the ending was interesting, the Magno and the University stylists were entertaining and informative, and several things did shock me –
“Nothing you can take from me was ever worth keeping, and she is the most precious thing I’ve ever known.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Police brutality
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Once again, a prequel where the most engaging content is squeezed into the final few chapters. My overall opinion: I think these additional stories should be short stories, or novellas to maintain a level of mystery and afford more room for the audience to engage in their own creative interpretations. It feels a little bit like the author is force feeding how we should feel and giving far too many bizzire connections between President dictator Snow, and the District 12 community. His obsession with one District is bordering on unrealistic now.
This book has a few of sensational new characters - like Ampert (my heart!), Maysilee, Wyatt, Lenora Dove, and Louella. It's also very dark and does not hold back in ensuring readers understand how Haymitch Abernathy is the jaded, alcoholic, disengaged mentor we are introduced to in Katniss' Hunger Games trilogy. Unfortunately, despite this being the long awaited story of the 50th Games, the 2nd Quarter Quell and one of only four District 12 Victors, the majority of this book was very … underwhelming. The first prequel and the main trilogy are carrying this story!
Largely because, we already know how Haymitch story goes. I knew the entirety of the book that he’d survive, how he won, and what was waiting for him on the other side of his bitter victory. That element of surprise is the most captivating aspect of these books. Watching an innocent member of a district enter an arena and being completely unaware about how it will end for them. I didn’t realise how much these books relied on the audience waiting to read who wins the Games. I missed that element so much throughout and lost interest frequently while reading this.
As the reader, you know he’s surviving this. I think Suzanne Collins compensated for what her readers already knew by trying to tell the story she told for Katniss over 3 books in one book.Haymitch is recruited into a rebel plot the moment he is reaped - this made for a very overpacked story! . The only way to surprise readers was to go HARD in the ways she tortured her 50 tributes throughout the games, and make a whole list of cameos and connections of characters past and present. I did love SOME of the cameos and the subtler connections between Ballads, Sunrise, and THG, but this, unfortunately, adds to the story being upheld by nostalgia and pre-existing contexts. It's rather lazy when you think about it long enough. I also felt like the author did not spend enough time investing in why her characters did what they did throughout. I understood how mistrusting Snow and Katniss (rightfully) were in their stories when interacting with strangers in a cruel and dark world like theirs. In this, a lot of the characters are VERY naive and TOO trusting.
Overall, it's a FINE story, but, I'm not enjoying these prequels as much as I want to. I wish I could say that Suzanne Collins is writing this for her enjoyment of her universe, but it's pretty obvious she's writing this for a cheque and an easy movie-deal.
I hate that Haymitch figured out the connection between President Snow and Lucy Gray Baird. That was so ridiculously written and deserved so much more mystery than it was afforded. Especially since his epiphany is never mentioned again in the trilogy. It was an overkill attempt to connect the first prequel to this and to the trilogy. Lucy Gray being Katniss' distant great aunt on her dad's side was more than enough.
I also think Collin's contradicted her universe A LOT throughout this book by constantly reminding readers that the game makers are capable of putting in delays in the the Hunger Games, and over editing the final show broadcasted and recapped throughout Panem. Lucy's Games erased, Haymitch's Games over-edited and tweaked to tell a false narrative - why didn't he remove Katniss' tribute to Rue, and black out the moment her and Peeta attempted to swallow the nightlock? Why did he allow 5 known rebels into the Games for the 75th Quarter Quell knowing they have nothing to lose in overthrowing him? This is the moment to quit while you're ahead
This book has a few of sensational new characters - like Ampert (my heart!), Maysilee, Wyatt, Lenora Dove, and Louella. It's also very dark and does not hold back in ensuring readers understand how Haymitch Abernathy is the jaded, alcoholic, disengaged mentor we are introduced to in Katniss' Hunger Games trilogy. Unfortunately, despite this being the long awaited story of the 50th Games, the 2nd Quarter Quell and one of only four District 12 Victors, the majority of this book was very … underwhelming. The first prequel and the main trilogy are carrying this story!
Largely because, we already know how Haymitch story goes. I knew the entirety of the book that he’d survive, how he won, and what was waiting for him on the other side of his bitter victory. That element of surprise is the most captivating aspect of these books. Watching an innocent member of a district enter an arena and being completely unaware about how it will end for them. I didn’t realise how much these books relied on the audience waiting to read who wins the Games. I missed that element so much throughout and lost interest frequently while reading this.
As the reader, you know he’s surviving this. I think Suzanne Collins compensated for what her readers already knew by trying to tell the story she told for Katniss over 3 books in one book.
Overall, it's a FINE story, but, I'm not enjoying these prequels as much as I want to. I wish I could say that Suzanne Collins is writing this for her enjoyment of her universe, but it's pretty obvious she's writing this for a cheque and an easy movie-deal.
I also think Collin's contradicted her universe A LOT throughout this book by constantly reminding readers that the game makers are capable of putting in delays in the the Hunger Games, and over editing the final show broadcasted and recapped throughout Panem. Lucy's Games erased, Haymitch's Games over-edited and tweaked to tell a false narrative - why didn't he remove Katniss' tribute to Rue, and black out the moment her and Peeta attempted to swallow the nightlock? Why did he allow 5 known rebels into the Games for the 75th Quarter Quell knowing they have nothing to lose in overthrowing him? This is the moment to quit while you're ahead
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Torture, Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Suicidal thoughts