Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Svitanje nad žetvom by Suzanne Collins

160 reviews

adventurous emotional 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: Complicated

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

As a Hunger Games lover I was excited for Haymitch's prequel, especially after the brilliance of A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. It didn't quite live up to my expectations...
 
While it introduced another facet of the Capitol's brutality and gave us the backstory for several of the excellent side characters from the original series, being back in the Hunger Games arena felt like a retread over old ground.

I also felt like the choice to frame Haymitch's Hunger Games as being a not-quite-right time for revolution makes the progression of the original trilogy more confusing. What was so different about Katniss from her predecessors that she became a lightning rod for change? If anything, she seems less attuned to the power of spectacle and symbolism than Haymitch does in this book.
 
I think my tolerance for the brutal deaths of children may be waning, but if Suzanne Collins decides to explore another aspect of Panem, I would love to read it.

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

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

I’m devastated and can’t stop crying, don’t read the second half in public unless you’re comfortable sobbing in public lmao

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad 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: Complicated

Suzanne Collins has done it again. Sobbed my heart out.

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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: No

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging dark 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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

this is not a children’s book. It feels like her books get darker and darker.

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adventurous 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: Yes

Each Hunger Games book seems to surpass the one before it, even over a decade later. These prequels hold absolutely nothing back, with absolutely horrifying deaths and gut wrenching ends to storylines - literally no one is safe and that’s evident in Haymitch’s story probably more than anyone else’s that we’ve seen so far. As always, absolutely incredible and dystopian fiction done only the way Collins can. 

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny reflective 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: Complicated

4.5/4.75??

This is a fantastic book! A great way of telling Haymitch’s story. 

The games were written in amazing detail & I loved the other tributes from district 12. It really demonstrates the helplessness that you feel as one person against a broken system with setback after setback. It’s so easy to settle into feeling isolated and for the challenge to feel impossible. But Plutarch reminds us of perseverance, and Haymitch demonstrates his real strength and resilience when Katniss comes on the scene. 

Maysilee first owning the pin, Burdock (Katniss’ dad) being an old friend, effie’s first stint, Mags and Wiress, Beetee too… it’s great to see how these characters have been working and struggling for years and for it to finally come to a head almost a quarter of a century later is eye opening. These things can take time. But we’re all in this together!

There was a little disconnect for me occasionally with big moments and sequences - not sure I could visualise those until after the fact. I enjoy reading really detailed passages, and Suzanne’s writing style is much more to the point, which is great for what this book needs, but just not my preference. 

For example, with the interviews it was all a bit sudden and I couldn’t feel things bubbling as much as previously. Who knows. 

I understand the connection between him and Lucy gray and Katniss - it’s interesting. But, mildly convenient for plot purposes? Who knows, but it’s nice to see old friends in those ways. 

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