Reviews with content warning for Violence - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

No estoy segura de si este libro era necesario, pero hace un gran trabajo explicando cómo es que los juegos del hambre llegaron a ser lo que vemos en la saga original, además de aportar una mirada a la visión de la gente del capitolio, la "común" y la que tiene el poder.

Ciertamente hace un gran trabajo desarrollando el personaje de Snow, mostrando su manera de ver el mundo, su lealtad al capitolio, su lado más calculador, y cómo definitivamente sus prioridades están en el poder, el control y la reputación. Es un poco un "coming-of-age" en el sentido que muestra cómo pierde la "inocencia" en más de un sentido, aunque principalmente creo que se deshace de la ilusión de "ser una buena persona", aunque, desde luego, manteniendo la reputación de serlo, al menos a ojos de la sociedad del capitolio.

La parte del romance no me es tan "creíble", pero tiene sentido porque en realidad no es un romance, es posesión, es infatuación, pero no es romance, aunque quizá sí una búsqueda de conexión. Y se hace claro cuando toca elegir, huir o quedarse por la oportunidad de poder. Que de todas maneras, sus ideales eran demasiado distintos para que funcionara, era más que al inicio Snow veía cómo lo beneficiaba Lucy Grey y era con quien podía confiar/en quien podía recurrir para lograr sus objetivos, además de que se encaprichó con ella, se alineaban esas dos cosas, el momento en que el encaprichamiento y los objetivos se dejaron de alinear, adiós "amor". Pero claro, Lucy Grey algo tenía para haber podido sobrevivir a la arena, así que pudo ver a través de eso último.

Me gustó bastante todo el contexto que da, de la guerra, de los juegos del hambre, del capitolio y los distritos, lo que definitivamente no me esperaba fue el giro de la tercera parte,

que enviaran a Snow a ser agente de paz, pero, sobre todo, no me esperaba la muerte de Sejanus, aunque tampoco era tan sorprendente, su instinto de autopreservación era de -14, y claramente es un testimonio de las prioridades de Snow, de, a la hora de la verdad, qué pesa más.

Eso sí, el último capítulo pasaron demasiadas cosas, se sintió algo apresurado.
Y es curioso, como se desarrollan las cosas en el epílogo, particularmente, como pasa de

"tres muertos son suficientes para toda la vida" a "mataré a quien tenga que matar (pero sin que me puedan conectar con ello")

Content Warnings

ratchetang's review against another edition

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dark reflective tense medium-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

4.25

Watched the movie before I read the book. Very descriptive. Great at exploring the insight of a characters thoughts.

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bonananna202's review against another edition

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reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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ballousclues's review against another edition

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challenging reflective 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

"But deep down, things could never be the same between them. He would always be in her debt. She had the right to demand things."

I haven't read any of Suzanne Collins' other books, so I can't compare The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes to her other works. That said, I've given it a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars.

I came into this book with a pretty clear image of President Snow as a complex, yet undeniably cruel villain, thanks to the Hunger Games movies. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was a fascinating dive into his origin story. It was intriguing to see this young man from the Capitol, someone who experienced the harsh realities of the districts firsthand, grapple with the morality of the Hunger Games.

For the majority of the book, there's a flicker of humanity in Snow. His connection with Lucy Gray was unexpected and added depth to his character. It felt like a genuine bond, at least on his end, and I was curious to see where their relationship would go. However, the narrative made it clear that their connection, while strong, was built on shared trauma rather than romantic love.

Snow’s internal struggle is fascinating. His decisions, particularly regarding Sejanus, show a man caught between his conscience and the ruthless world he’s being forced into. It’s clear that the latter half of the book is where Snow truly solidifies into the villain we know and loathe. His transformation is chilling, but also incredibly compelling. He really does remind readers that Snow lands on top, regardless of what it takes to get there.

Ultimately, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a well-crafted prequel that offers a fresh perspective on a familiar character.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = This book was phenomenal and very difficult to put down. The characters were lovable, the plot was great, and the writing was strong. Definitely have a book hangover. I know this will be a story I think about for a long time. Highly recommend to everyone!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = This book was very good but I was able to put it down for the night. The characters were good, the plot was fine, and the writing was good. I’ll recommend this book to others. There were definitely moments from the book I really liked, maybe even loved, and there were some parts that may have some room for improvement. I definitely recommend giving this book a try!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ = This book was fine. The characters, plot, and writing were all okay, but nothing extraordinary. I may have had an issue with some pieces in the plot or the writing. I may recommend this book to some people but not everyone I run into. It was a good book - it just wasn’t a favorite of mine.

⭐️⭐️ = This book was okay but far from a favorite. There may have been some moments that I liked, but overall, I may have had a bigger issue with the characters, plot, or the writing. I don’t plan on recommending this book to most people, or anyone at all. Just wasn’t for me.

⭐️ = This book I actually disliked. Definitely wasn’t my cup of tea and there wasn’t anything I enjoyed about it. I actually had a tough time getting through this book and may have not even finished it. I may have had major issues with the character, plot, or the writing. I do not recommend.

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carillon333's review against another edition

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5.0

I’ll be thinking about this book for a while now. The complex characters just make you want to think “Dang, I want to write an essay about these characters.” thank you Suzanne for feeding us with these books and I’m so excited for Sunrise on the Reaping.

Content Warnings

readingoccasionally89's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
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

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