A review by aprilyang1
The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes by Suzanne Collins

adventurous dark 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

4.5

I know that a lot of people did not like this book or were disappointed in it, but I absolutely loved it??

More than anything this book felt like a mind game. The whole time I felt like I was battling with myself because despite how I saw Coriolanus as a boy I’m reminded of  who he ultimately became. It’s like an internal battle as I remember that he IS an evil character no matter how much I want him to make better choices. I have so many deeper thoughts and “what if” feelings (like how would he have turned out if he wasn’t “groomed” or “manipulated” to have a specific way of thinking?, how could exposure have positively influenced his ignorance?, etc.) but I won’t go into too much detail. 

I think there is some similarity in how Collins writes her characters within this world. Similar to Katniss, Coriolanus struggles between that boundary of good and evil. However, unlike Katniss you can see how he is more in tune with that evil and corrupt side. He’s selfish, self-centered, insecure, and most importantly, a narcissist (he’s crazy!). But, at the same time he shows inklings of some sort of morality (albeit usually motivated by selfish reasons). It’s an interesting dynamic, especially since you already know his outcome. Another thing I found interesting was the interactions between capitol student mentors and the tributes. It was a dynamic that we didn’t see in the original hunger games.

I felt like this was such an interesting story and made me teeter between the lines like Katniss and Snow. It was something new of sorts. In my opinion, Collins managed to take a concept/storyline we’re all familiar with and make it deeper and more complex.