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A review by raysberry
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
3.75
So much to talk about here. First of I’m gonna say that this isn’t a cash grab. Suzanne Collins had a story to tell and I liked it well enough.
What I didn’t like: Too many songs and ballads etc. At some point my eyes just skipped parts because they were so long and felt irrelevant (though they probably had deeper meanings). I feel like the book could’ve benefited from a second POV. Though that’s highly subjective and may have undermined the message. It also felt too long at times, especially the descriptions of mundane activities served more to irritate than immerse.
What I liked: Coriolanus Snow is such an interesting protagonist. It’s truly impressive how well Collins crafts the narrative to reflect Snows reasoning and justifications while showing his errors and how he’s lying to himself. Lucy Gray is also intriguing, more so if she had a POV in her own right I think. I wish we got more of her.
The ending felt rushed. I would’ve preferred it to have been more fleshed out and instead cut what I previously mentioned. It would’ve been more satisfying that way, though I get that isn’t necessarily the point of the story.
All in all I can say that this novel is very well written. It’s just not my cup of tea in some regards which doesn’t make it bad. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys an unreliable narrator and unlikeable protagonist and doesn’t mind slower pacing.
What I didn’t like: Too many songs and ballads etc. At some point my eyes just skipped parts because they were so long and felt irrelevant (though they probably had deeper meanings). I feel like the book could’ve benefited from a second POV. Though that’s highly subjective and may have undermined the message. It also felt too long at times, especially the descriptions of mundane activities served more to irritate than immerse.
What I liked: Coriolanus Snow is such an interesting protagonist. It’s truly impressive how well Collins crafts the narrative to reflect Snows reasoning and justifications while showing his errors and how he’s lying to himself. Lucy Gray is also intriguing, more so if she had a POV in her own right I think. I wish we got more of her.
The ending felt rushed. I would’ve preferred it to have been more fleshed out and instead cut what I previously mentioned. It would’ve been more satisfying that way, though I get that isn’t necessarily the point of the story.
All in all I can say that this novel is very well written. It’s just not my cup of tea in some regards which doesn’t make it bad. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys an unreliable narrator and unlikeable protagonist and doesn’t mind slower pacing.