The new Hunger Games book sucks

[@wizardaffairs5085]

'the problem is that he is so poor, and as a result of that, he is so sad'

[@juniamaia1726]

My biography summary

[@sora1498]

and i felt that

[@DibIrken]

I didn't know someone made a story about me.

[@hibiscusflowers4436]

Adam Parrish????

[@winterLilies]

@@hibiscusflowers4436 my thoughts exactly!!

[@Spidermanslefttoenail]

Why does Caleb sound so defeated even the whistle at the beginning sounds like a broken man.

[@BooksToAshes]

Because he is

[@fleacythesheepgirl]

It says a lot when you sound more defeated than a bunch of people who's kids are being forced to fight to the death on tv.

[@ruth7817]

The book did it to him

[@thethmooteresa]

Very very sad, indeed

[@nunyabusiness776]

he's been thru the hunger games

[@chrissyevans2017]

Ngl that ending where Caleb's talking about how reading doesn't bring him nearly as much joy as it did when he was a kid, and letting go of the nostalgia and growing up kinda throat punched me

[@taurusblack9282]

i was here for a fun rewiew and ended up feeling sad and wanting to go back in time. i dont like it here

[@paulamanning5053]

Welcome to 2020. Nobody’s happy.

[@starfruit2513]

Yeah, I've been feeling the same lately, and it's really sad

[@athenajaxon2397]

I went through a similar phase but I started reading Star Wars books and got back into it again!

[@greenergrass4060]

Reminded me of Lindsay Ellis' Hobbit documentary. She wanted the Hobbit movies to give her the same joy the LOTR gave to her...but alas she (and we) grew up :/

[@SavannahGeorgi]

"She hid underground the whole time! It was dumb!" Welp, I'm glad my Hunger Games strategy from the 7th grade is boring BUT effective.

[@joe6185]

Omg lol

[@talentlesscommenter1329]

If I was in the hunger games I would do that and everyone would think I’m dead, then I would just stab the last guy with a stick

[@Justaguy_21]

@@talentlesscommenter1329 a stick?

[@talentlesscommenter1329]

@@Justaguy_21 I’ve spent years mastering my ability with the stick. I know thousands of techniques of killing using the stick, I can make the point of a stick sharper than the teeth of a shark using only my feet. You don’t want to mess with me.

[@nah_.]

Lmao the game makers would force you out

[@the-berries-and-cream-dude]

I don’t why but I had such a hard time reading the name “Coriolanus” that I just changed it to “Cornelius”

[@athenajaxon2397]

Omg same

[@largeinflatedbox]

I had to read his name as corio and sejanus' as Seamus

[@sapphirethesapphic]

omg my best friend did that too

[@cloudykodi]

I've practically resorted to reading his name as Cory cuz honestly I can't read his name either omg

[@luciak.4026]

i actually find it interesting that suzanne collins uses a lot of old roman names- like coriolanus was the main character of a shakespeare play (lol shakespeare's coriolanus was nothing like this coryo). same with sejanus and a ton of other characters as well

[@dontbeschy]

"Is it that hard not to murder all these children?" that's the whole series.

[@paulamanning5053]

That’s it.

[@ameera6928]

"I was excited to see some children get murdered, straight up." that too

[@brittanydiamond6772]

And it's sad that the question is still relevant, Collins really nailed America to the wall when she wrote the trilogy

[@firlin7219]

Near enough.

[@Adamkalb1]

Caleb was asking why children were already getting murdered too easily before the actual Hunger Games games began.

[@saf1373]

Caleb: The new hunger games book came out Also Caleb: tHe SaLad 🥗

[@lizzieelizard]

He really looked at the camera like 👁👄👁 after too

[@mariuszmaderski3843]

The salad of songbirds and snakes, wow! Delicious!

[@zetjet9901]

the sallad of bongsnirds and bakes

[@AnonYmous-sd4pb]

These "____ of ____ and ____" book titles are getting old

[@nootnewt3]

Same

[@bookmast3r]

Honestly. It was good back when we only had “a song of ice and fire” but now it keeps getting reused in YA

[@Myr642]

AGREED! And they all have such similar covers that I have no idea if a book is part of a series or not

[@sora1498]

I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO THOUGHT THIS-

[@McMerlin11]

Anon Ymous *cue Children of Blood and Bone

[@kailaflowers3288]

WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE PREGNANT IN THE HUNGER GAMES FANFICTION IT WAS LIKE BEING SMACKED IN THE FACE WITH A BLOCKED OUT MEMORY BRICK

[@polarbearsss]

I KNOW RIGHT

[@roadyharrison101]

It was such a key memory of middle school for me 😂😭

[@brh.1892]

Right?? Aso glad I wasn't the only one 🤣

[@emmas.m]

I'm sorry what

[@layunirocha7111]

When Lucy started singing during her reaping I got flashbacks of those “and then everyone clapped” posts from Tumblr.

[@nicodemus6872]

way too accurate wtf

[@isabellarae9904]

I’m disappointed that she didn’t write a book about how the first ever hunger game came about

[@firestormninetails]

we already know where the idea of it came from tho (Dean highbottom and Snow's dad)

[@coleslifer9032]

Its said in the book the dean and snows dad had an assignment and they had to write a way to punish the districts for the rebellion snows dad accidentally handed the paper in (i think cuz he was drunk or something)

[@muhammadsi7717]

Are u dumb

[@oliviadaley3386]

Jack Lan but it wouldn’t just be about people in the games it would be about the politics and resetting order and making the districts feel as though what was happening was justified and about how career training came about, etc...

[@razzledazzle9723]

in my mind, the first hunger games would be interesting no matter what, because the idea of murdering children for entertainment was just introduced. Even the capitol ppl would be slightly apprehensive, its such a shocking thing to see. The tributes wouldn't have grown up accepting the fact they'd have to kill eachother- theyd all be utterly inexperienced and still, yknow, EXPERIENCE HUMAN COMPASSION. They would probably refuse to even think abt killing eachother, or think its all a sick prank, and end up just starving one by one in the arena, or get killed for escape attempts. Even if one tribute was wildin and killed another kid, the REST would still probably refuse. Theres no way everyone would just ACCEPT the hunger games and just go along with it. No fucking way.

[@rheapramith]

Why is literally *no one* on booktube talking about this book

[@metalman2320]

because it's bad.

[@bia3924]

yes they are lol everyone has a "Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes book review!!"! video making a frowny face and a "did I like it?" "my thoughts" on the thumbnail

[@beatrevorharris]

Leena did

[@bookmast3r]

People are! For example merphy napier already did a review discussing the book

[@kathy6149]

a lot of people did last month

[@vanessal1734]

This is how many times he said Young hot president snow ⬇️

[@acenull0]

Lmao I was gonna comment on that

[@katherinepatrick1582]

I’d like this comment, but it’s at 666 likes and I wanna leave it at that

[@bullybee8747]

im TIRED of book titles that follow the format of “ the NOUN of BLANK and BLANK”

[@ayellowpapercrown6750]

Ikr! It makes for such a forgettable title too I legit could not tell you what this book was called for the life of me and I just finished reading it

[@sam-bq7hl]

or, a ACRONYM of NOUN

[@pancakeboi2960]

There'd so many of them and I always get them mixed up-

[@hannalowercase5928]

Peter Griffins Buttox like what?

[@paper.trailing]

@@sam-bq7hl only thing I can think of is the agents of shield but that's the opposite way around. I can't sleep until I know which you're thinking of.

[@peanutstylez]

"His name is Dean-" Me: Hah, so a character name that doesn't end with -anus! "- Highbottom!"

[@Inkspeckle]

his name is actually Casca Highbottom, he is the Dean of the Academy (hence he's called Dean Highbottom a lot). but yeah it's confusing because Dean is both a title and a name

[@jawairiashahid9084]

Neville Longbottoms evil cousin

[@awetleaf0014.]

@@jawairiashahid9084 💀

[@TheProblem2025]

@@Inkspeckleas long as it’s not Cascanus

[@rand1735]

this is honestly the first i’m hearing of a new hunger games book, um-

[@annaliseiniguez2158]

I only new about it from TikTok lol

[@Watchtheclocktick65]

FUKIN SAME

[@howtolife6783]

HOW ANSWER ME ALL I COULD HEAR FROM MY FRIENDS IS THINGS ABOUT THIS BOOK

[@mavenlives4279]

...how

[@minoqi]

Same I think I thought hearing something? About it like months ago but I never knew they actually made another one

[@dizzy6276]

wait wasn’t this book supposed to be about my man haymitch

[@obi-wan-pierogi]

I would’ve loved a book about haymitch! he was an interesting character and I’d love to know his backstory.

[@sora1498]

sadly no, but we wanted it to be

[@DibIrken]

I think we already know haymitch from the original series that nothing else needs to be told. I thought Mags would have had a big role in the prequel being that she was in the 11th hunger games.

[@paulamanning5053]

Honestly the fans would’ve written a better prequel.

[@sokkvabekkr5973]

wait its spelled haymitch?? i thought like.. hameg or something..

[@dawnieday177]

Dean Highbottom is an alternate dimension Neville Longbottom

[@polarbearsss]

BDJSWNBDISJWBDDB PLEASE. I DIED

[@creativeguy1martinez693]

@@polarbearsss daaaaaaamn

[@severalcakes3267]

Now we just have to wait for, I dunno, Lachlan Widebottom.

[@ogga]

really though. so obvious that suzanne was trying to channel harry potter in all of her books. but failed

[@yusrahashim1112]

@@ogga please shut up

[@ryliegeary7905]

“katniss reminds him of his dead side hoe” why did i laugh so hard at this omg

[@nightworld3206]

The most unexpected parts in this book for me: 1- Lucy Gray looking like a clown and randomly singing at the reaping 2- Sejanus losing his sanity and breaking into the arena to perform a ritual for the afterlife 3- Snow hooking up with a random girl and he didn't even know her name 4- Arachne stealing Brandy's sandwich at the zoo and Brandy taking revenge by slitting her throat (rip 👑 Brandy) 5- Lucy Gray actually winning the games 6- Clemensia slowly turning into a snake after getting bit 7- Lucy Gray wrote literally every iconic Hunger Games song that we love.

[@FindingMyself90]

wait for #6, she full on transforms into a snake? bruh what lol

[@TheOriginalCK]

​@@FindingMyself90No she doesn't. She does get very sick, but she recovers (as a human lol)

[@FindingMyself90]

@@TheOriginalCK man. That would have been so cool

[@anna_caps]

​@@FindingMyself90 they could've used her as a Mutt considering how capitol people usually do things.

[@FindingMyself90]

@@anna_caps that would have been amazing and shown good continuity

[@abigaild9863]

Me trying to understand any of this book: 👁👄👁

[@kikietc]

Me too

[@VideosOfRandomContext]

🤥🤥🤥🤥

[@VideosOfRandomContext]

Hi, KZbin! Welcome back to another video. Today we’ll be making fun of white girls on tik tok making unoriginal videos because they‘s ran out of ideas. Tik tok used to be great but it sucks now because we have all these stupid houses such as Hag House and skinny man with noodle arms and legs

[@VideosOfRandomContext]

JK Rowling is about to reveal the Fantastic Beasts 3 title! OMG OMG OMG! IT’S CALLED....FANTASTIC BEASTS: KIDS AND MANS.

[@VideosOfRandomContext]

Ugh this is SOOOOO last year 😣😣😣😣😣😣😣😣😣😣😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@deannascott6937]

“Yeah it’s pretty cool. My girls got a pretty good chance and we’re in love and I’m YOUNG. Hot. And SEXY.” - young hot president snow

[@RedHairedRiot]

His name is...Coriolanus? Like the Shakespeare character who was a military general who got ordered around by his mom? Is Susanne for real?

[@Maugrimm]

RedHairedRiot i thought about this as well

[@Nicolealves25]

And Lucy Gray is the name of a girl from a poem in which she dies in the SNOW.

[@HisNeverland]

Well Gaius Marcius Coriolanus was a real person as well. Everything in the Hunger Games is based on Roman society, politics, and history, so that holds true to style. The Shakespear play is based on the real guy's life story ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@LilianArely_]

yeah... theres a q&a section at the end of the book where she talks about how his story was meant to parallel the play

[@jlkjlkjkljklj9162]

I mean... is this really that surprising? Literally the first book had a character called Cato. There's Brutus, Claudius, Caesar... there's a Titus, a tribute who was only known for having eaten the other tributes. The capital is Panem, as in Panem et Circenses. There was always a Roman theme going on there.

[@Koopacake]

Okay but you can't just gloss over 'Pregnant in the hunger games' like that, I need to see a review of that

[@h.r.9563]

I remember being so so mad Prim died. I cried like ugly baby tears, and then I was mad at angsty PTSD ridden Katniss who's like "my kids don't know trauma" meanwhile her kids are probably like "oh no mom is disassociating again"

[@sophiamace670]

No one: The paper in the back: CoralANUS

[@FirstnameLastname-zq4rt]

Gaius Martius is literally shaking and crying rn

[@kiera6326]

Biggus Dickus.

[@paigeoschwald9159]

it’s funny cuz anus 😻💩🙈

[@hannahmae676]

Kiera Haggarty sounds like a Harry Potter spell 🤣

[@freakette555]

My favorite character in this book was the benevolent gay man who just occasionally showed up to give random shit to Young Hot President Snow. He didn't even have any clear motivation he was just there.

[@ckmnsqdoo3895]

Pluribus Bell? Yeah liked him too

[@iwakeupandboomimarat]

never read the book but i ASPIRE to be that

[@raspberrybush]

it pisses me off so much that Haymitch was RIGHT THERE and she chose to write about snow??!?!?!!??

[@ostsarahb7466]

Ikr? Haymitch was my fav character, and by FAR.

[@rylie4122]

Sorry she didnt write fan service garbage

[@ostsarahb7466]

Ry lie I’m sure some people wanted snow, does that make it fanservice? I think you need to review the definition.

[@rylie4122]

@@ostsarahb7466 fan service is when the author adds something that doesnt add anything to the plot of the book or book series because of fans. People can want something and get it and its not fan service but if they want something and the author gives it to them for the sole reason of the fans want it, then its fan service. My definition is fine, thank you.

[@cristenkray5192]

Ry lie how would it be fanservice or garbage if she wrote more about Haymitch? He’s important to the trilogy and one of the most beloved characters of the franchise. It would probably serve a lot to the og trilogy if Collins actually wrote about Haymitch and maybe even about some of the tributes from Catching Fire. See how tributes in OTHER DISTRICTS were living and being treated, such as Mags or Joanna. TBOSAS seems to be disappointing because much of it was almost irrelevant to the entire franchise and the development of Snow seemed to be mishandled in a weird way. If anything, THIS WAS FANSERVICE

[@nightsgrow6575]

Weren’t the roses also a thing that he used to cover the smell of blood from his mouth that he got from poisoning his adversaries?

[@jazminereyna746]

yes

[@alecsheehy2172]

At the end, he recovers the silver compact he gave Lucy Gray from Dean and it’s implied that he put more rat poison in it and kept it on his person.

[@Jambamjar]

growing up in a household where there was always yelling and arguing, reading was my way to escape it and get lost in a different world. I used to be able to read 500 pages in a day and now i can barely read 100. Reading is still fun but its no longer a coping mechanism. It makes me so sad that i can no longer read like i did in middle school

[@londonfog888]

same :") i feel u

[@alim.9801]

This was exactly my situation. I read partially to escape an abusive household and loneliness, and now that I'm older and my life is better I don't need to escape as badly. Which is good but also sad because I miss reading so much.

[@lunchbagmermaid4590]

I know this comment is 2yrs old but 🤷🏻‍♀️ I haven’t read a book for must be 7/8 years. I was obsessed with the hunger games as a teen. This book was the first book I’ve read since and I struggled to read more than 60 pages at a time when I was reading books in like 3 days no issue as a teen

[@ninyaninjabrifsanovichthes45]

I miss when I enjoyed reading. College has pretty much killed my enjoyment of reading.

[@llianneolivoreyes]

Me too. I cant even beat to go go a library

[@remib1199]

the fact that suzanne spent time writing the snow prequel no one asked for when she could’ve been writing a haymitch prequel☹️

[@firestormninetails]

...it would have been the same thing as Katniss's tho... his entire game was already summarised in catching fire. Writing with Snow as the main character allows us to see more into the capitol and expand things a bit. Writing about Haymitch's game would have given us the same perspective.

[@fluffyfiber]

We already know most of his backstory lol

[@remib1199]

firestormninetails i guess that’s true but it would’ve been nice to maybe have a novella were a small part of haymitch’s backstory is explored in detail

[@caitlinomelia3450]

Fatishka wait 6th grade me would have loved that so much! That was what I wanted to read about!

[@nishinoyuu6064]

Fatishka YESYESYES

[@grayyoung8033]

The title: The new Hunger Games Book- Me: That what

[@planetsj527]

Right😂😂😂

[@howtolife6783]

How did you not hear about it it was literally everywhere

[@grayyoung8033]

@@howtolife6783 I mean I'm not the only one I never once heard a single thing about it 🤷

[@tovi3280]

howtolife678 ! Literally have not heard anything about it til this video

[@chamopss]

I honestly thought that the series was... finished???

[@havanaencalada4394]

If Collins was going to write about how death affected him, she should have made it so the districts were responsible for her death

[@firestormninetails]

Do you mean like. Snow's mom? Or Lucy Gray? I am very confused. Death did not really affect Snow he does not give a shit about who dies as long as he gets what he wants.

[@painoftheheart12]

@@firestormninetails that's kinda the issue. If you're going to humanize a villain. Commit to it. I would have found it far more interesting if Snow forced change for what he wants. He wants Lucy, but gives up that for material gain. Like, if he really wants what he wants, he would make the impossible happen.

[@boowind4432]

Whyntir The point wasn’t to humanize him, it was to show the inner thoughts of a villain. His motivations are never good, it’s always money, power, and manipulating the people around him into thinking their his friends so that he can get what he wants from them and throw them out when he’s done. He thinks Lucy is pretty but he sees her as a trophy, he only ever talks about her like she’s a prize he’s won and never talks about what makes him love her. As soon as an opportunity presents itself to go back to the capitol and he won’t take the heat for any murders he’s immediately ready to ditch her and kill her so she can’t snitch on him for the murders. And then to push down any guilt he might feel for killing her he convinces himself that she will 100% turn on him as easily as he turned on her and she must be out in the woods plotting his murder right this very minute. You’re not supposed to sympathize with him, you’re supposed to get a look on how the rich elite control the government, the government controls and censors the media, and the media influences the population. And the poor have to either decide between rebellion or letting themselves be nothing but disposable drones to the capitol.

[@MARYWTHER]

@@painoftheheart12 Imagine thinking the point of the book was to humanize Snow...

[@screamforicecream3]

Never forget how Snow got Sejanus hanged and claimed to feel sorry, yet still proceeded to steal his parents away and take their money.

[@escapedgarbage]

Truly an Evan Hanson esque moment

[@patrickripleyiii134]

He did feel sad about it, but he's also a selfish horrible person

[@aoibhe3290]

The only thing I got from this book is that Suzanne Collins had unfulfilled dreams to be a song writer

[@kehalik4660]

🤣👏 that made me laugh. I actually liked the book...I feel people will hate for this. I genuinely liked the book, sure it slow and dragging at some bits but overall I liked it!

[@AK-rx8gp]

Literally!! I'm reading it now and there's like a whole song every chapter for no reason.. follow your dreams Suzanne...

[@adrianinha19]

Out of all the possible prequel scenarios, she went with "bad boy is sad boy. And also poor." Glad I didn't waste my time on this one.

[@sp691]

She never justified his actions, in fact she showed why starting off as poor and unprivileged made his later actions even more reprehensible

[@helenajeyne]

She could have done Mags and everyone would have been happy 😫

[@BabyGirlTiny]

Sreejita Patra it’s not that she didn’t justify his actions, it’s the fact that it’s a cliche reason.

[@legrandliseurtri7495]

@@BabyGirlTiny It wasn't what led Snow to commit his bad actions. Did you even read the book?

[@legrandliseurtri7495]

Well, let me tell you:I don't know what Caleb was smoking but you weren't suppose to like Snow at all. Very early he's already shown to be self-centered, manipulative and he literally justifies his love for Lucy by saying that she's not really someone from the district.

[@albuszx]

I genuinely thought it would be a "system forced him into corruption" thing, I mean, the man was already pretty nuanced in the original series, it wouldn't surprise me if he was originally a guy with great ideias and ambition that got so rich and powerful he got psychotic. Whyyyyyyy is it romance????????????? And thinking about it, Collins had already dabbed on this loss of identity/sensibility with Gale. WHY NOT GO FURTHER INTO THAT???

[@marsinator3675]

But its more then that? I won't deny it has flaws but his transformation is already underway. He has the makings of a cold and calculated person he just hasn't been given the push over the line yet which came in the form of romance.

[@marsinator3675]

@@juli8288 its fair if you personally don't want to read it but as a person who in general dislikes romance taking away from a much better plot, i enjoyed the book. Everyone is making it out to be focusing on romance and romance alone but in reality you learn ALOT about snow and how his mind works (all throughout the book its made clear that the authorial intent isn't a lovestory gone wrong but showcasing snows desire for control being stronger than his moral code) he consistently treats lucy grey as property and a tool, even after knowing he technically loves her. If you can call it love. You also learn a lot about how the hunger games came to be, the war, how the capital citizens experienced the war and how it shifted the economic heireachy. Its not just that a teenage crush drives him insane. It was the last thing he had to hold onto and the only sense of control he had left, his entire life is a slow decline. He looses family, friends, experiences the horror of war and the cruelty of those in positions of power who are meant to protect him. Its no more a love story than the original hunger games was. Please at least give it a go, i honestly don't see the issue everyone has with it.

[@vivianklein731]

Mars roswell well said. idk why everyone focuses on the romance part so much when it‘s SO much more than that and has a deeper meaning than a teenager love story.

[@cristenkray5192]

Mars roswell So I’m watching these videos before I read the book, because I like to know these things. So a lot of what I’m hearing or sensing is that it almost seems like the book was 1) too long. 2) a bit too heavy on the romance to the point of it taking away from the political message. 3) not very good at building an origin story because it seemed as if Snow’s life was never expanded upon outside of the school and games, and his ACTUAL descent into madness was never fleshed out. You kinda see what LEADS up to it, but not the grittiness of his rise to power and all of those things. And 4) unnecessary to the franchise unless you were a DIE HARD Hunger Games fan and was burning from the inside due to the lack of content. I feel like maybe the story should have been taken further back in his life, and then ended at the end of when he “kills” Lucy. Then we get a second book or the rest of this prequel “series” if that’s the plan, which shows his ACTUAL descent into madness and how he has to rise to power and eliminate anyone in his way and take on the responsibilities of being the president of Panem, and how he oversaw the next decades of Hunger Games play out as the president, then probably ending or leaving off with some sort of nod to the original trilogy of the adult/older characters of those original books. Like Caleb said, maybe Lucy escaped and became Katniss’ grandmother or even great-grandmother. Just being able to see some sort of ACTUAL explanations as to why Snow leads the way he does or how he never found out about District 13 until it was too late and a whole bunch of stuff that would be amazing to see because his character is so interesting to analyze. I would love some companion novels about the stories and lives of the tributes who went on to be in Catching Fire, such as Mags or even Joanna!! Building and expanding on the universe that is so loved and nostalgic for the readers of the original trilogy. She doesn’t really “owe” us anything (although we are kind of the reason she’s successful because we bought and supported the living hell out of those novels and anything related to them including the movies) but it seems odd or awkward to have TBOSAS be the grand release we were waiting for for a decade. Idk, I have a lot of thoughts and questions, so I’m going to read the book and then maybe reread the og trilogy, then do some more digging and see what maybe makes more sense.

[@s.o.2628]

Omg, that Doja Cat/Hanging Tree combo is both brilliant and cursed. Blursed, if you will

[@harveydangerfield]

"blursed" sent me

[@cgphotoandfilm]

BLURSED I’m dead

[@ramshafarooq]

i wont ♥️

[@HoundsBane]

I blurse you & your line.

[@Evarya]

time stamp??

[@firestormninetails]

i think the point of katniss being so similar to president snow was to show contrast lmaoooo. President Snow is like Katniss gone wrong. Thats why Katniss pisses President Snow off so much. He constantly thinks he knows Katniss and thinks Katniss is just like him (cus she kinda is in some way, he sees her in him), but he's wrong. Katniss is a good person and President Snow's entire shtick about how humans are evil by nature blablablablabla and they need the capitol to control them is wrong. Idk I kinda liked that the Hanging Tree was written by Lucy Gray cus ngl that shit was funny as hell. It must have felt as if Lucy was coming back to haunt Snow for what he done to her. It came full circle my dudes. It started with the coveys and ended with a covey.

[@teastainsonmyteeth]

agree agree agree. him pushing everything related to lucy gray away just to have that song be a part of what destroys the capitol and his power is chef’s kiss

[@vuivraalbastra]

I wouldn't mind the contrast between Katniss and Snow being explored in this book, but Lucy kinda ruins it by taking the focus away from their personality and to their achievements being similar. Can we really say for sure that Snow is annoyed at Katniss for being a good person despite her humble background when she is connected in sooo many ways to Snow's ex who he probably killed? Also I hated that Lucy had to be the most important unknown person in the entire Hunger Games universe and wrote the song. Katniss sung that as a random choice, one that spiraled into something much bigger just like much of what made her be the Mockingjay. Katniss' revolt wasn't personal towards Snow, it was against the entire Capitol and he just happened to be the face of it at the moment, so having the revolution choice being something with such deep meaning for him undermines the cause of the revolution and it's awfully convenient, but coincidental.

[@universalperson]

So the hunger games were originally run by incompetents, but no-one gave af. You know what, I genuinely buy it. It's downright realistic, at this point.

[@dogmotel]

i called him cornelius for the whole book

[@ethandram]

Didn’t they call him that in the films too

[@topaz_no_life9440]

I'M GLAD I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE

[@mariophreak]

It's just easier to say.

[@Ray-tf5wu]

What that's not his name? Oops

[@kami8585]

ikrr coriolanus is so hard to pronounce and write😔🤚

[@tmspryan6636]

The only thing I learnt from this book is that Katniss is named after a swamp potato

[@spectre9340]

Can you imagine? Her sister is named after a flower and here she is, a potato...

[@caroline5576]

@@spectre9340 honestly same

[@char_the_shark]

did,,, did you not know that before? (Not trying to be sarcastic, i thought it was common knowledge) I think its in the first book. Katniss tubers in the lake. I could swear she told Peeta about it. (Not confirmed, just my memory)

[@Amsayy]

Charlize Baron she does. But she’s more eloquent than calling herself a potato like they say in the new book. She refers to it as a root plant, or a tuber. I’m pretty sure Coriolanus calls it a potato 😂

[@eloisearthrell2832]

we knew that before

[@mudbucket1354]

love the concept of football field hunger games

[@abigaild9863]

Same tbh

[@guggelguggel7491]

The Budget Games: poor collage students edition.

[@user-jo9pm8fd8g]

@@guggelguggel7491 they fight for the last ramen pack

[@leegornik8656]

I understand now why Snow hates Katniss so much now: 1) Obviously she reminded him of Lucy Gray and the mockingjays 2) At the very end, when Lucy Gray ran way form Snow in the forest after she realised how evil he is, she said that she went to harvest katniss roots....One of the last things she said to him was about katniss

[@beatleobsessed99]

That's just too on the nose for me

[@carys7417]

@@beatleobsessed99 I clicked to write the exact same reply, agreed

[@ShinSeul]

I was listening to a podcast or a stream reviewing this book and to think Snow is mad at Katniss because it reminded him of his ex somehow degraded the very essence of Katniss at the original trilogy. Instead of him getting angry at him for starting the revolution, he is already pissed because it reminded him of Lucy.

[@firlin7219]

Too predictable and unoriginal😑😑

[@Inkspeckle]

@@ShinSeul its also kinda...unnecessary? There was never a mistery about why Snow hated Katniss. She was a public disruptor who shook the very foundations his empire was built on just by being someone from a supposedly powerless district that stood up the gamemakers on live TV. Her presence showed other district people that the Capitol wasn't invulnerable, which directly led to the biggest threat to Snow's power since he had become president. of course he hates her. Retconning his hatred for Katniss to make it all about some girl he liked when he was a teenager that he's still bitter about over 60 years later is just so lame and boring. It cheapens his dynamic with Katniss considerably.

[@BunnyandMoon]

Ik this video is 2 years old but the bit where Caleb describes how he’ll never have a young reader’s mind again really spoke to me. I miss being a kid very much. I still love reading but I don’t enjoy it in quite the same way. And that makes me sad.

[@loonyscamander5166]

suzanne collins naming her characters in this book just like snitching every names from greek myths and like something she sees first thing in the morning

[@WinterSPF15]

Bruh why Suzanne’s characters’ names all sound like they were born in Riverdale 😂

[@sarabulatovic8203]

_juniper and dagwood_

[@sia1152]

they are mostly latin names like apollo and plutarch

[@greenergrass4060]

The Capitol and District 2 names reminds me of Celebs who name their kids all weird and fancy

[@tsuyuasui7297]

Ramieverse ! and the people in the capitol basically are the richest of the rich and are heavenly influenced by ancient rome

[@granielthompson4535]

@@sia1152 latin??? where.....?

[@TheSaltedSourdough]

Hey! I went through the same un-love of reading in college. I rediscovered it afterward, when my time was actually mine again. So, don't feel like that excitement for reading won't ever come back! All hobbies ebb and flow throughout our lives - it's normal.

[@TheSaltedSourdough]

@Content Corrector I had to force myself at first, but gradually, over about a month, those all-night reading sessions started to happen again. It requires a little more routine now as an adult but it does feel just as amazing as before!

[@shadypalmtree2989]

I'm going through this right now. I graduate next year and I've been paying for Kindle Unlimited on and off for about 3 years and barely use it. I can't wait to read what I actually want. I hate nonfiction.

[@TheSaltedSourdough]

@@shadypalmtree2989 I hope that the reading love comes back to you full force!

[@isabella2977]

I lost my love of reading too ever since starting uni 😞

[@herbivi-cus5382]

Yes, exactly! I feel like Katniss was undermined by this book. People loved the parallels between her and Lucy Gray, but I hated it. Katniss was special on her own, but making her be just a ghost of Lucy Gray who haunts Snow is much less compelling. I'd prefer this book to be much different and have no connection to Katniss at all (idk, or for any kind of easter eggs, send him to district 7 or something and make his tribute parallel with Johanna, for example. That would be interesting and not harming to the whole story. Snow hates Johanna and it would be fun to know that she reminds him of his ex-girlfriend who was equally crazy as Jo). Why would Suzanne Collins think that choosing district 12 again was a good idea? I always assumed it was the point that Snow NEVER cared about district 12 and never though ANYTHING could happen there. And now she's telling me he WAS in district 12? He has EMOTIONAL connection with district 12? And one of the most EXTRAORDINARY VICTORS was from district 12? It's too much focus paid to district 12 and it makes no sense. Snow was supposed to never care about this district and barely know it existed.

[@firlin7219]

That sounds a lot better than the real story.

[@books42]

District 12 being like the new Gryffindor of this universe😅

[@purplejellytotPJT]

Agreed, and an important part of Katniss' story was that if you were in 12, you were basically never a victor. So this felt like a bit of a weird choice. Why not have Lucy Gray be from 10 or 11 instead, or even scrap everything and focus on the story of district 13 beforehand?

[@JNDReacts]

@@purplejellytotPJTpretty sure Katniss did mention something in one of the books about there being a forgotten district 12 winner before Haymitch, so Lucy Gray’s story is actually consistent with the original books.

[@purplejellytotPJT]

@JNDReacts ooh really? It's been a while since I read them, that's neat!

[@Monicalia]

Guess I'm the only one who enjoyed the book. It gave me so much more insight into the Hunger Games, how it all started, how it was developed from ancient rome-like arena to a TV reality show with arenas built all over Panem (I personally found it really interesting), an unexpected appearance of Tigris (how on earth has she gone from caring, kind girl to a cat-like Creature oh my god), and a very likely affinity between Covey and Katniss. And why Snow might have hated Katniss so much, due to her resemblance to Lucy. The book is not perfect, but I liked it gave me so much more dots to connect between this time and the time the trilogy takes place. I just rewatched the first movie and I LOVED how I suddenly noticed there was more into Snow's words or the songs Katniss sang to rue. Or when Gale was thinking how HG would stop if everyone stopped watching, when barely anyone watched Hunger Games when Snow was young. For me there is more to the books that meet the eye.

[@Davidrinius]

Don't worry, I really liked the book too. This review has some great insights, but is heavily biased against the book and rushes all the things it did right.

[@AEValle]

I loved the book and couldn't disagree with him more!! The character work was amazing. There original books weren't even that well written. This one was like Stephen King level. I did a 5 start review!

[@moirafagan7847]

I loved the book, there was so much that ties into the original trilogy but not always in a super cheesy and forced way. I personally loved getting to see how everything really got to the point it does by the time of katniss’ games. I feel like it also showed how his choices throughout this book led to how we know him later on

[@jameskirkham1053]

I enjoyed the book, but I thought it felt super unfocused, and it didn’t really know what it wanted to be about

[@ayellowpapercrown6750]

I really liked the book too! I’m guilty of only being into the hunger games and I could have done without the romance, but I genuinely found it so interesting and it gave me so much insight into the history of panem. I can’t wait to reread the series with this new info.

[@harveydangerfield]

what is so especially disappointing about this book is that the first three were written to be good books, whereas this one seems like it was written to be a good movie. adding in all these dumb dramatic moments that don't further the worldbuilding (which is almost exclusively what prequels are for) like all the singing and the bombing and the mindboggling thread of winding up accidentally in the arena?? those are not good storytelling beats in a book but boy howdy would they make for some sexy cinematography. its almost like writing a book in the hunger game series, which is a story about anti-sensationalism of brutal government regimes, in order to make money off of a fourth book written specifically to be sensational, is the antithesis of everything the original series stood for in its message 🤔

[@folklaur]

Why doesn’t this have more likes??

[@razzledazzle9723]

woah, i was thinking the opposite! so little of the book is action, or actual things happening. Its mostly all in his head- the subtle manipulation, the moral struggles, his thought processes as he experiences events that would be SO boring without the thoughts. In the movie, theres no good way to show someones thoughts, but if you took that out, then snow would essentially become a good guy, because we cant see his selfish reasoning and his justifications. There would be no character development at all. Even when he's kissing lucy gray, hes considering how he could play this to his favour and how he could posess/control her. But, to the audience it would just be a romantic kiss. idk.

[@greenergrass4060]

Well if we do get something good out of the movie, which was suspiciously on the works since last year..., then i aint complainjng

[@athenajaxon2397]

Really? I thought this would make a terrible movie nothing happens like the hunger games in this book are so boring audiences would not like it

[@athenajaxon2397]

@@razzledazzle9723 I agree I can't imagine this as a movie

[@leo8812]

President Snow was like not in most of the books so you’d think he would become a character or something but a lot of nothing happens.

[@bookswmadi]

Like imagine if his love had died in the hunger game and the player that had killed her put a rose on her body and that became the reason why Snow threatened with roses; a memory of his one love and a threat that would always end in death if the other person failed. It sounds better than just randomly throwing it in a 500 pages book

[@katie5998]

BookwormMadi Even better, have the roses become something cherished from his childhood (a mom/grandmas shared hobby for example), and then just have him always be associated with roses. Maybe it’s treated as a joke at first, but as he continues up the political ladder, it becomes a symbol for him-and once he does assume power-a symbolism for the president & the capital. Things don’t always have to have a deep personal tragic background. Sometimes the most consistent thing to do is simply introduce it from the beginning. Could also be symbolism for how he went from being “like everyone else” or “lower than” everyone else (people making fun of the roses or thinking it was odd) to people soon coming to respect/fear him & therefore the roses. That would’ve been intricate. Would’ve liked that a ton better

[@bookswmadi]

@@katie5998 honestly lol anything would've been better but I like you idea too

[@milqueandtoast323]

Yeah and that would mirror Katniss putting flowers on Rue

[@firestormninetails]

@@katie5998 so...like the rose compact from his mom? And how his family is known for freaking roses (associated with roses)?

[@razzledazzle9723]

i liked the fact that roses was his moms signature compact powder, and he sniffs it when he's sad. It humanizes him, somewhat. (AND also the fact that he empties it and gives it to lucy gray to help her cheat to win back power). And how his grandmother still gardens roses, even though the rest of their lives have become shambles- it becomes a reminder of the power/money/class they once had, and at the end of the book he has that power back. Theres a repeated thing of pinning a rose to his collar when he's about to do something tough and needs strength- and by the time the main trilogy is set, he's ALWAYS wearing a rose on his collar. I think its cool.

[@KamilahRose787]

That opening whistle is the sound of his childhood dreams slowly dying. RIP Caleb's childhood

[@sacibubno2585]

Wait... it's the 10th Hunger Games? Katniss' was the 74th. HOW OLD IS THIS MAN???

[@paranormalavocados]

18 in the 10th so... 18+64=82 in the first book. o-o Dude's old ngl.

[@sacibubno2585]

@@paranormalavocados yeah, it's just funny, cuz you know when i was reading the original trilogy i always pictured him in his 60s. A grandpa in his 80s isn't a really threatening mental image😂

[@redbitch3362]

@@sacibubno2585 futuristic medicine I guess

[@evevi4686]

I mean but he definitely look like a person in their 80's President alma coin is the one who looks like she's in hers 60's (and that was almost the age of the actress at that time)

[@sacibubno2585]

@@evevi4686 i mean maybe you're right, i just somehow never realized it and kinda threw me off

[@chlojojojo]

I was kinda antisocial as a kid so reading became my religion, hobby, and main sort of comfort. I think you perfectly summed up exactly how I’ve been feeling about reading lately now that I’m in my twenties. I haven’t read anything in years because there’s always something I’d rather do, whereas before, reading was the only thing I wanted to do. I just wanted to thank you for sharing because it’s comforting knowing one of my favorite booktubers feels the same way! Also when you said you read pregnant in the hunger games I laughed my ass off cause Wattpad was my shit and I remember reading that book 💀💀

[@blackheartbooks]

It’s crazy how many people didn’t know this book was a thing. It’s all I’ve been hearing about on Twitter for over a year.

[@Moony1568]

I’ve been off of twitter for over a year. Twitter is a dumpster fire

[@yevpalacios3451]

Moony besides its been years since those books were a thing, like i use twitter but i follow shit not related to THG

[@floralstripes8001]

Same tho honestly

[@rainylele3761]

i’d heard it was gonna be a thing but i literally didn’t see even one person talking about this book when it was actually released

[@emilymathis4237]

I don't have twitter but I still knew about it

[@bibubbletea]

Honestly the book was kinda bad, especially that part in the middle where he was a peacekeeper for such a long time, but I kind of loved it for that. I love that Snow and Lucy Grey have such a manipulative relationship, you can never tell how much Lucy Grey is manipulating Snow but Snow is constantly so controlling and manipulative and I love that the book ends in Snow being like “yeah I love her but she gotta go” and Lucy Grey is like “shit... he’s going to kill me... I gotta go.” And I think it’s so funny that the book ends with Snow being like “damn that emotional vulnerability shit? Not for me... I’ll go marry someone I hate just to make sure this mess never happens again” and honestly like same Snow, I relate to that I love that Lucy grey’s end reflects the song she’s named after, she might be dead, who knows? I love that Snow, not only knows of the lake and the lake house, but has been there and dumped illegal murder weapons in it, and the whole original trilogy, Katniss is like “this is my lake... snow can’t get me here... I’m free here” while she’s swimming over Snow’s teenage murder weapons And I like that this book functions like “babies first social contract.” The whole book is just a series of philosophical questions and I love Suzanne for that

[@carolinaestigarribia7052]

Right! I have a love hate relationship with this book. Whist I think Suzane is an awful author i do think she has some really good ideas. But there were definitely things that put me off about the book. What the fuck is up with the singing first of all. Like what the hell. I understand it was set up so we dont find it awkward when she sings the hanging tree but jesus. I feel like maybe people went in already on the wrong foot and they missed a lot of really good parts of the book and references (easter eggs) to the original trilogy. I cant say ill read it again anytime soon but I definitely wasnt as bad as people say.

[@yitoproductions]

Did you realize the phrase, “it’s the things we love most... that destroys us.” that Snow tells Katniss in Mockingjay has a deeper meaning now because of this new novel? Snow being heartbroken (or destroyed) by Lucy Gray when she released the snake and he gets bit by it (aka the thing he loved most) was a major milestone for his decision later on in the timeline when he captures Peeta, brainwashes him, and lets him free with the rebels, just like the snake being set free from Lucy Gray, so he could then destroy Katniss in D13. (Aka being destroyed by the thing she loved most too). All so Katniss could finally feel and understand the same way Snow felt when Lucy Gray did that to him.

[@taniagarcia-solis3745]

What philosophical questions did this book pose? I honestly got none of that, but I’d love to hear what you saw.

[@juliat.9719]

I really wanted to like the relationship between Snow and Lucy Gray because exactly as you said, the fact that I could never really tell how sincere either of them were being was the only compelling thing about the book to me (in fact, I think Collins maybe should have leaned into the ambiguity even more). And the scene at the end where Snow is stalking through the woods trying to kill her was like, one of the only moments that really worked for me. But at the same time, both of their characters were so messy and inconsistent that often times, their relationship was more confusing than intriguing. I think the final beat of Snow finally owning his villainy and (trying to?) kill her was a great culmination of a character arc that was never really there. Ugh man I liked the bones of this book but the execution...woof.

[@giovana7747]

about the roses, am i the only one who remembers reading that snow kept a rose on his pocket so people wouldn't smell his rotten mouth after tasting the poison he used against his enemies? this woman related like 100000 symbolisms for this damn rose thing

[@MaddieNiec]

I have to disagree. As someone who normally HATES prequels, sequels, and spinoffs I was apprehensive to read it at first but ultimately the pull of another Hunger Games book got me to read it. And I LOVED it; I have been in a reading slump since I was young, but I read this book in about 3 nights. I thought it was definitely *not* humanizing to Snow at all. He is thrust into situations where many people would've behaved better and more kindly (i.e. Tigris, Sejanus) but he doesn't. Or if he does it's for selfish or disturbing reasons (he's very paranoid the entire time, obsessed with power, and is very judgmental). It sounds like it should be a humanizing story, but it's not. Also, his love story with Lucy Gray isn't really a love story because I don't think Snow really loves her. You're always questioning whether Lucy Gray really loves him or if she's just playing along to survive. I loved getting backstory for things like how the mentors came to be, how sponsors came to be, how certain things got implemented into the games, where so many of the songs Katniss sings come from, and many other things. I could not recommend it enough if you're a fan of the original trilogy.

[@leahsawr]

whos gonna tell caleb that divergent basically HAS a prequel book

[@stargirl32102]

was that the one abt four? or is there a different one...bc i thot four was basically a retelling the 1st book in his perspective lol

[@coleslifer9032]

Its the one about four but the beginning is a prequel but later on it's just the first two books in fours perspective

[@stargirl32102]

@@coleslifer9032 oh i literally don't remember it's been so long since i read those books lmao

[@largeinflatedbox]

that book feels like an old, bad dream

[@courtney601]

I was so torn reading it!! As soon as she started singing I was almost regretting it all because it felt cheesy and just ... Goofy? But then I also did enjoy finding out how they turned the Games into what they are in the trilogy, and the reason why they even came up with it. The idea that they think all humans are inherently evil and have a tendency towards war and destruction, so they take children (who are seen as the most innocent of all) and put them in a situation where they have to kill just to expose that side of human nature (and justify their continued punishment of the districts). I found it interesting in that regard but just plain strange in others ... I did not need a President Snow romantic plotline. But I didn't hate the book!

[@divergentgurl1414]

i agree! there were many interesting parts in this book, and it makes you think a LOT.

[@marytreaty9357]

I'm convinced the New Testament is the only book where the author came back later and it didn't suck

[@Sydneyspulse]

Dying😂😂😂

[@cecilygriffis6508]

the new testament is boring

[@DibIrken]

The old testament was wild. So many deaths were had in bulk.

[@noodlepoodle3582]

Percy Jackson is still good

[@ofthewilderwoods]

Noodle Poodle the Heroes of Olympus was ok but became less enjoyable for me as it went along. I prefer the original series and the Kane Chronicles.

[@libbystephenson5735]

I didn’t really like this book either, however a part that I did think was really compelling was Suzanne Collins focus on how the games turned from a corporal punishment to a ~media spectacle~

[@boowind4432]

(I just want to preface this by saying that I love Caleb, I love this video and watching him rant about bad books is always funny to me. This is just my opinion.) Personally I liked the book because I saw it as a look into how the rich elite and the government beat down and control the people. The point wasn’t to humanize Snow, it was to show how out-of-touch, narcissistic rich politicians view the common population. His motivations are never good, it’s always money, power, and manipulating the people around him into thinking they’re his friends so that he can get what he wants from them and throw them out when he’s done. He thinks Lucy is pretty but he sees her as a trophy, he only ever talks about her like she’s a prize he’s won and never talks about what makes him love her. He constantly refers to anyone else from the districts as little more than animals and only thinks Lucy is different because she wasn’t born in District 12. It’s a textbook narcissistic trait to consider other people less human than you, demonstrated by how he acts with the other teens in the capitol. He convinces them he’s their friend but only thinks about how stupid and dull they are compared to him. We think he’s mourning Sejanus’ death (and sure maybe there was some remorse there) but it’s almost immediately revealed he is crying because he’s afraid that he is going to die. As soon as he calms himself down his next thoughts are how to milk money out of Sejanus’ parents and he goes on to convince them he sees them as parents when in actuality he sees them as dumb district animals he can trick for his own benefit. He always either views people as idiots who aren’t nearly as smart as him or enemies who are plotting his downfall. As soon as an opportunity presents itself to go back to the capitol and he won’t take the heat for any murders he’s immediately ready to ditch Lucy and kill her so she can’t snitch on him. And then to push down any guilt he might feel for killing her he convinces himself that she will 100% turn on him as easily as he turned on her and she must be out in the woods plotting his murder right this very minute. You’re not supposed to sympathize with him, you’re supposed to get a look on how the rich elite control the government, the government controls and censors the media, and the media influences the population. And the working class have to either decide between rebellion or letting themselves be nothing but disposable drones to the government.

[@haleyandrews74]

“Bean Pole come get ur dinner”

[@natascha701]

I would highly recommend rereading the original trilogy because I just reread the first three and the prequel- and I did not like the prequel at all but the original books hold up really well. When rereading them I thought I was really only going to like the nostalgia part, but there are so many aspects of the political allegory and commentary that are SO relevant today. As an adult I think I got sooo much more out of the books than when I was 11. But agreed- the prequel is pretty trash

[@freyjaward9185]

I really enjoyed the book lol. I would’ve been disappointed if it was just another victor telling their games experience because that would’ve been repetitive and boring. Having snow as the main character was really interesting to me. I liked seeing his issues with obsession and control. He lacks control in his life due to poverty and feels like he must protect his remaining family and his dead relatives honour. I liked how it showed his first murder with poison. I also really liked seeing how the dark days affected the Capitol and how the games developed into the reality tv spectacle they are in Katniss’ books. I felt there were too many songs lol they were boring to read. Aside from the hanging tree which I thought was a nice way to provide it with more power. My main issues were with his seemingly random hatred of the mockingjay birds and how Tigris’ hatred of Snow wasn’t entirely explained.

[@Mars-dw2zc]

Freyja Ward memento mori, friend

[@claytonbrock9517]

His hatred for the Mockingjay is because it's an example of a Capitol creation being able to adapt and survive without their control. It's really a perfect sign of rebellion in that it shows how you DON'T need the Capitol to survive. He loves control, and to him the Mockingjay is an example of how little control the Capitol has, even over their own creation.

[@arkhambricksskylar]

@@claytonbrock9517 Exactly

[@MorroTheGhostNinja]

It's interesting since that was the part that turned me off when hearing about this book. One reason why I loved the first book (and honestly the second) is seeing the games. I still haven't read it yet

[@hellomehi6692]

Same here except I actually liked all of the songs and the Mockingjay thing. Even if Coriolanus doesn't completely recognize it himself, he hates them because they are a symbolic proof of liberty and hope that works well and is beautiful. I think that's why he doesn't much like when the Covey harmonizes is because they're all singing such different parts but work well together instead of the streamline controlled things that he loves.

[@happywithdrawal]

brb going to read "Pregnant in the Hunger Games"

[@Amy-G-Dala-]

How was the fic?

[@ShinSeul]

Update us!

[@AK-rx8gp]

This fic is such a fever dream i need people to talk about it 😭 the girl fell in love and dated like every guy and ended up with like a 14 year old lol. And katniss and snow were like budding up to stop the villain, as if snow would gaf about some guy killing people

[@anothermereapostleofjimpickens]

I always read his name as Cornelius Snow and was so mad when I realized it Cornhuskanus

[@quinniecewilson8304]

I had no idea there was even a new hunger games book coming back. But more importantly, WHY IS PRESIDENT SNOW SEXY NOW??? 🧐

[@judey_moony]

Because he’s the villain sksksks-

[@BooksToAshes]

Because authors know that even if someones evil, some readers will flock to the villains anyway if they're hot *cough* The Darkling *cough* I don't fall for it though....well, not usually.

[@thethmooteresa]

@@BooksToAshes Salute to you soilder..... Because I'm a goner : *gives in to hot villans*

[@judey_moony]

WaresTheWolf The Darkling was interesting in the first book and then it just went downhill for his character, he didn’t even show up for the majority of the second book unless it was to monologue to Alina or that scene where he looked like Mal to trick Alina into kissing him- 😶

[@legrandliseurtri7495]

Snow is not sexy at all? This Caleb dude was on drug when he read the book I swear.

[@KayMyselfPls]

i’m wheezing after he summarized the book i legit had to double check to make sure there weren’t different copies, i did not get that ending AT ALL

[@KayMyselfPls]

also i’m very mixed about this book, but i just have to put it out there i think the analogy of katniss and snow is very interesting. it shows how they started from a similar place but in the end katniss didn’t want power she just wanted to keep the people she loved safe where snow was willing to kill those he loved in order to obtain power. it ultimately, yes, changed the dynamic in the original trilogy. but i don’t think it was he hated her because she reminded him of lucy gray but more he hated her because she was satisfied being loved where he never was, she is just a better person.

[@zuko5651]

The main thing that really irks me about this novel is the dialogue; The structure of the sentences and also calling everyone by their first and last names struck me as very odd, making “the ballad of songbirds and snakes” very difficult and frustrating to read.

[@Crybaby_26]

THE NOTE IN THE BACKGROUND I- 👁👄👁

[@anna-uf2lh]

"Its kinda sad, because I just cant imagine, 10 years after writing one of the most beloved series in the world, and there like 'you know what im gonna do. Im gonna do it again... but bad!" Its so sad this apply's to so many authors (eg. the cursed 'The Cursed Child' by JK Rowling)

[@JM-vr1br]

Well, J.K Rowling didn’t really write, “The Cursed Child” but I see your point.😂

[@rissa3163]

I thought the book was great! We didn't know much of anything about Snow and this book shows how he was part of building the games up to be more of a spectacle and that he chose to serve himself and how it got him to be the main antagonist of the trilogy.

[@cloudykodi]

The whole thing with Tigris being his cousin high-key confused me for a little bit because it was never mentioned once from what I remember

[@obi-wan-pierogi]

I had a feeling this book was gonna be a hot mess... I’m both glad and disappointed I was right.

[@oliviajessie5917]

I didn't enjoy this book as much as when I read the Hunger Games for the first time, but seeing how the capital developed from a struggling war torn city to the bustling metropolis really peaked my interest. Also, I think the connection between President Snow and Katniss adds a really unique perspective. Both have similar aspects in their personalities. As the book goes on, Snow's moral compass skews further and further due to his questionable choices. Until. he turns to flat out murdering the people closest to him. On the other hand, Katniss doesn't let herself go. She held to her values in even the most trying situation. Seeing two such similar people skew so drastically from each other added insight to both characters.

[@katie5998]

Olivia Jessie Maybe, but it does massively change their dynamics in the trilogy, and it also just makes me really disappointed in the trilogy itself. If you can’t establish the parrell between the main character & main antagonist (or even establish why the antagonist doesn’t like the main character) in the original storyline, then you did a bad job with its overall development. It takes away from the overall element of Presidents Snow’s character, or as he was originally perceived, and lays his backstory on... what? Loss of love and romance? Presidents Snow, as a character, was somewhat a foil for Katniss (and Coin later on) as he highlighted her qualities & the things she didn’t have & was fighting against. He was a corrupt powerful political force, and she was someone who was not born to power, forces into the limelight, and wanted a normal life. They represented what they both abhorred. And that is an important line to draw, and was an established reason (other than Katniss outwitting the capital in the first hunger games) why President Snow became Katniss’s main antagonist. That distinction between their characters made their dynamic so interesting. Just because an MC and antagonists backstories don’t parallel with one another, doesn’t mean it’s not a good story. Idk. This whole “oo he was poor” :( backstory took away from how I had originally perceived the capital. Especially in that they didn’t let poorer districts rise to any type of power, unless they had some type of talent, or were in the Hunger Games themselves. Katniss took power away from The Capital, why Snow (why he may have had to work for it, sure) was born into the position and ability to become the president. His privilege and Katniss’ lack of privilege really made the story stronger. Now it’s sorta crumbled & doesn’t make a lot of sense

[@divergentgurl1414]

YES YES YES

[@JMSayler]

I will agree that reading while your in college sucks. Any time I tried, my brain would keep poking me and saying if you have time to read this story then you have time to read that text book. I graduated 2.5 years ago and im only just now getting back into reading again (thanks COVID)

[@herbivi-cus5382]

That would be so good if the book showed years and years of Snow's growth, like you suggested. That would be also an amazing opportunity to mention different hunger games, briefly, and show how them progressed. Just Snow hanging around and causing new and new hunger games changes. Such a missed chance >:(

[@SavannahGeorgi]

What I would have preferred is a story of Snow starting off as a sympathetic person who was actually forced to partake in the games, as a mediator, mentor, whatever. And because of his success with his tribute, he was brought on to help make the games "better" or more deadly, more efficient in a way. And as time goes on and conflict rises, he keeps adjusting the games to be more brutal, to make a bigger statement. As his success grows, Snow loses his humanity because now he's in a position of power and his word is becoming literal law. Who would give that up? And as time continues and the games become more polished to what we know now, Snow removes himself from his past hatred of the games because now they are his. His control over the districts and Capital belongs to him and he will become a monster to keep it. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and all that. Just my opinion. A wannabe author spitballing ideas and whatnot.

[@ShinSeul]

If you write this, may I have a link perhaps of your work? This is an absolutely brilliant idea!

[@firlin7219]

he could also have started off as a mentor of the district 12 tribute maybe come second but moved on to mentor a better district tribute because of this success and then mentored the winning tribute this could have been mags or some one else. and also spend a while in each district as a mentor. your idea sounds better than the book we got.

[@liv97497]

That's what I thought it was going to be! In the original books, the most interesting part of his backstory to me was his climb to power. That had so much potential for a story of strategy, backstabbing and rivalry, and I really didn't think that needed another hunger games as a central point. The hunger games is only one piece of the power dynamics in Panem, and there was so much more to explore. Overall, cool concept, poor execution, for me.

[@lilchaos9212]

This! Having Snow become desensitized and showing how that sort of class system festers that sort of mindset would've worked way better and helped show the similarities between him and Katniss in how they would do whatever it took to protect their families, but Snow took things too far and became selfish and self-centred and no longer cared for those below him verses how Katniss seeing all the misery only made her more sympathetic to them and made her want to help.

[@ilbwfy1550]

already-selfish people exist

[@FSEThompson]

So the double-crossing rebel has “Janus” in his name? Groundbreaking.

[@milqueandtoast323]

I- i don't get this reference😳

[@neddles33]

It does double duty, not only is he a -janus but the historical Sejanus whittled power away from Emperor Tiberius for his own ends

[@neddles33]

@@milqueandtoast323 Janus was a Roman god with a face on either side of his head, and so was in charge of doorways, beginnings and endings and duality. He's who January is named after for that reason!

[@lunatree2601]

I immediately clicked on this video when I saw it because I was like "what there a new book... But why"

[@NecrozmaJade]

Fabrecia Whatnot sounds like a placeholder name u make as a joke intending to change it later. They all do really

[@eeveepacini]

“It sounds like he accidentally got shot up the tube” why am I laughing so hard

[@caraj5054]

awh i kinda liked the book ngl. wasn’t rlly crazy ab the whole romance aspect though, i wanted to see more political things

[@biancaprimo4168]

I used to think my “reading for fun” time was over too but then after years I found more books I love and I’be been reading a lot during these dark times

[@bibubbletea]

Caleb: who even cares about how the hunger games traditions like canons and changing the arena came to be??? That’s so boring Me, who read this book for the express purpose of finding out how the hunger games came to be and who’s favorite parts of the book were those moments: 😳 👉👈

[@Moony1568]

Sometimes knowing how a thing started is not needed. Sometimes it’s great to leave mysteries as mysteries. I didn’t even know this book came out and I’m sure as hell not reading it since I don’t want answers to why the hunger games started

[@bibubbletea]

Moony I just liked to see how the traditions were started, like how the hunger games got to be about beauty and pageantry and I liked finding out how things like giving the tributes odds of winning and the development of how to give the tributes their sponsor gifts, I just think that part in particular is interesting:)

[@spookyspider2820]

Bi Bubble tea I agree i like the world building being more developed

[@queerlibtardhippie9357]

@@Moony1568 Sometimes its not needed. Like when vampires are just walking around with humans. But everyone is kind of a normal person in a normal world so the hunger games is kinda weird and I like knowing how it started. It's kind of expected anyway. Like how most people expect a explanation for zombies and not for faries.

[@chloebeaumont6515]

Hunger games is so irrelevant now this is the way we prolly all found out about the new book

[@metalman2320]

yeah that's true, its very irrelevant as is the dystopian genre since like 2015.

[@nootnewt3]

Where have you guys been? I’ve heard hunger games stans talk about this nonstop.

[@tss5320]

i've been hearing a lot about hunger games lately but the only place i've heard about this book is in the newsletter of a bookstore lmao

[@rylie4122]

Its trending on tiktok

[@lil.tim15]

my worst nightmare before watching this was that the plot would sound like a fanfiction and then IT WAS. i was audibly cackling and gasping the whole time caleb went over the summary. nice one, suzanne.

[@arkhambricksskylar]

I loved it. I was very intrigued by Snow's natural lust for control and hatred toward the Mockinjays because they were the true symbol of how the complete control of the Capital was wrong and unnecessary. I also found it interesting how Snow's version of "love" is twisted. I believe that, other than himself, Lucy Gray was the closest he's ever come to having compassion and love for someone, even though we know how that ends. His unquestioning loyalty to the Capital is also one of his most blinding faults, along with his since of superiority and need for control. It's subtle at times, but I also enjoy how much we see his beginning stages of manipulating people and situations into his favor. At times I personally don't think he fully realized he was doing it. Over all, it was new and different. While I see a lot of people complaining about wanting a book about Haymitch - even though we already know the outcome and contents of his games - I feel like the way this book was handled was the best choice. If Collins ever does another prequel, I'd hope for one that takes place near the end of the war that caused the games. Great book.

[@cat.733]

When reading it, I was convinced that Lucy Gray just needed Snow and was grateful, and he thought she loved him because he was so self entitled. I thought that when he went to see her perform in District 12, she wouldn’t be excited to see him and he wouldn’t cope with her not being his and would get violent/result in her death. Also I didn’t need all the lyrics to every song. I did enjoy the book overall, I just doubt I would ever revisit it. I did feel like revisiting an awkward early season of reality TV competitions.

[@athenajaxon2397]

I thought that too I thought it would be cliche but it would make sense

[@jeremyud]

That's where I thought it was going, too.

[@FSEThompson]

Sorry for like triple-commenting but you’re right in that popular authors like follow up books are often worse written. Not only do the authors have tighter deadlines from the publisher but the publishers KNOW it’ll sell regardless so they’ll push the production timeline shorter to get it out faster by cutting down on editing time. Editing books takes time and paying editors costs money so if you’re a proven brand name author they won’t edit you as stringently. They don’t necessarily need people to LOVE the book, they need people to BUY the book, and the hype alone will carry that, like you’re not buying this book if you weren’t a hunger games fan, so they don’t need to put the effort into winning people over.

[@samhhoward]

i already wasn’t gonna read this so thank you for validating me in that decision

[@rylie4122]

Honestly the book is really good, its not a romance book like people are making out to be because its very obvious the two dont actually love each other and are just manipulative. The book chose world-building (how the hunger games evolved into what it was) over fan-service (haymitch or finnick). People complaing its a love story (far from it) because it wasnt the love story they wanted from people who we already know enough about. The book is to demonstrate theres two sides to war even if one side is far from being right.

[@erraticonteuse]

If she had to write about Snow, I think it would have been a lot more interesting if he had actually *been* a tribute himself, not just a mentor to one. I get that she probably didn't want to spend yet another book writing out a whole tournament, but I think she could have gotten away with just showing the start and the end of one. And Snow still could have been in love with another tribute *and* been "forced" to kill her. Imagine if the guy who had manipulated the Games to try to get Katniss or Peeta to kill the other was basically trying to force them into what he "had" to do, and then having to face the revelation that there had, in fact, been another option. It would have thrown a whole new light on his creepy interest but odd respect for Katniss.

[@rlenter3067]

maybe the head gamer maker was a peace keeper from the capital that was in distrct 12 so that went towards his hatred of the underdog districts like 12 and 10 and 11 he could have been stung by a tracker jacker that made him kill the other tribute he loved maybe his mentor also had some connection to coin if only the new prequel book could be made non canon.

[@beans2752]

That's a much better idea!

[@stegosaur9812]

No, it would have been to similar to the original trilogy and it would make no sense for snow to be a tribute

[@stegosaur9812]

Also some of what you are saying about the old books doesnt make sense

[@erraticonteuse]

@@stegosaur9812 She could have *made* it make sense for Snow to be a tribute. And I think it would have been interesting to have a version of the story of the first book from the POV of someone who was actually in love with a fellow tribute the whole time, which Katniss wasn't, she was just acting at first. And I personally am into stories where the villain is someone who was first broken by the very system they perpetuate.

[@beatleobsessed99]

The romance was soooo cringy it made me want to throw up. Especially when lucy grey sees coriolanus in 12 and she's like "omg guys this is the best day of my life" GIRL WHAT

[@gettinjinxy9804]

The Doja Cat X Hanging Tree remix reached through the screen and grabbed me by the throat. 👁👄👁

[@cindertherabbit]

The problem when a book series gets popular and a follow-up comes out that's much worse is a real and common issue. When an author gets popular their editors don't feel as comfortable being harsh or cutting as much text. After the Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins is rich and famous enough to ABSOLUTELY fire an editor that upsets her, and editors want that coin. A sad reality, but a true one.

[@thebilliespace]

True, but then if an editor feels that way about an author, then it means that said author is a horrible person and does not make me want to read yet another book of theirs.

[@cindertherabbit]

@@thebilliespace I spun this in a negative light, but it's really not like that. Editors do want their job security, but after an author gets famous they also don't feel like they have the authority to shred the books down to their fundamentals as they would with a nobody author. Suzanne Collins's editors probably thought President Snow's name ending in anus was a bad move, but they didn't have the confidence to correct her because "she probably knows best."

[@thebilliespace]

@@cindertherabbit okay, I know nothing about the publishing world but I have heard negative stories about certain authors not taking any suggestions from their editors. I'll take your word for it on this one.

[@cindertherabbit]

@@thebilliespace oh, I don't doubt that it happens! If you here stories you're free to spend (or in this case, not spend) your money wherever you like. It just happens with authors both kind and unkind alike-- different reasons, same phenomenon

[@thebilliespace]

@@cindertherabbit Yeah, I understand. Thanks!

[@melancholyghost18]

My mom has a family friend name fish, and I also have a cousin name chips. I’m not joking.

[@abigaild9863]

Honestly love that

[@Corbomite_Meatballs]

@B U T T E R And their cousins, Salt and Pepper, from their auntie Mrs. Dash.

[@cinnamonnicole]

Being named Cinnamon, I always get asked if my brother’s name is Basil. For the record, it’s not; it’s Brandon 😅

[@maryemmaregen8834]

I honestly enjoyed it. I read the original trilogy again and it really helped me fully understand Snow’s actions and pure hatred for Katniss. I don’t get the hate for this book. I get that a book about Haymitch would be great, but can’t she just write that too? And I’m not sure people would enjoy it as much as they think anyway because we already know a lot about Haymitch’s story. There wouldn’t be all that much to tell. Before this book all we knew about Snow was that he rose to power using poison, enjoys murdering children, and enjoys sex trafficking traumatized victors. Which is enough really but we knew nothing about his back story, or how he even used poison in the first place. Where did his idea for poison come from? What about the obsession of roses? His hate for mockingjays? His hate for the districts, especially twelve? The fact that Tigris was his cousin? How he got so corrupted in the first place? Why he continued and supported the hunger games? We wouldn’t have known any of that without this book. It wasn’t necessary, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t enjoyable. I’m not looking for an argument, so if you disagree please keep it to yourself. This is just my opinion, so please respect it just I as respect yours. I may not understand your opinion but that doesn’t mean I don’t respect it. People enjoy what they enjoy.

[@angelscores4332]

Completely agree omg, the only thing I didnt like was how quickly the ending came about considering the pace of the rest of the book

[@Amily13Awesome]

It’s people and their expectations, all get mad if they don’t get what they expect 🙄 Sounds like these people’s problem, I loved the book!

[@cuddlewuffle]

⁠@@Amily13Awesome people are allowed to critique things for genuine flaws, it’s not just because it’s unexpected ??? it’s called critical thinking

[@Amily13Awesome]

@@cuddlewuffleits not critical thinking 😂 Its just an opinion

[@MaddieNiec]

Yes, I love this book. I love how everything ties together. It's like the book Holes (everything ties together in that book as well). All of the backstories and everything felt thought-out and not cheesy to me.

[@jobiewonkonob3]

So, here’s my hot take: I don’t necessarily think this was a bad book. Granted, I had never read the hunger games series until this year and then immediately jumped into the ballad of songbirds and snakes. But I never thought that it was a bad book. I think the reason I enjoyed it so much was because I was still on that high from the original series and the fourth book let me dive back into the world. It was also filled with answers to questions I didn’t realize I had. Like, why certain things happened in the hunger games, who the first tribute from 12 to win was (they mentioned her briefly in the first book, however, she was never named and it was never stated that she was actually a she), and (this is minor compared to the rest) who the hell Tigris was (since she just kinda shows up in the last book). The ending wasn’t great, I’ll admit to that. It felt very open ended and didn’t feel satisfying (not to mention snow could of avoided killing Lucy, assuming he actually did). I feel like with this book, you’d get more out of it by reading the original series and then this one, or just not reading it. I’d only recommend to die hard Hunger Games fans.