I started the newest installment in the Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins super worried because of the mixed reviews I had seen, and I have to say that I am also on the fence about this novel. If you are a huge Hunger Games fan then this is a must-read simply because of the nods to the other books and the explanation of backstories and the creation of the Games themselves. The story follows Snow during his young adult years as he engages in the very first mentorship at the 10th Hunger Games and beyond as well as his growing romantic relationship with his mentee. I can easily say that the novel held my interest and the plot was intriguing enough for me to fly through it. That being said, it is really hard for me personally to enjoy a book when the main character is such a horrible person. President Snow is the "hero" in this book, and you will be unsurprised to hear that even in his youth he is a pompous ass. We read about the horrible acts he does in order for him to "land on top". As entertaining as it was and perfectly befitting of the character, it was still unsettling. However, I think it was a successful villain origin story – if you are well aware that is what you are getting into. Do not ready yourself to root for Snow because you will be disappointed. If you are also hoping to get the background of any other much-loved characters from the rest of the series, you will also be disappointed since there are very few character overlaps. This was hugely missed, reading about some of the much loved characters from the other novels would have been fantastic. For me, the biggest irritant of this story was the inclusion of so much music. Our main heroine, Lucy, is a singer from (surprise) District 12 and we read through (trudge through) way, way, way too many songs from her that seriously made this book feel like a musical. I understand the musical connection between Mockingjays or Jabberjays but it seemed like overkill and I always skimmed through her (many, many) songs.
Overall, I would still recommend this book. For me, it was a different narrative than I usually read and, despite being irritated by Snow's lack of human feelings, I loved being inside his head and seeing just how the Hunger Games came to be what they are in the first book. And Collins’ writing style is always super enjoyable and immersive.
3/5 stars.
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