I really enjoyed reading this book, and was very invested in the plot, etc. It's well-written and engaging. But the premise of the book goes against what the original Hunger Games series stood for, and undermines the point the original series was making. I do not find it valuable or interesting to look at a predictable and typical origin story for an oppressor, regardless of whether or not he is portrayed as the villain throughout. The valuable pieces of this book could already have been gleaned from close readings of the original series.