I was one of the few people who genuinely didn't know that this book existed until I saw it in the shop, so I didn't have any expectations for it before reading. On that note- if you're browsing through comments and reviews on the book in order to figure out whether or not you should read it, get off your device right now and just read the damn book.
IT IS NOT THE HUNGER GAMES. There will be no Katniss, Gale or Peeta. However, there are multiple references to different aspects of the trilogy which are obvious and not so obvious, and each made me feel like squealing like the inner fangirl I can sometimes be, with lots of jumping up and down.

This book is, to put it quite simply, about President Snow (Coryo to his cousin) before he became President Snow. Some people find it boring or slow, but I personally think it was well-written, not trying to skip over everyday things, and focusing extremely well on the finer details of Snow's personality, how it develops, and the different relationships which end up shaping him as a person.
I'm giving it 5 stars because unlike the majority of the books I've recently read, it doesn't feel rushed, and there are so many finer points to the story that I'm happy with the idea of rereading it without getting bored.