shelbs_can_try's Reviews (694)

This book has been giving really mixed reviews, but as for me, I really really enjoyed it! It gave us some great background to the rebel war and the evolution of the Hunger Games. It was so cool to see some ideas and technology that is so present in the Hunger Games trilogy first being discussed in this book. It shows that the elaborate and extravagant Hunger Games that we knew in the trilogy is the product of years of planning, organizing and inventing. I also really enjoyed the perspective of young Snow (even though I think this is where a lot of people don't like the book). It showed that he is so much more complicated than what we could have ever thought. Collins isn't trying to 'humanize' him I don't think but rather show through Snow's struggles and actions what kind of a person he truly is. While he is obviously first and foremost an evil and power driven man, he also has other really interesting characteristics like he is often jealous, loyal (to his family), ambitious, clever, and also very insecure.

Overall I had a very good time reading this book. I think people may have issues with it because they have a hard time reading books with unlikable characters. I however, love reading books like that!