Book Review: Hunger Games Prequel

I have made reading a priority this year, because not only did I make the goal to read 20 books in 2021 (and I am already almost done my second one, by the way), but because when I hustled to finish my 12 books for 2020 in the last 2 weeks of the December, I remembered how absolutely happy it makes me. I for real don't understand how some people don't like reading. To each their own but I can't imagine not reading for fun, honestly. 

So that brings me to my first book of the year: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. This is the prequel to the Hunger Games Trilogy (which I LOVE) and focuses on President Snow when he is younger. I highly recommend the trilogy if you haven't read it, also. I was unsure when I started this, if I would like it. I seriously loved the trilogy and I was afraid this was going to disappoint me. (Also I preordered it like.. last year or whatever and then completely and 100% forgot about it)

It did not disappoint though! It was actually surprising at times finding myself feeling sorry for Snow, knowing what he becomes. Which I think is a testament to the story itself. I don't want to give away any spoilers should any poor soul who reads this blog happen to have it on their "to read" list, but the story wasn't anything like I thought it would be. I don't know if I actually knew what the story would be about at all, but i really did enjoy the plot. It focuses on young Snow in his final year of Academy (high school, basically) and he's been selected to be one of the mentors for the tributes that year, the first time mentors are introduced to the games. It was interesting to see what the games were that early on. I believe that was the 10th annual games, sooo that's what? 64 years before we meet Katniss and Peeta? It definitely gives you a feel for how far the games developed by time the Hunger Games Trilogy comes along. It certainly wasn't as flashy as the Hunger Games introduced to us previously. I think it only took 3 or 4 days to finish this book because I couldn't stop reading. I truly didn't know how it was going to end until it did. I feel like as with the trilogy - anything could have happened. 

I'm not really the kind of person who breaks literature down, I just like to read. This isn't English class so I don't really care about anything besides if I enjoy something reading it. And I did enjoy reading this. Some parts may have lagged on a bit but overall I think the story just really sucked me in. I would say it was well written because like I mentioned earlier, even though I know how terrible of a person Snow becomes, there were times I felt legitimately bad for his character in this book. I just find that fascinating. 

Immediately upon finishing the book, I decided I needed to read the trilogy again. But it was like 8pm on a Tuesday so I settled for rewatching the movie(s) because I don't even know where my copies of the trilogy are. I ruined my sleep last week binging them actually. But it was so fascinating picking up on small details even in the movies, that make SO. MUCH. SENSE. having President Snow's back story. I think it makes so much more sense now why Snow hated Katniss so much. There are so many connections between her and another character in the prequel. I'm sure when I eventually get to rereading the trilogy even more will jump out, too. 

So, if you are a Hunger Games fan and haven't read the prequel yet, I personally loved it and highly recommend. 

Next up: I am currently about 70% done Jessica Simpson's autobiography "Open Book" which has actually been really interesting.