GOODREADS’ DESCRIPTION

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honour of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.

MY REVIEW

It was a long time ago I read the original trilogy and it’s already been six years since I read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and I have to admit that details are eluding me. I of course still have the strong feelings the books invoked, I still remember them as absolutely brilliant, the level of details and how horrible they were. But I struggle to remember if the previous books were this dark. Haymitch is portrayed as this miserable man in the original trilogy. He is a victor but completely destroyed, even 24 years later. Without understanding the impacts of winning the games, I do remember thinking it was a bit extreme. Not anymore.

Both prequels so far have added so much depth and understanding to this world. Songbirds and Snakes let us know where Snow is coming from and where his special hatred for District 12 comes from. Important piece of information when reading Sunrise on the Reaping. Haymitch is a completely different character. Driven by love for the people around him makes the ending absolutely heart wrenching. There are no winners, only survivors.

By the end of this book, I was so devastated, left with no hope, even though I do know how Mockingjay ends. I do understand why he is a wreck. There has been such a long time, with no real progress in the rebellion, until a new spark is ignited in him when Katniss is volounteering in the 74th Hunger Games. Panem is evil. Snow is evil. He is smart and keeps showing everyone that he makes the calls. Poor Haymitch. I am preparing myself to walk out of the movie theatre later this year, crying my eyes out.

The games themselves in the second quarter quell was gorgeous, paradise and such a contradiction to the main theme. Twice as many tributes, twice as many allies fallen. Detailed, grusesome deaths but anything that seemed harmless. I really do enjoy the creativity of the different games and would like to read more. I really hope Suzanne will have something more to say one day and write another prequel.

One thing I did found a bit annoying, if I can call it that, was the contradiction in the prose. Haymitch is a street smart person, and I guess his dialogue mostly suit that, but some of his first person point of view in between is just too articulate. It clashes a bit. Not all the time, but enough here and there to make me think about it.

Other than that, I really don’t have anything bad to say about this book. I’m not overly used by first person point of view but it is very well executed and it does not leave out anything that you may have gotten from more POIs.

I don’t really hate myself, but I do enjoy a book that leaves me with a lot of feelings. In this cas:, empty, sad, devastated and with a heaviness to my core that just broke me. Five out of five! Easy!