We all know the horrendous President Snow. The one that had no heart, who tried to kill Katniss many times, encouraged the slaughter of youth, and murdered Prim. Well, he wasn’t always this way. This sequel to the Hunger Games trilogy dives into the origin story of one of the series most hated characters. Did you know Snow started off dirt poor. He kept a good name and reputation using charm. A slippery one. He is a snake after all, weaving words and looks. Saying what the people want to hear. Manipulation is an easy task if it means survival. Suzanne Collins took my breath away more times than I could count in this twisted story. There are so many things I wish I could warn you about before picking up this novel. It will play with your emotions and make you question whose side you’re on. I can only advise that you keep your wits about you. And remember; May the odds be ever in your favour. 3.5/5 stars - SAPL Read It & Review Contributor

I am so in love with this book I am hesitant to start something else. I loved The Hunger Games, but found this to be almost better. Between the characters and the world building it was really well done, and even though the ending was a bit rushed and very "wait, what's happening" it explains a lot about him and their future.

This Hunger Games prequel really allows the reader to see Snow in a different light. Now I must re-read the series!

With this book being a prequel, I have to say it was amazing. Knowing what Snow had to go through I view him in a different way now.

As an adult reader of the original trilogy, I thought this was an interesting read. It drags for long stretches, but then slams the reader with bits of wisdom and truth about power, popularity, and human nature. Neatly ties into the trilogy which I have been inspired to go back and re-read to find all the connecting threads.

Lots of adventure, a bit of slasher and blood.

This prequel to Hunger Games is about teenage Snow, the future-to-be president of Panem. The book is written in third person, which makes it more streamlined and clean-cut than the original trilogy of Hunger Games. Yet, the story is more subdued, and you won't find the same intensity of the trilogy. It is not exactly a page turner, but I assure you will not be disappointed by the ending, much like that in Mockingjay. If you liked reading Hunger Games, you would enjoy this book.

As an adult who enjoyed the original trilogy, I found this prequel FANTASTIC. It's a very unique pro, centering a novel around a villain, and fittingly it's a wild ride as he develops from an average (even sweet at times) youth to megalomaniac. I did not find a single part "boring," as some reviewers felt, and as that's a subjective - I rather felt each and every paragraph was literary genius painting a deep portrait.

Gripping and shocking are the best words to describe this book. You empathize with Coriolanus in the beginning and feel pity for his situation. But at the end you realize you have been empathizing with an extremely unreliable narrator. A mad man who tried and maybe succeeded at murdering his girlfriend, who he told us he was in love with. And set his friend up to be hanged. In reading this book you will see and choose for yourself how bad people and situations can affect someone, even if their soul was black from the beginning. Coriolanus Snow is a villain, as we all know. But this book tried to trick us into taking his side, and it almost worked.

love it. there are some boring parts. in general, tho, gripping and exciting!