The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
65/100
Definitely exceeded any expectations I had. I only just started the book before the girlfriend summoned me to the theater but was digging how things started. I’m usually a book before movie guy, but doing the opposite here went swimmingly. Seeing <PERSON> and his failing family (what’s left of them) struggle to maintain their imagine, with an already manipulative government, set up the film and ensuing games well.
Like usual, the games were the biggest highlight and it only being the 10th annual gave it quite a barbaric identity. 437
Basically kids thrown into a colosseum with pitchforks and a couple rusty weapons. Once <PERSON> and <PERSON> start to get hot and heavy it was a pleasant mix of building out the two leads, lame Hunger Games romance, and <PERSON> slowly showing his malicious side.
I actually dug the 3rd act despite by this time the pacing felt wonky and the runtime overlong. Watching <PERSON> lose his shit in the forest and the result of how he came to be was satisfying. I’m interested to dive deeper into these characters and see more fleshed out when finishing the book. If you’re even a casual fan of the original trilogy, I think there will be something here for you. 437