A review by bnsfly
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I didn't hate this. I really loved the way Collins ended the trilogy; it was so interesting and real, in a universe that wasn't very. So I was curious to see how she'd do Snow. I think the biggest issue I have is the pacing. The heel turn feels sudden and late, even if there are some smart breadcrumbs left along the whole journey.
I also expected the heel turn to be *in response to something* but I think it was sly that it was basically always in him. He was never going to be anything else because of his basic flawed belief system. A lot of "banality of evil" stuff here.
So I liked it overall but yeah I think it could've been better paced and while I thing Collin's is smarter than some of her "dystopian YA" peers about the things she writes about, I don't know that this one will stick with me too long, like the epilogue of the trilogy did.