i don't think i expected to be as invested in coriolanus snow's villain origin story as i ended up being. collins does an incredible job of making him both recognisable as the dictatorial boogeyman of the previous series, as well as making him nearly as sympathetic as he is abhorrent. lucy gray is such a complex and interesting character in her own right. i do believe that she genuinely loved coriolanus but the final chapter made me reexamine everything i believed about her (but like even if she did manipulate him and leave him to die in the woods she should be allowed to #girlboss). i haven't read the original books in a while, but from what i remember i found this far more disturbing. this cruder form of the hunger games allows for the full effect of their cruelty, so much so that not even capitol residents can deny it, and dr gaul's human muttations will haunt my dreams until the day i die. and of course every reference to the original series, from the songs to the flowers to the district 12 locales, made me shriek with excitement. i'm fully on board with the "katniss is part covey/maude ivory is katniss's grandmother" theory. maybe it's the hyperfixation talking but whatever 5 stars.