Tom Sullivan

While I’m undoubtedly a fan of Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy, I couldn’t shake the feeling as I read this novel that Snow’s journey was simply trying to tie up loose ends with the original series. Indeed, the mention of the katniss tubers felt far too convenient, as if one were trying to force a puzzle piece to fit. Given the story has now been enshrined in the HG legacy, it makes Katniss’ future hunting in the woods difficult to comprehend, considering Snow’s implied hatred for what they contain (the mockingjays he despised and the memory of Grey’s ‘betrayal’ etc) would surely have empowered him to strongly restrict access to inhabitants of 12. Furthermore, knowing that Snow had actively participated in the Hob’s dealings, it seems questionable that such a place was allowed to continue operations. I will say that the criticism regarding Snow being the protagonist didn’t really land with me, given the near-constant derision towards Sejanus and him being ‘District’ made the character feel distinctly unlikeable. I was disappointed that Tigris’ story wasn’t explained fully, especially considering their closeness makes his eventual dismissal of her as a stylist confusing to say the least. Nevertheless, Collins’ writing style makes for compelling reading, even when the material is somewhat lacking.