The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Hunger Games Series Prequel) by Suzanne Collins

I have a bit of a confession to make.I never read the write-ups for the book of authors I like or the write up for books that are a part of the series that I am reading. I do this to avoid spoilers because often the write ups give too much information. I've also been known to read a book without knowing what it's about if someone I trust tell me read this it's good!

This doesn't usually backfire on me because I go in with no expectations and let the story unfold without any preconceived notions. As usual, I did NOT read the write up but somewhere along the way, I got it stuck in my head that this was about Haymitch Abernathy and his Hunger Games. Well - I was completely wrong! It's about Snow (insert huge dramatic sigh) and  I don't give a flying flippy flop about Snow or so I thought until I realized it is a character study on Snow, and a revelation of long forgotten reasons behind things,

Snow is young, poverty stricken and living in the Capital. He is 18 years old and he along with some classmates take a major role in the development of the 10th Hunger Games and future Hunger Games. Snow and his classmates remember the attack on The Capital and the starvation, deaths and shambles the attack left them in. This is important to remember because it's incredibly influential in the ideas the develop for the games. The 10th Hunger Games also play out in this novel.

Snow is a very interesting character because he has some humanity in him but the choices he makes slowly unravels the tiny bits about him that are redeeming because he surprisingly has the capability to love and form bonds with others. Snow isn't someone I would like but someone I would like to study such as, Ted Bundy.

I can't decide if I like this book or not. I've been sitting on it trying to decide if this is something I want to recommend or tell others to skip and ultimately I am undecided. It's brilliant in that you get a background of Snow, the development of the Hunger Games and additional background information but it's a let down in that very little about Panem is revealed and Snow is such an unlikable character and the book is about 200 pages too long  but keep in mind I would still watch it if it was made into a movie.