I think it takes a lot to write a novel like this. We all go in knowing that Snow is evil, so how do you turn that into a plot with characters we root for?

I find myself empathizing and rooting for Lucy Gray, the people in the districts, Sejainus, and the people who are true and kind that are in orbit of this monster of a man. I am repulsed by Coriolanus’ thoughts and impulses. I’m horrified to watch him nurture and grow his psychopathic tendencies. It’s terrifying watching him manipulate himself and those around him and to read him taking pleasure in it.

I would call this novel important. It’s important to recognize that monsters are human. That humans have this capacity. That people who are otherwise apparently decent on the surface can manipulate and use and foster these horrifying impulses beneath the surface. That psychopaths and narcissists exist and that their performance can be flawless while they abuse their position and any power they get.

I think the mixed ratings are because people come in expecting similarities to the other hunger games in tone. But this is a big break from the rest of the novels. This one, to me, reads more like a horror story. We are seeing inside the mind of a psychopath. That’s not easy to sit through and the discomfort is palpable.

I would say it’s worth the read if you can handle psychological horror. In that vein, I think it’s expertly written. I appreciate the extreme effort it must have taken to write a character this dark and show us both his humanity and his inhumanity.