Watching and reading the Hunger Games movies and books as a child, I was of course shocked by the concept of a death tournament, but little me could not comprehend the horror out of smaller details. As an adult, reading this book makes me realize more of the concept the author wanted to explore through the world of Panem. Racism, dehumanisation are the most obvious. But the way the Gamemakers producing and designing the Hunger Games resembles what we see in reality shows horrifyingly. I might go back and re-read the Hunger Games Trilogy after this.
As for the main character, I was curious how he would turn out to be the person he would be in the trilogy when I heard that this is his "villain origin story". He seemed sweet, seemed like a gentlemen at first, except from some pretty disturbing ideas. In the middle of the story, he even fell in love with Lucy Gray, which almost convinced me that he is a lover boy. But as the story plays out, it becomes clear to me that he didn't "become" President Snow, but rather his childhood, his familiy and the Capitol held him back. But the restrains was gone as the story progressed, and you cannot force a freed beast back into its cage.
His relationship with Lucy Gray was also interesting. But as soon as I read about the beginning, I could almost see how the ending played out in my head, but not in the way of a predictable plot. They could overcome grave danger together, matters of life and death. He had made difficult choices for her, but he did not resent her for it, even though he paid a great cost for it. But they were so different in nature. She's a songbird meant to be singing in the wild, and he considered her an exception out of her people. When the imminent danger in front of them is gone, all that's left is the huge differences between them. "Who needed wealth and success and power when they had love? Didn't it conquer all?" Unfortunately it doesn't, not in real life, and definitely not in a cruel world like Panem.
