Lesley Barklay’s Reviews > The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes > Status Update

Lesley Barklay
is 46% done
Collins hasn't done the greatest job in writing a character I could root for. I wish Coriolanus had actually been Sejanus's friend. That would have been a 'Save the Cat' moment for him. It would make me like him more if he had genuine friendship and loyalty for someone.
This is just reminding me that I don't like villain origin stories. Snow & Lucy Gray are supposed to be the MCs, but Sejanus is more compelling.
— Jan 23, 2024 07:59PM
This is just reminding me that I don't like villain origin stories. Snow & Lucy Gray are supposed to be the MCs, but Sejanus is more compelling.
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Lesley’s Previous Updates

Lesley Barklay
is 75% done
The amount of times Coriolanus refers to Lucy Gray as "his" or "belonging to him now" is truly concerning.
I'm calling it right now. This is *not* a love story.
— Jan 24, 2024 01:19AM
I'm calling it right now. This is *not* a love story.

Lesley Barklay
is 69% done
Well, Coryo's in District 12, and he's appreciating Sejanus a little more, so there's that.
I begin to understand Dean Highbottom more. I'm almost getting a Haymitch vibe in the way he hides in a drug-ridden stupor. I can imagine how badly you'd feel if your friend betrays you and submits a drunken idea to kill district children with your name attached to it. The guilt would eat you alive.
— Jan 23, 2024 10:25PM
I begin to understand Dean Highbottom more. I'm almost getting a Haymitch vibe in the way he hides in a drug-ridden stupor. I can imagine how badly you'd feel if your friend betrays you and submits a drunken idea to kill district children with your name attached to it. The guilt would eat you alive.

Lesley Barklay
is 48% done
If you just judged Coriolanus by his actions and words, he seems like an okay guy, but in the books we get to see his thoughts.
I'm wondering if this is one case where the movie might actually be better than the books, because you only get his action and dialogue...
— Jan 23, 2024 08:20PM
I'm wondering if this is one case where the movie might actually be better than the books, because you only get his action and dialogue...

Lesley Barklay
is 47% done
"Did you tell your best friend his crush was a cannibal? Never a rule book when you needed one."
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, I was not expecting that!
— Jan 23, 2024 08:04PM
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, I was not expecting that!

Lesley Barklay
is 44% done
I'm nearly halfway through this, and I don't know what to think.
After re-reading the Hunger Games series, I'm finding the 3rd person past tense narrative a little jarring, but I think it was a clever choice to give the reader a bit more distance from Coriolanus, and the action.
I'm finding some similarities between Coryo and Katniss: they are both survivors, but her survival is motivated by love, his is by power.
— Jan 23, 2024 07:42PM
After re-reading the Hunger Games series, I'm finding the 3rd person past tense narrative a little jarring, but I think it was a clever choice to give the reader a bit more distance from Coriolanus, and the action.
I'm finding some similarities between Coryo and Katniss: they are both survivors, but her survival is motivated by love, his is by power.