WOW! I didn't know if I would love this but I was hooked in the first chapter. I was drawn back in so quickly it was like I never left Panem! I didn't think I would care for a story that centered on Snow the future president; but really it was fascinating. He's a teenager when the 10th Hunger Games takes place and he's assigned as a mentor to a girl from District 12. Readers get SO MUCH backstory on the games, the war, and the slow and steady rise of the capital. Snow is from a great family but dirt poor - having his champion, Lucy Gray, win the Hunger Games could secure his spot in University - tuition free. Snow always land on top. Things get a lot more complicated when he starts to fall for Lucy Gray, how could they ever make romance work though - she's from the districts?! Filled with so many unforgettable characters; this book will make readers want to re-read the entire trilogy. My true rating 4.5. Excellent, unexpected prequel!
