My Thoughts on the Hunger Games Prequel Cover Reveal!

Hey fellow book nerds! So most of you have probably seen it, but in case you didn’t know, yesterday the cover and title of the new Hunger Games prequel was revealed! So of course the big Hunger Games fan that I am, I decided to write my second discussion-type post and share my thoughts on it! (Today was supposed to be another writing WIP update, but we are definitely doing this instead. XD But I’m planning to still post it later this month!)

So…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

Here it is!

My thoughts on the cover:

Well…the cover itself is okay. I mean I’m glad it’s a different color, and it’s pretty similar to the original covers which is what I was hoping. The mockingjay symbol is definitely different, and compared to the others it kinda has a lot going on, but the more I look at it it’s grown on me. I like the branches and the mockingjay itself, and I think when we have the physical copies it it would look really pretty if they use gold foil. 😀 (Or make it at least somewhat reflective.)

Thoughts on the title:

The title…oh dear. Honestly, I’m disappointed. It’s like the publishers just said “Oh whatever let’s just use ‘The Blank of Blank and Blank‘ cookie cutter YA fantasy formula. Nobody will care! It’s The Hunger Games, it’s not like nobody is going to buy this book.” And didn’t put much thought into it at all!

Ahem, we care! It’s The Hunger Games, not another run of the mill YA fantasy! No offense to the books that have titles like this; I know a lot are really amazing, but…it in this case it just doesn’t fit! It’s not even fantasy! I mean I’m sure if someone heard this title, they wouldn’t think “Hunger Games.” They’d think…”Is that a new Sarah J. Maas book?” Or at least think it’s a fantasy of some sort.

I just think as far as trends go we might have gotten a little tired of seeing “the blank of blank and blank” formula, and seeing it on the return of such a well-loved series that was exempt from this trend because it didn’t really exist yet is just pretty disappointing. It doesn’t fit the simplicity of the rest of the series at all, and I think the straightforward titles were part of what made The Hunger Games series so iconic, because they kind of balance out the deep impact of the stories the books contain. It even would have been a little better if they cut out the “and snakes” part, called it “The Ballad of Songbirds” and left it at that. The title’s font doesn’t even match the titles of the rest of the series either!

Other thoughts:

Okay now that I’ve shared my main complaints, there are a couple positive things. The title did spark a new theory in my head that the story might have something to do with before the mockingjays were mutated? I don’t even clearly remember what they were mutated from, or when exactly, (I’m really looking forward to rereading the original trilogy!) but I’m pretty sure it was around the Dark Days? So if we get a little more backstory about that when it happened more recently it might be interesting?

Also, is the title a metaphor for the innocents being songbirds, and the capitol and possibly the career districts (and just all the bad people really) being the snakes?

Anyway, another thought I had was we know already that they are going to turn this book into a movie also. According to Goodreads it’s supposed to be over 500 pages, so are they going to break the movies up into parts like with Mockingjay? Even Mockingjay was only 390 pages…and they may think the title works now, but it’s kind of a mouthful for a movie, isn’t it? Ugh, are they going to end up changing it for the movie? If so, then why couldn’t they just call the book something simpler in the first place?!

So to sum up: I like the cover, but when I think of the title, I just cringe. I still have hope that it’s going to be good, but even with this new info, it still feels like the hype really isn’t that big. I’m starting to get a little worried.

So what are your thoughts on the cover and title reveal? Hate it? Love it? Don’t care? Do you have any concerns about how the book will turn out or are you still excited? I want to talk about it! 😀

All credit goes to the authors of the images.

What Do You Think?:

<a href=”Designed”>Designed”>Designed”>https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/blue-christmas-card-in-watercolor-style_816724.htm”>Designed by Freepik</a>

Credits:

<a href=”Designed”>Designed”>Designed”>http://www.freepik.com/free-vector/soft-background-with-a-cute-blue-watercolor-stain_1064674.htm”>Designed by Freepik</a>

Featured Image:

https://www.canva.com/

Goodreads

Book Cover:

https://www.goodreads.com

Gif:

Kermit

Aristocats