#dean highbottom

I can’t mention every weird thing Coriolanus thinks or we will never get through this. Coriolanus gives Lucy Gray his mother’s compact, so I guess that is her “token”. It’s a good mix of Lucy Gray’s weakness (her vanity) and Coriolanus’ (always poisoning people).

The two kiss and Coriolanus has a “oh this is what everyone talks about” moment that reminds me of Katniss in the cave when she first wants another kiss.

On TV, Dean Highbottom posits the “radical” notion that the people from the districts are people too—like Capitol people. Coriolanus begins to really consider this for the first time, which I believe is the Dean’s intent with this whole mentorship thing. For the next leaders of Panem, to get close to district citizens. And one of the most frustrating things about the book is that I do think Coriolanus becomes less prejudiced but he decides to keep the districts subjugated anyway. It’d almost be more understandable if he were just a bigot.

Lysistrata is also upset and I wonder what she did after this book. She feels used. I think she must feel worse after what happens, because they basically turn her into a killer too. And she wants to be a doctor (do no harm?).

Last chapter we met Dean Highbottom, who is supposedly so high he doesn’t know his glasses are on his face. Now I do think he’d get wasted on reaping day but this reads Haymitch-y to me somehow. Performative. He doesn’t want the Capitol to take him seriously because he hates them and himself.

“High as a Kite Bottom” is weak. Maysilee Donner would eat this fucker alive. Coryo thinks that’s why the Dean hates him. Hilarious. He probably just said “boooo” and moved on with his lifedrugs.

Complain about Sejanus, blah, blah.

It says President Ravinstill wears his military uniform to show that he “ruled the districts” before the Dark Days. I have a lot of questions about Ravinstill. Like he allowed the Games to become a thing, but he seems not to care that much? Like he might end them if Gaul doesn’t do better? So like what other shit was he up to, in terms of punishing the districts that this was just one strategy? I feel like “Hunger Games, a weird game made up by a school student” is not the first place you go.

And then Lucy Gray appears like,