I think that Suzanne did a brilliant job with his “villain origin story” it is believable and his actions are understandable, but not excusable. The book doesn’t judge him, neither does he at the end feel corrupted or at wrong, in fact, by the end of the story, he really comes into his own as a monsters. But the way Collins writes it, it is clear that she isn’t making excuses. He is in unfortunate circumstances a lot, but he doesn’t get a reverse redemption arc or a sob story. His villainy isn’t watered down.
Which is actually impressive considering that he was both an underdog, and went ahead and had a sad romance. Those two factors are perfect for watering down villains “oh, poor man, he didn’t have a choice, his life was crashing down!” and “oh, poor man, that girl broke his heart!”. But it isn’t like that. Things happen around him and to him, and he is the one who makes the decision. No one else.

I also liked that the romance between them was clearly infatuation and young “love”, but nothing at all like what Katniss and Peeta had. Coryo doesn’t leave the stage as a man with a bleeding heart, a hurt lover underneath the facade of tyranny. He leaves ANGRY at the girl that “made” him lose control. He doesn’t suffer because he lost love, his pride is wounded because he lost control, both of himself and the girl that he /thought/ he loved. The sad thing is that even though their romance wasn’t true love, the one you choose for life, were he a better man it still could have ended up better- them just going their separate ways, him making due with his lot in life. But instead it ends with him chasing her with a riffle.

I love how easy it is to read his perspective, and yet to just look at it at go “you deserve this. you’re bad. you’re despicable and disgusting” because that is what he IS. For all the power we know he managed to acquire, he underneath it all was a ratty, evil man too weak mentally to enjoy anything that he couldn’t control.

I could speak for days how much I loved the book, but this is the main take. I just hope that his friend died thinking that he had a friend, a brother, who will mourn him and be there for his parents as a son, not a leech. His passing was so sad and it would make it even sadder if he died broken hearted knowing that he was betrayed by someone who he considered a brother.