The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (A Hunger Games Novel)

Suzanne Collins returns to the dystopian world of Panem in this origin story for the villain of her original 'Hunger Games' trilogy; President Coriolanus Snow. The novel sees Snow aged about 18, living in genteel poverty with his grandmother and cousin in a Capitol still recovering from the civil war which ended ten years before. In a new idea to increase public interest in the brutal Hunger Games, he and his classmates from the prestigious Academy are called on to mentor the Tributes in the Games. He is assigned Lucy Gray, from impoverished District 12, who seems more of a singer than a fighter, and throws his considerable abilities into helping her succeed. But the stakes are extremely high, for Snow as well as Lucy Gray, not least as old grudges against his family keep working against him. Collins is always a compelling and very readable author and she creates a world that is immersive and believable in all its brutality. Her use of Roman names and the gladiatorial parallels of the Games are the perfect way to reflect a society that is both incredibly sophisticated and unbelievably cruel. Snow is very well drawn - Collins manages to make him sympathetic and likeable, despite readers knowing how he turns out, and yet also avoids making him too nice or saintly in a way that would be inconsistent with his characterisation as an older adult. Lucy Gray is also an interesting and very likeable character and as the reader doesn't know what becomes of her worrying about her fate is sufficient to keep you hooked. There's also a very chilling villain (more sinister than even the adult Snow was). The plot is eventful, packed with both action and psychological tension. It zips along and is difficult to put down. Underpinning that are real questions about human nature and how to run an effective society. Whilst it is ostensibly a young adult book (more for teenagers than younger, due to its darkness) I read it as an adult and other than the youth of the characters didn't see anything to distinguish it from good adult fiction. The novel does undergo something of a slump in the second half, after the Games themselves end but the story carries on for some time. Whilst the second part is still good and compelling, it never quite regains the tension that had been building as the Tributes fought it out in the arena. I'd have been tempted to split it into two novels had I been Collins (people would certainly have bought a second!). I don't know if she plans any sequels featuring Snow during his rise to power - there is certainly scope for more, although it would mean following an older character which I guess might affect her YA credentials. Overall this is a very well written, gripping and thought provoking book. It is dark and cruel, but still feels very escapist. It will appeal to teenagers, but equally to adult readers of fantasy and futuristic fiction. I'd definitely read any other books Collins chooses to write set in this world. In terms of reading order for those who haven't read the original trilogy, I think you could read this one before or after. The evolution of the Games from this novel to the later three is interesting, but could be appreciated in either order. There's only one real spoiler in the later trilogy which is the ultimate fate of Snow himself. So readers with the option could enjoy in either order.

This is such a difficult novel to review, despite the fact that I actually enjoyed reading it, as I don't think that it is what a lot of fans were expecting. The Hunger Games Trilogy featured fast-paced violence and a strong female protagonist. Due to the focus on Coriolanus Snow, this prequel has an entirely different feel. It is a much slower novel, focusing more on the world-building and philosophy that would eventually shape Snow into the tyrannical president of Panem. The world-building of this novel is captivating. It is set 64 years before the events of The Hunger Games and only 10 years after the war. Due to this, we see Capitol in a very different light. The city is still war-torn and rife with poverty. The Hunger Games exists, but is a primal shade of what it would later become. Everyone bares scars of what happened in the conflict and would rather forget what happened. I personally found it interesting to see Panem in such a state, especially as Snow and his class gradually began to shape The Hunger Games into something closer to what fans will recognise. Yet, I did sometimes think that the novel was too heavy-handed with its call-backs. While some of the minor changes, such as the introduction of sponsors and betting to the Hunger Games, were nice little nods, other things were less subtle. This was particularly obvious in the final section of the story, in which Coriolanus witnesses the origin of The Hanging Tree song and gains an irrational hatred of Mockingjays. Yeah, that is certainly on the nose. In terms of pacing, I do think that this book has the potential to divide fans. Due to its focus on Coriolanus, it is no where near as fast-paced as the other books. After all, Coryo is a stage removed from proceedings. He is not in the arena fighting - he is watching from the safety of the mentors' box. What this did give the time for was more of a character study. We followed Coriolanus in his daily life within the Capitol as he attended school and mentored Lucy Gray. This allowed readers to see Panem from the other side - a world that is far different from the empoverished life of Katniss Everdeen. Yet, at times, the novel could be incredibly slow. While I was utterly captivated by the first two-thirds of the novel, the section after the climax of the 10th Hunger Games did start to lose me a little. Coriolanus's time in District 12 was surprisingly uneventful for the most part. While things did pick up again over the last 40 pages, for the most it seemed to be a bit of a come down after the excitement of the Games. In terms of character, the novel was also perhaps a little varied. As a character study of Coriolanus Snow, it was spectacular. Coryo is a fantastically complex character. His empoverished upbringing and desire to protect his family could have made him incredibly sympathetic, but this was offset by his ambition and underlying nationalism. Even at his most vulnerable, there was always a sense that Coryo would do anything to come out on top, which prevented him from ever being truly likeable. As a villain origin story, I would say that this was incredibly effective. You could certainly understand Coriolanus, but you could never like him. Yet, while there was a large supporting cast, most of these faded into the background. This was, in part, because Coryo was so self-serving that he never really paid much attention to him. The two that really shone were Lucy Gray and Sejanus. Lucy Gray made for a compelling love-interest who was refreshingly different from Katniss. While her motivations were occasionally a little hard to grasp, she was very lovable and served as a representation of how different Coriolanus's life could be. Sejanus was also a fantastic character as he represented new money - a character unable to fit in with the Districts or the Capitol. Although his naivety grew more and more frustrating as the novel progressed, the situation he was in was terribly sad and held a mirror up to Coryo. Here was a person who had a similar education to Coriolanus, but his upbringing allowed him to see the world in a very different light. All in all, I actually really enjoyed reading this novel. While I can see why some fans were disappointed, I found it to be a wonderful character study that added a lot of depth to the series's villain. It's definitely one that I wold recommend.

I loooooooooooooved this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you are a big fan of the original trilogy YOU WILL LOVE THIS. I was very apprehensive before reading this for two reasons, 1) The original trilogy is AMAZING, do we really need more and how could it possibly live up to it? And 2) When the protagonist was announced, I was very unsure as to whether we need to hear from President Snow, can anything really justify or even explain his actions? Especially when a Haymitch prequel has been so heavily requested. Nevertheless, my original concerns were quickly addressed. 1) Yes the original trilogy was amazing, this book did not take away from that. I do not like to compare them, it is not possible to say that this book was in any way better or worse than the rest of the series as in my opinion they work well alongside each other in a complementary way. I would certainly argue that this book added a lot of depth to the overall story of Panem and the Hunger Games, it also helps us understand why President Snow’s hatred for Katniss is so deep. This book also contains a lot of familiar names that fans of the original series will recognise, we also learn about how the Hunger Games have changed and the reasons behind that which was all remarkably interesting to read about for me. 2) This book, luckily, does not justify President Snow’s actions. Snow was an extremely well-written villain in the original trilogy and this book adds so much depth to his already complex character. Rather than being a justification for his actions, the book allows us to understand the series of events which led Snow to becoming who he was in the original series. Some of Snow’s traits, such as his ambition and hunger for power, were already rooted in him from the beginning of the book and motivated him throughout. At the end of the book, I still hated Snow, I understood his character much better, but he remains a villain, nonetheless. I loved how nostalgic this book felt whilst I was reading it, I loved having the opportunity to immerse myself in the world of Panem once again. All the characters in the book, especially Lucy Gray, were so well-written. I have since read some of the criticism that this book received, with many readers considering it to be quite slow. While I understand that some parts of the novel lacked the fast pace that the original trilogy had, I personally enjoyed the thought-provoking themes that this novel also explored, with Snow’s exploration of the ideas behind social theory, government, and war. There is something about the Hunger Games world that will always draw me in, therefore I would certainly not be opposed to Suzanne Collins writing more in this universe. I definitely recommend this book, it might not float everyone’s goat but it definitely makes for a compelling read.

I waited for ages before deciding to read this book because the reviews put me off. Then I saw the trailer for the movie that is coming out in November and it intrigued me, so decided to read it. How wrong I was in trusting the negative reviews! This book is great and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It explains why President Snow is such a horrible person in the Hunger Games saga, why he hates Katniss so much and it gives you hints about Katniss's lineage. WARNING - MINOR SPOILERS from now on: When I started reading I was confused, as Coriolanus Snow at the beginning seems a nice guy. We learn he grew up during the war, that he lost his parents and lives with his "Grandma'm" and his cousin Tigris (whom we find again in Mockingjay) and he seems to love them. We see a kid that has known fear and hunger and we see someone that fears the Capitol and to a point he's rebellious against it, especially when it comes to helping Lucy Gray in the Games (such a great character, we need a book about her!!). At the same time we clearly see that he IS a Capitol kid and is not able to distance himself from certain ideologies. BUT one could think it's normal as he's only 18 and hasn't developed his ideals yet. The first part of the book almost makes you wonder how on Earth he became the President Snow we all know... but I obviously knew since the beginning that something would start to go wrong at some point. And yes, while the story goes on, we see his inner dialogue become more and more unhinged and we start seeing his true colours. Coriolanus snow is a narcissist and probably a sociopath and although he tries to fit in and make himself believe he is capable of emotions, he indeed is not. He thinks he loves Lucy Gray but as soon as he understands how different they are and that she can be a threat to him, she doesn't mean anything anymore to him, showing that he really doesn't feel anything except hunger for power. I also started to distrust him greatly for his hate for music and birds: I mean, who of sound mind can hate music and birds?? Anyway, I loved everything about this book and although I didn't talk about Lucy Gray in this review (unfortunately she is a secondary character which is why I think she deserves her own story) I truly loved her and the Covey. The ending was spot on as it's clearly thought to be exactly like the end of the Lucy Gray poem by Wordsworth. Although to be honest I would love to know what happened to her! Anyway... don't listen to the negative reviews, read the book and decide for yourself! :)

I will be honest, I was not expecting much from this due to prequels and sequels often seeming more like a money-making operation to me rather than a book that has been carefully written and thought through. However, this book surprised me with the beautifully developed world building and context that it gives to the main Hunger Games trilogy and Snow's rise to power. Coriolanus Snow is given such beautiful depth, and though still becomes the monster as fans will know him as in his later life, this book helps to shed light on what transformed him. A central theme of the book discussed by Coriolanus and his teachers is nature vs nurture in terms of the people of the districts, and this is exactly what in a grander sense the book addresses in terms of his own development as well. The book was well written, with subtle references to the later events detailed in the trilogy such as the mentioning of the plant katniss, the origin of the hanging tree song and the lullaby that Katniss sings to Rue in the arena. I have a theory that the family of Lucy Gray (the tribute from District 12) may in some way be the ancestors of Katniss Everdeen, given that it seems Lucy writes many of the songs that Katniss is then sung, not to mention the family being from the seam in the District. However, this may just be a reach from my perspective. I did feel that the story seemed a little rushed in the last 100 pages, and feel that the development that happened towards the end could have been slowed down to make things seem slightly more believable as it felt that Collins just wanted to quickly wrap things up instead of explore the final factors for Snow's development into being President. I will not spoil the events of the book, but this truly is a welcome addition to the trilogy, with the perspective from Coriolanus Snow as a mentor to a tribute in the arena an eye-opening one, creating an understanding that I never thought I would feel for the greatest villain of the trilogy.

Why I Like This Book “Well, as they said, it’s not over until the mockingjay sings.” I was filled with nervous excitement to start reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. I love The Hunger Games trilogy, but throughout the reader is persuaded to hate President Snow, which I do. So, why would I want to read a prequel all about him? The curiosity to find out what happened during the war and uprisings in Panem, and how it affected Snow made me actually pick this book up and start reading it. I wanted to know what happened for him to carry the games on for 75 years and predominately turn evil. The nostalgia of The Hunger Games is probably what I enjoy most, rather than reading about Snow’s life. So, if you were a fan of The Hunger Games, I would recommend reading this as the whole story revolving around the 10th Hunger Games is very interesting and captivating. The Story “The strain of being a full-fledged adult every day had grown tiresome.” The build-up to the 10th anniversary of the Hunger Games is quite fast-paced. Almost immediately in Collins’ fourth instalment, we are introduced to new information, tributes and fresh ideas to make the games more fun for the viewers. In the book, a new perspective on the games is revealed. We get to sit back and join the voyeurs in the Capital, as opposed to seeing the hunger games we already know. We follow Snow on his journey through District 12. What seems to be a story about romance and love quickly takes a turn. Murder, destruction and the inner battles Snow struggles with, take up a huge part of the book towards the end. We see the conflict of him wanting to be a good person and wanting to change the failure that his life has become. The Characters “Nothing you can take from me was ever worth keeping.” Who likes Snow? I’ll admit he is a very good villain throughout The Hunger Games trilogy and I’m sure a lot of people are curious about him and how he ended up being so corrupt. Collins’ intention wasn’t to make you feel sorry for Snow, and if it was, I really didn’t. His actions and intentions frustrated me and I almost didn’t want to read on, because I knew he would only make bad decisions. However, I’m glad his character is so consistent and carried on making these bad decisions. Collins wasn’t trying to make him a new person, or coax us into liking him. I really started appreciating his character and understood what made him be the man that he was in The Hunger Games trilogy. Lucy Gray Baird has to be my favourite character, maybe a lot of you will agree once you’ve read it? She has numerous similarities to Katniss Everdeen and not just the fact that she is the tribute from District 12, extremely clever, and family motivated. The romance that commences during the book is cute but necessary to show us Snow’s true character and abilities. I got a little spark of joy whenever I read a name I recognised from the original books. Again, it was the nostalgia of seeing some of these characters or their relatives again that made me love reading this book. The Design “We’ll get new dreams out there…” I always take the paper cover off of my hardback books. It looks neater and they always end up falling off for me anyway. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is one of the nicest designs I have seen. The cover is so simple and bright, it is the first book your eyes get drawn to, especially on my bookcase. As well as the cover, the artwork continues throughout the book with the beautiful illustrations of snakes. Original photo to show page artwork of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Page Artwork Overall Thoughts “Snow lands on top” There are a lot of different views on The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and I didn’t know how I to feel while reading it or after I finished. Even writing this now I am still debating which rating to give. I have always said I’d love to read/watch more Hunger Games from previous years, and I was so excited to think this is what Collins’ was giving us. Although this was not the case. Overall, I loved reading this book, although it did start to drag a bit towards the end. This book is not written in the same story structure as The Hunger Games. I wouldn’t recommend if that is what you’re looking for. However, if you are interested and curious to see Snow back in his prime, how the uprising in Panem truly affected The Capitol and the Districts and how the games were early on, I would highly recommend you read this book. Rating: 4/5

I note that some reviewers weren’t keen on this prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy, and I can see why; but I personally found it fascinating. Not only does it provide a back-story for some of the songs and circumstances of the trilogy-to-come, with the far more primitive way in which the Games were conducted in the early years, but it shows how a monster is potentially formed. Set only ten years after the onset of the infamous Hunger Games, in which Katniss Everdene will memorably compete sixty-four years later, the scene is set of the Capitol of Panem, still suffering shortages in the wake of the war with the rebels, as is shown from the outset by eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow making cabbage soup and swearing that ‘one day it would never pass his lips again’. One thinks of Scarlett O’Hara swearing that, as God was her witness, she would never be hungry again; and the resemblance doesn’t end there. OK, Scarlett never became a totalitarian head of state, his mouth constantly bleeding from the poison which he administered to those he wanted out of the way and was obliged to take himself in order to lull them into a false sense of security. But within her society and her place in it as a woman, and as someone warped out of the road which her life might have taken had the war never happened, she was pretty ruthless at ensuring her own survival; as is Snow. Basically we are shown in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes how a young man, full of potential both for good and for bad, is led away from the former and inevitably down the path of the latter. Yes, he’s the child of privilege, containing socially-instilled prejudices for those not of his own caste and social standing; but it’s the circumstances of his life alongside his instinct for survival, that bring forth the President-in-the-making, Coriolanus Snow. Recommended.

📚 Book Review: “The Ballard of Songbirds and Snakes” - Suzanne Collins 🌟 Rating: 3.5/5 More of the Hunger Games world? Take my money! I couldn’t buy this quick enough once someone told me the new movie was due to come out, I had absolutely no idea this was even a thing until then 😂 👍🏼 Things I Loved: ~ Learning how the Hunger Games was dreamed up in the first place. This is the story of President Snow as a young boy and it was so interesting to read more about the life post-war and how that whole insane tradition came to be. ~ The brutality. I loooooove a dystopian/post war/post apocalypse story. The storytelling is just as good as the hunger games series and to see it from the Capitol’s view was different and interesting. ~ Is it just me who think Snow is arguably the most relatable character out of the whole series? I completely understand how his past justified the president he became. 👎🏼 Things I Didn’t Like: ~ Okay I know ‘ballad’ is literally in the title but oh my days I was bored of yet another page of lyrics whenever she started another song. There are so many songs. Written in full. Please just move on 😭 ~ I felt the other characters other than the main two needed more development and depth. I didn’t feel I got that much time to actually differentiate some of the characters from the other districts, and key players in the plot. ~ Some of Snow’s time in district 12 felt like it dragged, just a little. Overall Thoughts: I enjoyed this and it was a super easy read. Any fan of the Hunger Games books will enjoy this just as much, but it’s just not as great as the Katniss Everdeen/girl on fire/rebel uprising story. I sank this quickly on holiday and it was such a chilled but exciting read, definitely worth checking out. However, and it pains me to say this…the film was better than the book THERE I SAID IT 😅😭

Bough this book just out of curiosity with no expectation - well, I literally couldn’t stop reading it! The writing is simply amazing, sending the reader into the story. 100% recommended!!! Book quality is ok and delivery was on time, as expected.

Toujours dans la même veine que les premiers hunger games, encore un roman qui fait la part belle aux subtilités psychologiques humaines plutôt que de se satisfaire de personnages caricaturaux. S’intégre très bien à la série : j’adore !

I loved the hunger games but this prequel book is something else, you end up loving Snow until you realize how he ends up for him, but still, lots of cliff-hangers which made it an excellent story, hope they don't screw it up with the movie

Inga skav eller liknande när boken kom hem. Är så taggad på att läsa den, Hunger Games fick mig att komma in i läsandet så ska bli spännande! Jag såg filmen förra året så har höga förväntningar på boken nu🫣

A gripping book, with details about the early stages of the hunger games, written from the eyes of 18 year old Snow. You will ask your self a lot of questions, and often be caught in moral dilemmas. Trust me, once you finish this book, you will be thinking about it for days or even weeks after, going over every detail of how things lead up to what happened, and who’s fault it was and how it could have been stopped. It is a very clean book, with no swearing or sex, but I think to fully appreciate or understand the book, 12 and up would be best. This book is very different to other dystopians out there, and has an extensive amount of deeper meanings and references to the outer world. I would totally recommend this to anyone who can deal with being so close to a ‘happy ending’, only for everything to change in the last chapter, leaving you in shock.