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

4.5 stars Amazon delivered my copy early, so I'm going to do a spoiler free review and then a spoilery one. Pardon if this winds up sounding like an English paper. I have thought so much on the morals and questions in this book that I feel like I should have read this in school. Note: I'm writing this review with the express belief that you, reader, have at least read the book description. Otherwise why are you reading this review? I want to start this off by saying two things. One, this is not a hero story. Snow is never once, in my opinion, shown to be a hero in this in what we modern folks would call a hero. He's no Luke Skywalker or redeemed villain. This isn't some sob backstory to explain "why the bad guy is bad." This is yet another set of layers to the onion that is Snow. Second, this book is dark. It's been a minute since I read the original trilogy, but I swear it wasn't quite as graphic as this book was. Cannibalism is mentioned, and it's shown/talked about that someone sawed the leg off a dead woman and ran off with it. One character is killed then hung on a hook and paraded. Another is also gruesomely displayed after their death. Several characters are dragged through processions to "prove a point," another character is hung from two large poles and left to basically die in the sun. Multiple accounts of vomiting/poison throughout, and a general unpleasantness at the lack of regard for human life. Non-spoilery review: This book makes you think. A lot. It makes you question things, and wonder if maybe Snow is right (he's not), but it's written in such a way that he's not a villain. Donald Sutherland in an interview made a great point in saying that Snow isn't a villain, he's just a ruthless man doing what he thinks is right to keep his home and country in one piece. "He does it so well. And he doesn't think he's a bad person. He thinks it's the only way society can survive. And whether you think he's right or wrong, he doesn't think he's bad. He likes himself." This should be the mantra for this book. Snow is a conflicting, flawed human. In our society, he's evil, a sociopath or a psychopath. He's a murderer and a killer. He's a bad guy. In his world, he's one of the masses. He simply lives as he's been raised to, with a mentality that has been ingrained in him since the war between the Districts and the Capitol. He's simply more ruthless then most and has the guts to make what he considers the "hard decisions." Regardless of the other characters in this, they're all props to his story--which fits well with the Snow we know from The Hunger Games. Everyone is second stage to Snow and his life. This is his evolution from being a child to a man, to becoming the Snow we know and love/hate. I definitely don't think this book is for everyone. I'm sitting here with my mom breathing down my neck because she can't wait to read it, and I don't think she'll like it at all, and she's a diehard THG trilogy fan. Why? Because not everyone likes to read depressing books. There's no redemption in this. There's no saving someone from themselves. This is the fall, stumble, plummet into being a not great person and embracing it fully. So take that as you will. Full spoilers below about everything. P.s. This is a standalone. SPOILERS BELOW Okay, so, I was worried about this book when I read the first chapter sample and it got announced that Snow would be training the District 12 girl. I thought, oh crap, it's gonna be a cliche YA. It's gonna have a stupid romance that undercuts the whole plot and makes him a sap. And yeah, it did that, and up until the last 50 pages I was teetering on a 3-3.5 stars. And then oh boy, the end. Lucy Grey was a sweet girl, but she felt off since the beginning. I still can't fully put my finger on it, but her and Snow's relationship felt so <i>wrong</i> the entirety of the book. The red flags went up repeatedly every time he made comments about how she was his, and even so far as to say she was his property, and that's all kinds of wrong. And even though their romance was cute and fluffy, it felt bad, tainted. You knew something was going to happen. It always does in these villain backstories. Usually the whole reason the villain is bad is because the love interest gets brutally killed and then they're like whelp, guess I'll just be evil. Not in this book. Snow constantly struggles with morality and right and wrong throughout this. Should he turn in his friend to the Capitol because they're colluding with rebels and could tear down the (flawed) infrastructure? Or should he turn a blind eye and let his friend do his own thing? Is the Hunger Games wrong or good? Is it wrong to view the District people as second class humans? And so on. This book broaches the topic of racism in very broad terms with the whole District/Capitol thing. You've always known there was a divide between them, but in this, you really see how much the Capitol looks down on the Districts, and you can easily see how that morphs into such a hatred and distaste by the time Katniss first enters the Hunger Games. But I digress. Snow struggles with morality, but he's flawed and very, very imperfect. He rationalizes every death he takes as self-defense or some other reason when really he's just murdered someone because it's inconvenient for him. He kills (or at least removes her from the picture; it's ambiguous) Lucy Grey in the end because she's a loose end and too free. He does it. Not someone else, not some freak accident. He chooses to do it and, by the time it happens, you already know what direction he's headed in so it's not quite another nail in the coffin. It fully feels like him tying up loose ends so he can go do whatever he wants. All the nods to THG characters and names was cool. You also had a lot of The Great Gatsby vibes in the Old Money versus New Money mentality that a lot of the Capitol had with District people who gained a fortune and bought their way into the Capitol life. They're looked down upon by the old families and viewed as trash. You saw a lot of the evolution in the Hunger Games, and you can see how it begins to change and grow into what Katniss and Peeta suffered through. You see how it begins to change from a simple punishment to a sport and a holiday, with the growing encouragement that it should be a normal and good thing. You also see a side of the Capitol you most definitely did not see in the trilogy--suffering. A lot of the book shows Snow struggling with having been a small child living through the Dark Days and the war. He was 8 when the Capitol won, and even then it was hard. You learn about the hell the Capitol lived through as they were besieged by the Districts' army and forced to ration, starvation, and cannibalism. It's a hard picture, and it's so blatantly told. Collins didn't hold back any punches in this. I never felt like what was done was for shock and awe for the reader, but it was definitely that for the story, and it made sense. Regardless of the Capitol not being at war with the Districts anymore, the tensions were still so high that it makes sense for the Capitol to overreact in their retaliation of events. So when one mentor gets killed by her tribute, they shoot the tribute and parade her body around on a hook at the mentor's funeral. It's disgusting, debasing, and shows how much the Capitol views the Districts as nothing more than rodents or livestock. Anyway, I'll stop talking. Go read it yourself. It's a hard read, a heavy read, but it was very, very enjoyable.

Compared to the original Hunger Games trilogy, this book has a very different feel. But how could it not be, centered as it was on the backstory of President Snow? Katniss is a protagonist that readers feel for, a perhaps imperfect person but one who garners compassion and care. Snow as a protagonist is somehow still the villain most of the time. That's a delicate balance to maintain, but the author does so beautifully. To know Snow in his younger years gives a much better understanding of the man he is in the main trilogy. We see him living in the Capitol in the post-war era, not long after the war ended. The Capitol is but a shade of what it is in Katniss' time, even Snow living in near destitution. In contrast to the man he becomes, it's eye-opening to see that there is more to him than the cruelty he embodies. In his youth, he's clearly consumed by the once power of his family, consumed with the Snow family name. It's made him ruthlessly ambitious, very entitled, and incredibly arrogant. Dangerous qualities when combined with a sharp intelligence. But even with these faults, he's not yet the man he becomes. In TBoSaS, he still has some humanity in him... the capacity to love and care for his family, the capacity for friendship, the capacity to love, even the ability to sacrifice for others. But we also see all that begin to fade, the precursor to the man in power later. The complacency that Capitol citizens feel about the Games is still in the early stages, but you can see it beginning to form. It was also fascinating to learn more about the specifics behind the creation of the Games, the twisted minds and reasoning behind them. I definitely can understand why some Hunger Games fans might not like this, but for me, the negatives really made the story more interesting for me. If Snow had been portrayed as a kinder, more compassionate person, it would have felt like the origin story of a different character. I respected the reality that he was never that person, even if he, at least for a time, was not the man he later becomes.

Quality of book was excellent, I just wish the book had less pacing. Don’t get me wrong, the hunger games is my favorite series in the whole world, and i just don’t know if i don’t like this book as much as i thought because of the pacing or because of how much i despise snow. Overall, the story itself gets a 3.5, and the quality/shipping is 5!

"The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" is a brilliant and captivating prequel to The Hunger Games series. Suzanne Collins does a phenomenal job of expanding the world of Panem and exploring the backstory of one of the most iconic villains, Coriolanus Snow. Why I Loved It: Rich Storytelling: The world-building is fantastic, diving into the early days of the Hunger Games and the ruthless political climate of Panem. The intricate details and dark themes make this a compelling read. Complex Characters: Coriolanus Snow is an interesting and morally gray character in this prequel. Watching his transformation from a privileged student to a cunning and dangerous leader is fascinating. Themes of Power and Survival: This book explores the corrupting influence of power, ambition, and survival in a way that adds layers of depth to the world of The Hunger Games. Emotional and Thought-Provoking: The relationship between Snow and the tributes, particularly Lucy Gray, is complex and filled with emotional tension, making for a captivating and heartbreaking read. Perfect for Fans of the Original Series: If you loved The Hunger Games, this prequel is a must-read. It not only enriches the backstory but also provides a fresh perspective on the events that shape the world we know. "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" is a thrilling and dark exploration of power, loyalty, and betrayal. Suzanne Collins' ability to draw readers in with complex characters and tense storytelling is unmatched. Highly recommend for fans of The Hunger Games and those who enjoy a gripping dystopian tale!

The reason it took me so long to read this was because I had major doubts about how a book about Snow would add to the original story. I also worried that it may cheapen it. This book wound up adding to the story and I enjoyed it overall. It gives an interesting insight into Snows innately selfish nature.

Amazing book that sadly came slightly damaged. The first 50 or so pages are stained and look like they were once wet and now dry and see through. The book is still readable but this is a big disappointment for someone like me who likes to keep their books in good condition.

I love the story and especially the topic and the subject of the story. I think we always are interested in the hows of our villains. How could someone like this BE? How did this all start? How could a sweet young child turn into a vicious dictator? How could someone like him exist in the first place? And then the whys. Why was he so cruel? Why did he feel that what he was doing what’s right? Why did people allow him to rule like he did and get away with it? Why did he feel so passionately as he did, that the games were right? Lastly, How did this all start and why did it start? The answers are in this book. And unless you’re willing to shell out almost $18 you’ll have to wait for the free Kindle unlimited version if that ever happens, or the movie. I decided it would be worth it. I also decided to purchase the extra eight dollars to get the audio version added to this. Why? Because I know that I’m going to want to listen to this again and again even though I normally do not have audiobooks. In fact even though I purchased the audiobook version of this to go along with the Kindle edition. I haven’t listened to it. I read this book and give this review based on reading it. I am certain that the audio book version of it, will be just as awesome especially if there’s actual singing going on for all the beautiful lyrics that I’m sure must be half the wordcount. Along with the repetition over and over of the crossoff lists for the game. I think the game host did a great job of keeping me up to date on the current standings. We didn’t need the list repeating what was said. Making a interactive list link, where the reader was encouraged to check causalities off? That would make it better. Anyone who wants to know how the hunger games started but especially more about how President snow started out as a child is going to absolutely have to to want to read this book. It’s well written it’s a little wordy in the two areas I mentioned as in it literally gives every stanza of a song every stanza. Along with unnecessary repetitions of lists that are not necessary to keep the story moving. There also were a few spelling errors so at $18 I highly suggest someone ends those. When you pay this much for a Kindle edition of a book, with a hardback price? You expect a higher quality. The story is very high-quality, the fluff is not. Considering that some of the mind games, that may or may not be being played by Snow’s love interest. Could be contained in the lyrics? Is a possibility, only because young snow is literally that obsessive that he could dissect a funny joke into its individual parts and make it not funny. This dear future readers is part of our dictators wonderful personality.

The book was not great, nor very exciting or realistic. But if you are a Hunger Games fan, you really do have to read it. Suzanne Collins is a good writer, so I did find myself compelled by her words and found it often hard to put the book down. That said, there were a few things that felt forced in the storyline, and the timeline felt a little off. For example, the games were going on for 10 years already, and they were only just getting around to working out the bugs. Also, by the time Katniss came along, the games had been in effect for 75 years. That would make Snow something like 85 years old. He wasn't described as that old in the Hunger Games series. And in this book, Panem did not have the advanced technology they had 60 years later. However, this seems wrong since Panem is already far into "our" future. So shouldn't they already have the holograms and high tech gadgets? Things I liked: It was interesting to see the Hunger Games from the earlier days when tributes were treated more like animals than celebrities, and the arena was an actual arena, like in a bull fight. The idea that there were vagabonds throughout Panem, who weren't part of any district. The idea that in the old days, not all the tributes made it to the games. (Though I think they'd have worked that out in 10 years.) I loved Lucy Gray Baird. I liked the appearance of Tigris. Snow's transformation from a reasonable human being to an obsessive deviant. What I did not like: While I did like the district 12 tribute (Lucy), she wasn't very realistic. She was too cheerful for someone who wasn't even from the districts and got thrown into their bizarre death ritual. The misconception that Snow was poor and hungry. In the first few pages, they try to depict Snow as someone who hadn't eaten in days, someone who rarely has anything but cabbage soup. Then suddenly his cousin shows up with potatoes and veggies and they ate pretty well. From then on, Snow ate ALL THE TIME. He was always eating. The tributes were also eating all the time. It seemed like no one ever went hungry, even though the narration implied that everyone was poor and starving. The never-ending page after page of singing. This is the worst thing to put in a book. You can't read a song! I don't know the music and I don't feel like making up a tune to go with pages worth of someone else's lyrics. How annoying! This was so obviously Suzanne Collins setting the book up to be a movie. Annoying. Oh and how about some of the songs that just happened to be the ones Katniss sang later. Really? This is a play on OUR future. No one has a David Bowie song stashed somewhere? Despite my dislikes, I am glad I read it and I think if you are a fan, you should definitely read. Don't expect great Hunger Games characters or even much of a storyline. Think of it as a bit of supplemental info on a great trilogy.

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.