It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.
The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined — every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute … and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Review
In anticipation for the release of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, I’ve been re-reading The Hunger Games.
Since I loved the trilogy just as much as I did the first time around, I’ve been so excited for the new book. While it was enjoyable, I didn’t love it as much as I wanted to.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a prequel to the original trilogy. It follows Coriolanus Snow during the 10th annual Hunger Games as he mentors one of the tributes. It also acts as an origin story on how he ends up being President.
It’s interesting to see Snow as a teenager. He’s cautious and aware of the problems that exist within the Hunger Games. But we also see snippets of his personality that lead him to be the President we all know.
While Snow was more enjoyable as a character than I originally anticipated, the real star of this book is Lucy Grey, the tribute Snow mentors.
After finishing the book, I really wish the book was from Lucy’s perspective, or at least a dual perspective. Lucy Grey is just so adorable and I wish we got more from her point of view. She’s open, honest and full of life — even with the knowledge that she’s entering into the Hunger Games.
The overall plot for the book is what is somewhat disappointing for me. This book is significantly longer than the books in the original trilogy and it is sometimes boring. While it does pick up towards the end, it is sometimes hard to keep going.
I also did not enjoy the addition of romance in this book. While the romance in the original trilogy is enjoyable, this romance feels rather underwhelming. I’m sure some people thoroughly enjoyed it, but I feel as though it’s not necessary for the story as a whole.
Overall, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is enjoyable and better than I originally anticipated. But there are parts of it that are a let down. In the end, I much prefer the original trilogy, but it was an interesting addition to the series.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Favourite Quote
People aren’t so bad, really … it’s what the world does to them.
About the Author
Suzanne Collins is the author of the bestselling Underland Chronicles series, which started with Gregor the Overlander. Her groundbreaking young adult novels, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay, were New York Times bestsellers, received wide praise, and were the basis for four popular fims. Year of the Jungle, her picture book based on the year her father was deployed in Vietnam, was published in 2013 to great critical acclaim. To date, her books have been published in fifty-three languages around the world.
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[…] With this list of 15 books for fans of The Hunger Games, I hope you find a great new dystopian read! There are so many options and I’m sure one of them (or all of them) will fill the void after finishing the original trilogy and its prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. […]