Series Review by Kayla Laine, Staff Writer
When the Hunger Games series originally released, I was beyond obsessed with the world of Panem and Katniss Everdeen, like most young readers at that time. So when Suzanne Collins gave us a new book, a new look into the history of the Hunger Games, I was very excited to pick it up and dive back in as an adult. What I found was an entirely different take on this world, and a deep dive into the mind of our most hated character, Coriolanus Snow. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a nostalgic dive back into a well loved world of fiction, from a fresh new perspective that could be considered quite divisive for the Hunger Games fanbase.
Series Summary
Set ten years after District 13's failed uprising against The Capitol, the country of Panem is still reeling from the fallout of a bloody Civil War. While the Capitol has claimed victory over the Districts that remain, their authoritarian control over the citizens of Panem hangs by a delicate thread. In an effort to remind the Districts of the Capitol's firm hand on their throats, a horrifying competition has been created. Televised for all of Panem to bare witness- the Hunger Games is a death match, claiming one boy and one girl from each of the Districts as a sacrificial contestant, retribution for the Districts uprising. Pitting children against each other in this bloody display of control, the Capitol will stop at nothing to maintain power. While the Districts suffer the loss of their children, the citizens in the Capitol suffer the loss of wealth that comes with war, and members of the prominent and affluent families all seek to maintain an image of class, despite their losses.
Coriolanus Snow, the last remaining son of the once prominent Snow family, lives in a now decaying penthouse with what remains of his prestigious family name, his Grandma 'am and cousin Tigris. Coriolanus is a conventionally handsome, exceptional student of the Capitol's Academy, hoping to hide his families battle with starvation, and to reclaim the wealth and propriety the Snow family was once accustomed to. Coriolanus sees the opportunity to reclaim affluence and the funds necessary for his place in the Capitol's prestigious University by becoming a Mentor in the Hunger Games, and securing one of the Academy's cash prizes for seeing his assigned District contestant through to victory. Volunteering as a Mentor, he hopes to impress the right people and secure his place in society, but fears his ability to do so when the Dean of the Academy appears determined to set Coriolanus up for failure. Assigned to the most frail of contestants, Lucy Gray Baird, the female contestant from District 12, Coriolanus must use every ounce of his wit and cunning to help her secure sponsorship in a game she is sure to lose. Coriolanus is certain she will die in the first day of the games, but cannot believe his luck when Lucy Gray reveals herself to be a fascinating presence, a beautiful girl with a singing voice that captivates the attention of the country- and of Coriolanus himself. He quickly realizes that Lucy Gray is just as clever and as charming as he is, and together they plan to weaponize her talents to secure her victory, and thus his own.
Wrought with peril and unexpected turns, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is an unexpected dive into the Hunger Games from the view of a desperate Capitol citizen, who will stop at nothing to maintain his own power. Lies, deception, twists and turns are all just part of the Games.
My Thoughts
Being such an avid fan of the original trilogy, I found this book really hard to get into during the first part. Coriolanus was very hard for me to read, with a very cold and calculating personality, or lack thereof, I think that Collins did a wonderful job with his characterization because he was difficult for me to stomach. Knowing that I was reading the origin story of the villain of the series, I wanted to push through and I am glad that I did because the story I was given was so well thought out and exactly what it should have been. I fell in love with Lucy Gray, Maude Ivory and the rest of the Covey and what Coriolanus lacked, the supporting cast more than made up for. There came moments in the meat of the book where I wanted to believe in Coriolanus's ability to do the right thing, and was met with disappointment in him time and time again. I found the story to be beautifully heart wrenching, and quite compelling. It could be argued that Coriolanus was only acting in the best interest of his family, and there are moments when you hold your breath for him for sure, but in all I found him to be very cold and irredeemable. That being said, I think that Collins achieved exactly what she set out to achieve with this book, a true and human account of the ugly side of a Civil War and the worst of human nature. I fell in love with some of the characters, Sejanus most notably, and I loved the opportunity to witness the relationship between Tigris and Coriolanus after getting to meet their older counterparts in the original Hunger Games trilogy. I think seeing all the opportunities that the young President Snow had in his youth to go another route in life only added to his character and fleshed him out further as a truly despicable villain.
I enjoyed the way that Collins chose to wrap the story up, leaving some questions open ended for the reader to speculate upon. What actually happened to Lucy Gray? What connections can be made between the characters we meet during the 10th annual Hunger Games of this story, and the 74th we've already witnessed? Collins is a fantastic storyteller and has an ability to provoke thought that I find myself in deep appreciation for, and this was an extraordinary example of the reality of a country at war with itself. I am happy I chose to finish it, and look forward to her upcoming Sunrise on the Reaping.
I'd recommend this book to...
Fans of the original series absolutely. If you are able to enjoy a read where the ever after is not so happy and enjoy witnessing the depravity of human nature in a real and raw form, this is a compelling story that you'll think about long after you put it down. If you love a book that will make you cry, this is a must have. It does not lack in adventure or action, and you'll find new characters to love, new theories to deliberate over and a new appreciation for President Snow's rise to notoriety that will only make you hate him more.
When the Hunger Games series originally released, I was beyond obsessed with the world of Panem and Katniss Everdeen, like most young readers at that time. So when Suzanne Collins gave us a new book, a new look into the history of the Hunger Games, I was very excited to pick it up and dive back in as an adult. What I found was an entirely different take on this world, and a deep dive into the mind of our most hated character, Coriolanus Snow. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a nostalgic dive back into a well loved world of fiction, from a fresh new perspective that could be considered quite divisive for the Hunger Games fanbase.
Series Summary
Set ten years after District 13's failed uprising against The Capitol, the country of Panem is still reeling from the fallout of a bloody Civil War. While the Capitol has claimed victory over the Districts that remain, their authoritarian control over the citizens of Panem hangs by a delicate thread. In an effort to remind the Districts of the Capitol's firm hand on their throats, a horrifying competition has been created. Televised for all of Panem to bare witness- the Hunger Games is a death match, claiming one boy and one girl from each of the Districts as a sacrificial contestant, retribution for the Districts uprising. Pitting children against each other in this bloody display of control, the Capitol will stop at nothing to maintain power. While the Districts suffer the loss of their children, the citizens in the Capitol suffer the loss of wealth that comes with war, and members of the prominent and affluent families all seek to maintain an image of class, despite their losses.
Coriolanus Snow, the last remaining son of the once prominent Snow family, lives in a now decaying penthouse with what remains of his prestigious family name, his Grandma 'am and cousin Tigris. Coriolanus is a conventionally handsome, exceptional student of the Capitol's Academy, hoping to hide his families battle with starvation, and to reclaim the wealth and propriety the Snow family was once accustomed to. Coriolanus sees the opportunity to reclaim affluence and the funds necessary for his place in the Capitol's prestigious University by becoming a Mentor in the Hunger Games, and securing one of the Academy's cash prizes for seeing his assigned District contestant through to victory. Volunteering as a Mentor, he hopes to impress the right people and secure his place in society, but fears his ability to do so when the Dean of the Academy appears determined to set Coriolanus up for failure. Assigned to the most frail of contestants, Lucy Gray Baird, the female contestant from District 12, Coriolanus must use every ounce of his wit and cunning to help her secure sponsorship in a game she is sure to lose. Coriolanus is certain she will die in the first day of the games, but cannot believe his luck when Lucy Gray reveals herself to be a fascinating presence, a beautiful girl with a singing voice that captivates the attention of the country- and of Coriolanus himself. He quickly realizes that Lucy Gray is just as clever and as charming as he is, and together they plan to weaponize her talents to secure her victory, and thus his own.
Wrought with peril and unexpected turns, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is an unexpected dive into the Hunger Games from the view of a desperate Capitol citizen, who will stop at nothing to maintain his own power. Lies, deception, twists and turns are all just part of the Games.
My Thoughts
Being such an avid fan of the original trilogy, I found this book really hard to get into during the first part. Coriolanus was very hard for me to read, with a very cold and calculating personality, or lack thereof, I think that Collins did a wonderful job with his characterization because he was difficult for me to stomach. Knowing that I was reading the origin story of the villain of the series, I wanted to push through and I am glad that I did because the story I was given was so well thought out and exactly what it should have been. I fell in love with Lucy Gray, Maude Ivory and the rest of the Covey and what Coriolanus lacked, the supporting cast more than made up for. There came moments in the meat of the book where I wanted to believe in Coriolanus's ability to do the right thing, and was met with disappointment in him time and time again. I found the story to be beautifully heart wrenching, and quite compelling. It could be argued that Coriolanus was only acting in the best interest of his family, and there are moments when you hold your breath for him for sure, but in all I found him to be very cold and irredeemable. That being said, I think that Collins achieved exactly what she set out to achieve with this book, a true and human account of the ugly side of a Civil War and the worst of human nature. I fell in love with some of the characters, Sejanus most notably, and I loved the opportunity to witness the relationship between Tigris and Coriolanus after getting to meet their older counterparts in the original Hunger Games trilogy. I think seeing all the opportunities that the young President Snow had in his youth to go another route in life only added to his character and fleshed him out further as a truly despicable villain.
I enjoyed the way that Collins chose to wrap the story up, leaving some questions open ended for the reader to speculate upon. What actually happened to Lucy Gray? What connections can be made between the characters we meet during the 10th annual Hunger Games of this story, and the 74th we've already witnessed? Collins is a fantastic storyteller and has an ability to provoke thought that I find myself in deep appreciation for, and this was an extraordinary example of the reality of a country at war with itself. I am happy I chose to finish it, and look forward to her upcoming Sunrise on the Reaping.
I'd recommend this book to...
Fans of the original series absolutely. If you are able to enjoy a read where the ever after is not so happy and enjoy witnessing the depravity of human nature in a real and raw form, this is a compelling story that you'll think about long after you put it down. If you love a book that will make you cry, this is a must have. It does not lack in adventure or action, and you'll find new characters to love, new theories to deliberate over and a new appreciation for President Snow's rise to notoriety that will only make you hate him more.