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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
lucy gray haunting the narrative yeah that's what i thought...and what HE DESERVES!
The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is a prequel to Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games trilogy, detailing the early life of the villainous Coriolanus Snow as he mentors a tribute during the 10th annual Hunger Games and begins his ascent to becoming the tyrannical president of Panem. The story explores his complex relationship with the tribute from District 12, Lucy Gray Baird, and the factors that fueled his ambition and morally compromised decisions. A film adaptation, also titled The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, was released in 2023.
The Book
- Author: Suzanne Collins
- Publication Date: May 19, 2020
- Plot: Set 64 years before the original trilogy, the novel focuses on a young Coriolanus Snow as he seeks glory as a mentor for the 10th Hunger Games. His assignment to a tribute from the lowest-ranked District 12 forces him to confront his family's disgraced status and navigate the cruelty of the Capitol. He develops a connection with his tribute, Lucy Gray Baird, and must balance his personal desire for success with his developing feelings and the brutal realities of the Games.
- Themes: The book delves into the origins of Coriolanus Snow's villainy, exploring themes of ambition, power, morality, and the complexities of human nature in the face of chaos.
The Film
- Release Date: November 17, 2023
- Director: Francis Lawrence
- Cast: Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird
- Relationship to the Book: The film is a direct adaptation of the novel, serving as a prequel to the original Hunger Games film series. Many key lines and scenes are drawn directly from the text.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
i had just recently reread the original trilogy to dig into the most recents ones in this world, and wow what a return to panem this was. while i do not always love stories fully focused on a villain, this did such a great job of not excusing snow's current and future actions, but taking a deeper dive into how and why he acts. he is desperate to cling onto power and respect and regard and does not care how he gets there- even if it means harming those he claims to love and perpetuating supremacy and faciscm. i thought this was such an interesting look into the beginnings of the hunger games and what it would end up being.
This book has me torn. I am all about a villain backstory and Snow was no exception. I loved the explanation of how the games were built and insight to the Capitol post-war. I hated the love story. The romance between Katniss and Peeta was pushed in The Hunger Games to get donors in the games. Peeta wasn’t her suppressor or a symbol of the games.
Lucy Gray seems like such a strong relatable character and then she genuinely falls in love with Snow?!
It could have been at least a platonic relationship. Not all YA needs to be so focused on romance.
Lucy Gray seems like such a strong relatable character and then she genuinely falls in love with Snow?!
It could have been at least a platonic relationship. Not all YA needs to be so focused on romance.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Well written, as is typical of Collins, but perhaps a little bloated, with a little too much fluff and wasted time in the effort of world building
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really really enjoyed this book. A lot. I was very hesitant to begin in, because I thought that nothing could ever be as good as the original hunger games. And this isnt- but its very close to being as good. I can't believe that Collins can still get into the minds of her characters so easily after several years of not writing this story line. Honestly, I dont really trust Lucy Gray and im not 100 percent sure I even like her 😅
Suzanne does it again... what an amazing book. I know most might pick up the book and see that it is a book based on Coriolanus Snow and give it a miss, thinking what is the point knowing what monster he will turn out to be in the hunger games. But that is the point... Snow has been written as such a disgusting man and through this book, it solidifies the feeling.
It's so interesting that throughout Suzanne never once makes you sympathise with him or make you like him, showing you all the facts laid out. It is so cleverly written that it's more Snow trying to convince you he is a victim and that he should be sympathised with.
Lucy grey is such a lovely person and she deserved so much better than her fate. And that's what is the most heart wrenching, how fast someone like Snow can turn on you, and how love never really mattered to him in the first place. He constantly talks about her being his and being jealous of her past lovers, however when she tells him she believes trust has a higher value than love and she tells him she trusts him, he never reciprocated those feelings. When he decided on pursuing her, and she strikes first, he is shocked by her behaviour, saying how he is utterly shocked she would do such a thing, when he himself was going to do that.
Nothing but fame and fortune and the Snow name ever mattered to Coriolanus and that's what makes him a vile man. The book really makes you realise he is a monster.
It's so interesting that throughout Suzanne never once makes you sympathise with him or make you like him, showing you all the facts laid out. It is so cleverly written that it's more Snow trying to convince you he is a victim and that he should be sympathised with.
Lucy grey is such a lovely person and she deserved so much better than her fate. And that's what is the most heart wrenching, how fast someone like Snow can turn on you, and how love never really mattered to him in the first place. He constantly talks about her being his and being jealous of her past lovers, however when she tells him she believes trust has a higher value than love and she tells him she trusts him, he never reciprocated those feelings. When he decided on pursuing her, and she strikes first, he is shocked by her behaviour, saying how he is utterly shocked she would do such a thing, when he himself was going to do that.
Nothing but fame and fortune and the Snow name ever mattered to Coriolanus and that's what makes him a vile man. The book really makes you realise he is a monster.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes