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A review by ktbxter
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
5.0
Spoiler wrapping the whole review because I know I'll talk about the plot.
The final installment of my Hunger Games re-read.
This book is the perfect example of demonstrating an unreliable narrator. We only see Snow's actions through his own eyes and only know how he feels about them.
He's a cunning and manipulative person who continually gets away with being in the wrong because of his charm and his name.
Lucy-Gray was an excellent character that was fleshed out and had a history expanding the content of the book. She was loveable and Collins really made me want her to survive.
Seeing the early stages of the Hunger Games, especially the first year that Mentors were introduced, allowed the reader to have a better understanding of how the Games in the original trilogy became what they are. Seeing them from a Captiol point of view instead of a contestant point of view also made for an interesting read. It's made me wonder if perhaps the next prequel will be from a District person's POV for the 50th Games?
Seeing Snow's personality change from when he's in the Capitol to the end of the book is eye opening. Especially because hindsight really sort of shows the reader that he didn't change at all. He was always the way that he ended up being. He just hid and masked it depending on his feelings about the person or people he was around. Lucy-Gray was desirable and a prize that he claimed after she won the Games. Which was an excellent consolation given he was exhiled to the Districts. It was always about power and status for Snow. That's why the ending feels so sudden. Because he has the opportunity for power and status given back to him when he passes the Officiers exam. Lucy-Gray isn't the top prize any more so he wants to discard her and make sure no one else can have her and ensure she can't get in his way.
It's a brilliant addition to the original trilogy and I applaud Collins for writing it in such a way that ultimately throughout the book, the reader feels sorry for President Snow.
The final installment of my Hunger Games re-read.
This book is the perfect example of demonstrating an unreliable narrator. We only see Snow's actions through his own eyes and only know how he feels about them.
He's a cunning and manipulative person who continually gets away with being in the wrong because of his charm and his name.
Lucy-Gray was an excellent character that was fleshed out and had a history expanding the content of the book. She was loveable and Collins really made me want her to survive.
Seeing the early stages of the Hunger Games, especially the first year that Mentors were introduced, allowed the reader to have a better understanding of how the Games in the original trilogy became what they are. Seeing them from a Captiol point of view instead of a contestant point of view also made for an interesting read. It's made me wonder if perhaps the next prequel will be from a District person's POV for the 50th Games?
Seeing Snow's personality change from when he's in the Capitol to the end of the book is eye opening. Especially because hindsight really sort of shows the reader that he didn't change at all. He was always the way that he ended up being. He just hid and masked it depending on his feelings about the person or people he was around. Lucy-Gray was desirable and a prize that he claimed after she won the Games. Which was an excellent consolation given he was exhiled to the Districts. It was always about power and status for Snow. That's why the ending feels so sudden. Because he has the opportunity for power and status given back to him when he passes the Officiers exam. Lucy-Gray isn't the top prize any more so he wants to discard her and make sure no one else can have her and ensure she can't get in his way.
It's a brilliant addition to the original trilogy and I applaud Collins for writing it in such a way that ultimately throughout the book, the reader feels sorry for President Snow.