A review by annewilgenbusch
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

2.0

This book left me disappointed and reaching for more. The Hunger Games trilogy was the first series I remember truly loving. I was excited to gain more back story on President Snow; to uncover more layers of this incredibly complex character. However, I was left feeling disappointed with his lackluster backstory. Snow was incredibly inconsistent, often annoying, and starkly different from the calm and complex leader introduced in the original trilogy. Very few, if any, of the characters were likable in this novel. They all felt like cliches. Furthermore, the story itself was horribly placed and, more than anything, boring. The novel dragged on through the Hunger Games and pre-games fanfare but sped through important moments like Snow becoming a Peacekeeper or the (anti)climactic ending. The story lacked substance, it did not give us a deeper understanding of President Snow from the original trilogy, nor did it make him a more empathetic antagonist. I question why this story was told, as it felt unnecessary. Collins had the opportunity to drastically change how readers view President Snow but ultimately left readers feeling empty.