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

dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Most series don't have good prequels, but Suzanne Collins adds the backstory we didn't know we needed to the Hunger Games universe in this well-written prequel. This is a villain origin story for President Snow, who starts out as a kinda snooty 18 year old and turns into a full blown villain. I liked the way that this shows how the hunger games started out and how a society could come to accept such a horrible annual tradition by the time Katniss' games come along 64 years later. 

Admittedly, I watched the movie before the book, and the movie holds very true to the book. Of course, we get more insight into Coriolanus' inner monologue in the book, which is always going to be better than a movie.
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