Ambition will fuel him. Competition will drive him. But power has its price. It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able … hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.
The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined – every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute . . . and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.
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A huge Hunger Games fan, I’ll admit, I was a bit tentative about reading a book like this when the real world around us is so out of sorts. I’ve been trying for lighter reads, but how could I pass up a Hunger Games’ prequel focusing on Snow? The book did not disappoint. Learning Snow’s backstory and seeing the way his world view changes based on his involvement in the tenth Hunger Games will keep you guessing and reading well into the night. Can’t wait to discuss this one with friends!
When I first heard this was about Snow, I’m not going to lie, I was a bit worried. Of all the characters he was the last person I expected to narrate this story. But by him being the narrator, the reader gets an inside look at how The Hunger Games became the Games we know from the original trilogy. And I want to be clear, Snow is no hero. He may think he is a hero and is doing the right thing, but he is presented with many many choices throughout this book and each and every time he makes the wrong one. He doesn’t start off this poor lonely boy who we should feel sorry for because he is “forced” into his role. He has had it tough and things may not have been easy, but none of those circumstances made the things he did inevitable or sympathetic. Suzanne Collins walked the very fine line between showing how things happened while not making him sympathetic or condoning it or explaining it all away. It was also enlightening to see the Capitol perspective on all of this and to once again be reminded that War takes a toll on everyone and how it led to an easy way to identify the Districts as “Other” and to make The Hunger Games seem okay through that lens because they no longer view them as people. Honestly it’s a lot to unpack and digest, but it’s an engaging read beginning to end.
NO SPOILERS HERE….Coriolanus Snow…where did he come from. I loved this story. I know everyone was hoping for more Katniss but I really enjoyed this story. You get to learn all about Coriolanus Snow and his early years before he was the President of Panem. The focus of this story is Snow’s mentoring of a district 12 girl in the Hunger Games. I found myself cheering for Snow even though I already know how his story ends and where it’s going. This is a great story for any big Hunger Games Fan! Yes, we all miss Katniss but this book did not disappoint!
A great read! ‘Unputdownable’ as some might say. Watching the evolution of Coriolanus Snow was brilliant and the deepening spiral of his sociopathy, perhaps even a descent to psychopathy was very well thought out and portrayed. The other characters were interesting and varied, adding to the fascinating world Collins created.
Another amazing installment! Great character development and insight into the mind of Coriolanus Snow.
Not the story we wanted.
I wasn’t sure what this book was going to be about when it was released, but since it had to do with the Hunger Games, I was all in to read it. It was an interesting story. There wasn’t much suspense for the character, since we all know who he is in the other books, but I became curious to see how he survived. If you enjoyed reading The Hunger Games, you will most likely enjoy this, too.
A Hunger Games prequel. An origin story of the master villain of the Hunger Games trilogy – Coriolanus Snow. A look back in time. And I read it in two days. And then my teenage daughter asked me if I hated Coriolanus Snow at the end of the book, and I was torn…
If I had my way, Suzanne Collins would keep releasing books in the series, going back in time – Haymitch, Annie, etc etc etc. The series has legs enough to keep the money rolling in and the movie cameras rolling!
I loved the book. I loved the philosophical meanderings Snow took as the 10th Hunger Games were under way. I loved the introduction of Snow’s classmates, and his family, and the cameos from the original books.
Yes, I’ve read the other reviews which say it isn’t as fast paced as the original series, but that’s more to do with the fact that Snow isn’t “in” the games. He is a participant of sorts, but still an onlooker. You just won’t get the same level of action.
Nature or nurture? Darwin’s ‘survival of the fittest’. Are humans inherently violent? Or is it the circumstances they find themselves in?
Loved it. Didn’t expect to read it so fast, but it was a page turner.
A good look at President Snow’s childhood and the factors that led to his assumption of power. A diabolical and pathological manipulator.
I really did enjoy this prequel to the Hunger Games series. I loved getting the backstory on Snow and how he ended up where he did. I loved Lucy Gray’s character as well. I loved the references to katniss and how the Mockingjay’s came about. Definitely makes me want to revisit Hunger Games again
As a huge Hunger Games fan, this was a great novel! It was a little bit slower than the other ones but Collins has such a gift for creating intriguing characters and worlds that you are just glued to the story. You feel for the villain and wonder the whole time “wait what happened to him that made him turn!?!?!” it was great!
This story affected me deeply, although I can’t really say why. Like any other fan of The Hunger Games, I knew that Snow would prove to be a malicious character. But his journey from a student, a mentor, a peacekeeper and eventually his rise in the Capital was profound. There’s a sense of ruthlessness and cunning we see from the start, but there was also some humanity. I actually cried when reading Sejanus’s fate, it was so heartbreaking. Lucy Gray was truly Snow’s match when it came to survival, cunning and wit. I would have liked more closure but I can see why the author left it up to the reader’s imagination. The book explained a lot about the President Snow we meet in The Hunger Games, his dislike for District 12, Katniss herself and the fake romance she embraces in the first book. He would have reminded him a lot of Lucy Gray.
To me a sign of a good book is one that has me thinking about it even after I finished reading it. This is one of them. The characters were so real and moving, truly some excellent writing from Ms. Collins.
It was everything I hoped it would be. Suzanne Collins nailed it. What a fascinating look at the world after the war before Snow became president. I was horrified and scared and thoroughly mesmerized. I hope there is one more about what happens next…
A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes another incredible Hunger Games novel by Suzanne Collins.
Great Characterization
Like many readers, President Snow was not my favorite character. However, despite that, I loved this novel. Collins has done a fantastic job recreating this character for fans of the franchise.
Collins takes readers back to the 10th Annual Hunger Games, which is so different than what readers are familiar with. Instead of previous winners being mentors, a group of Capitol college students are the mentors. This includes Snow, whose family has become destitute since the war. He still lives in the high class, but most of it is a cover, selling what they can and living off broth and leftovers Tigress brings home from her job as an apprentice designer.
This level of detail gives some depth and understanding of the character. It does not excuse Snow’s actions, but it highlights why he became the man he did in the series.
Collins did an incredible job giving layers to this character. This is how he became the villain, how evil is shaped and formed, how monsters are created. It is an excellent way to evaluate the human psyche, to see the depth in the characterization. Honestly, Collins did an incredible job of breathing life into this story.
Crafty Storytelling
However, this is not a story just about Snow; it is also about Lucy Gray, the tribute from District 12.
No, she is not Katniss. Lucy Gray is a performer by trade and uses it to advantage, to make the audience love her and vouch for her. She dresses in colorful clothing and balances out Snow perfectly. Lucy is the reason for many of the changes made to the hunger games.
Her effect on Snow is instantaneous and if gives an understanding of Snow’s hatred in the series.
Collin’s ability to reference her previous novels was thoughtful and well-constructed. All her easter eggs give the story depth and stable structure. However, they also make the novel fun for the reader. The reader has these moments of nostalgia and it fills the heart with joy to remember such an excellent series.
Final Thoughts
A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is an incredible prequel novel that sets up the perfect stage for the Hunger Games series, giving readers a new outlook on the villainous President Snow and a bit more history of Panem.
Snow, all the background into what makes a sociopathic leader. The early days of the cull of suppression for the districts. A great twist and back story for world that Collins created in the Hunger Games.
A great evening reading.
As a Hunger Games fan, I enjoyed this prequel. It shows what shapes a person, why makes them who they are, and what choice plays in the person they will become. I certainly hope to see another book to this prequel.
I loved this book. I feel like it wrapped up some loose ends into President Snow’s background and character. It doesn’t go as far as how he becomes president and sometimes it was too wordy (needed to google some words), but otherwise I enjoyed it. It draw me right in and I read it in 3 days around working full-time.
Okay I wanted to like this book. Heck, I wanted to love this book. It started out well. I had to do some math to try and understand how old Snow was during the 74th Hunger Game. I am guessing he is 82 years old, but the book made it a little hard to figure out. The whole 10th Hunger Game storyline started out okay, but then the winner of the 10th threw me for a loop. Everything that happened after the 10th Hunger Game just kept making me get lost about what was going on. I mean I understood what was going on, but I didn’t understand how it was going on. It just didn’t make sense to the first book in this series “The Hunger Games”. I felt like the ending was completely rushed and was not really what was flowing throughout the book. I did like how some of the information we find in the following books is explained out how it came out. I just feel like some of the stuff that happened in this book would have changed how Snow reacted to some of the things that happened in the original 3 books of the series.
Before I started reading this, I was worried that I would start to like Snow when I got to know his backstory. But Suzanne Collins did not let me down. I love this story, it is nice to know what made Snow into the person he is in The Hunger Games. I am glad that it was not a story that would make me feel bad for Snow to make an excuse for everything he have done. I was also worried about the book just being boring, but I was COMPLETELY wrong. Okay, the first pages was a bit boring, but when you get more into the book it is SUPER good!
This is Snow’s story and what a story it is!
The man we all love to hate didn’t start off being cruel and heartless but a pawn in the hunger games. This was a wonderful addition to an already wonderful series!
Well done!
5 mocking jay stars