If you are also a 20-something reader (like me), you were likely also a bookworm middle schooler who was totally engrossed in the Hunger Games series. Many of my pre-teen memories include Peeta vs Gale debates with my friends and counting down to see the movies as they came out in theaters. Although some may consider it cliché now, I can thank this series for some of my first memories of sharing books with friends and family. I will always be grateful to Suzanne Collins for that.
That being said, I was very intrigued when I heard that the Hunger Games was coming back to the shelves and the big screen. I was hopeful this revival might bring back of some of the magic I found in this world and these characters at a young age.
Synopsis of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capital, 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 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.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Review
What I loved
I went into this story looking for some nostalgia, and that is exactly what I got. I loved getting to know many of the characters that I am already so familiar with in a different way, especially Snow (or Coriolanus, which we learn is his first name). I love stories that allow you to see the inner workings of a villain, and Suzzane Collins really executed that well with this book.
My favorite themes throughout the story was that of order versus chaos. Snow is obsessed with finding order because of his experience as a child during the war. He thinks the way to order is through control, which manifests in his politics but also in his personal relationships. He mentions that his relationship with Lucy was much easier for him when she was trapped in the capitol, when he was able to control her. This is how he thinks love is supposed to look, which makes a lot of sense when you fast forward to the original books and see how his obsession with control has only grown.
I also loved that we got to see the games in a different perspective in this story. The original series was from the perspective of Katniss, a tribute inside the arena. Here, we are seeing everything from Snow’s point of view as a mentor on the outside. This showed how sick and twisted the games are in a whole new way. While it made me sick to my stomach to think that anyone could support the concept of children being sent to the games, I couldn’t help to keep reading because I was so engrossed in these characters and their motives.
I couldn’t help but notice some of the things we learn in this series that makes the original books hit so much harder. For example, the fact that the hanging tree song originates with Lucy Gray Baird, and the experiences that Snow has with jabberjays and mockingjays. These little nuggets of information make it so much more impactful when Katniss resurfaces these themes when it comes time for her to experience the games.
What I didn’t love
While there wasn’t much I didn’t love about this story, I will say I was under the impression that the story would end when the games did. I was confused when this happened half way through the book and I really wanted to quit when the peacekeeper section began (if you’ve read the story you know what I am talking about), but I am glad I kept going. The second half of the book really put all of the characters we got to know to the test and kept the pages turning.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: The Movie
I saw A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in theaters and I am so glad that I did. It really brought back the excitement I felt when I saw the original series at the movies. Hearing the classic mocking jay tune through the speakers sent chills through me.
Yet, I think no one will be shocked to learn that I thought the book was better than the movie. I thought Rachel Zegler and Tom Blythe did an amazing job portraying their characters. However, there was something about how the movie was structured that made it hard to really connect with the characters like I did in the book. This surprised me because I thought the movie stayed really true to the plot of the book… perhaps it followed the book too closely. All the major events felt rushed to me. I personally could have seen some of the details cut if it meant making time to slow down and really connect with the characters.
Regardless, seeing this film was a nostalgic experience. If you loved the Hunger Games back in the day, I think seeing this film will be totally worth it to you.
The Bottom Line
Overall, I rated A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes a 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. I think it is a must-read for anyone who thinks back on the original Hunger Games series fondly and with nostalgia.
FAQs
No, Katniss is not mentioned. This story takes place during the 10th Hunger Games which is 50 years before the events of the original series.
While it is a fun fan theory that Lucy Gray may be Katniss’s grandmother, some internet research told me that the creators of the story disproved this.
No, there is no mention of Lucy Gray Baird in the original Hunger Games series. After the games, it was the capitol’s mission to bury the story of what happened. I guess they got their wish.