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

Suzanne Collins

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakeswill revisit the world of Panem sixty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the Tenth Hunger Games.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (a Hunger Games Novel)

Izaac Richards

Coriolanus felt sure he'd spotted his first mockingjay, and he disliked the thing on sight.

but the point was, he got to keep her. And he wanted to keep her. Safe and close at hand. Admired and admiring. Devoted. And entirely, unequivocally his.

Mrs. Plinth shook her head. "No. No. Your cousin's his only friend." 

How sad, thought Coriolanus. To have no friends. 

"But surely, you're not comparing our children to theirs?" asked Lucky. "One look tells you ours are a superior breed." 

"One look tells you ours have had more food, nicer clothing, and better dental care,' said Dean Highbottom. "Assuming anything more, a physical, mental, or especially a moral superiority, would be a mistake. That sort of hubris almost finished us off in the war."

On reflection, he had never even learned her name, but it had earned him the reputation of being rather a player. 

But Lucy Gray was his tribute, headed into the arena. And even if the circumstances were different, she'd still be a girl from the districts, or at least not Capitol. A second-class citizen. Human, but bestial. Smart, perhaps, but not evolved. Part of a shapeless mass of unfortunate, barbaric creatures that hovered on the periphery of his consciousness. 

The previous night's jealousy over her loser of a boyfriend and the way her star quality sometimes outshone his own evaporated. He felt remarkably close to her, this girl who'd dropped into his life so unexpectedly and with such style. And it wasn't just about the accolades she'd brought him. He was genuinely fond of her, far more than he was of most of the girls he knew in the Capitol. If she could survive - oh sweet only if - how could they help but have a lifelong connection? But for all his positive talk, he knew the odds were not in her favor, and a heavy melancholy descended upon him.

So he added a paragraph about his deep relief on winning the war, and the grim satisfaction of seeing the Capitol's enemies, whơ'd treated him so cruelly, who'd cost his family so much, brought to their knees. Hobbled. Impotent. Unable to hurt him anymore. He'd loved the unfamiliar sense of safety that their defeat had brought. The security that could only come with power. The ability to control things. Yes, that was what he'd loved best of all.

He swallowed his peevishness and accepted the congratulations that were pouring in from all sides. They helped to him that he was the real star of the evening. Even if Lucy Gray was confused on the issue, in the eyes of the Capitol, she beong to him. What point would there be in crediting a district tribute.

His girl. His. Here in the Capitol, it was a given that Lucy Gray belonged to him, as if she'd had no life before her name was called out at the reaping. Even that sanctimonious Sejanus believed she was something he could trade for. If that wasn't ownership, what was? With her song, Lucy Gray had repudiated all that by featuring a life that had nothing to do with him, and a great deal to do with someone else. Someone she referred to as "lover, no less. And while he had no claim on her heart - he barely knew the girl! - he didn't like the idea of anyone else having it either. Although the song had been a clear success, he felt somehow betrayed by it. Even humiliated. 

"I think your odds get better by the minute," said Coriolanus, adjusting a hot pink rosebud in her hair. It matched the one on his lapel, just in case anyone needed a reminder of who Lucy Gray belonged to. 

"Well, you know what they say. The show's not over until the mockingjay sings," she said. 

"The mockingjay?" He laughed. "Really, I think you're just making these things up." 

"Not that one. A mockingjay's a bona fide bird, she assured him. 

"Not my show, sweetheart. Yours. The Capitol's anyway" said Lucy Gray. "I think we're up.

"Run, huh? Seemed like a lot of effort to get shot," she said. Coriolanus shook his head. 

"You can joke, but it won't change what you did for me. I hope I can repay you in some way."

In those few words he sensed a shift in their dynamic. As her mentor, he'd been the gracious giver of gifts, always to be met with gratitude. Now she' d upended things by giving him a gift beyond compare. On the surface, everything looked the same. Chained girl, boy offering food, Peacekeepers guarding that status quo. But deep down, things could never be the same between them. He would always be in her debt. She had the right to demand things. 

"I don't know how," he admitted. Lucy Gray glanced around the room, taking in her wounded competitors. Then she looked him in the eye, and impatience tinged her voice. "You could start by thinking I can actually win."

"My condolences on the loss of your friend," the dean said. 

"And on your student. It's a difficult day for all of us. But the procession was very moving," Coriolanus replied. 

"Did you think so? I found it excessive and in poor taste," said Dean Highbottom. Taken by surprise, Coriolanus let out a short laugh before he recovered and tried to look shocked. The dean dropped his gaze to Coriolanus's blue rosebud. "Its amazing, how litle things change. After all the killing. After all the agonized promises to remember the cost. After all of that, I can't distinguish the bud from the blossom." He gave the rose a tap with his forefinger, adjusting the angle, and smiled. "Don't be late to lunch. I hear we're having pie."

Yes, she laid down her life taunting her tribute with a sandwich, thought Coriolanus. Maybe her gravestone could read, "Casualty of cheap laughs."

He could see Lucy Gray trying to hold on to a shred of dignity, sitting as upright as the chains would allow and gazing straight ahead, ignoring the corpse swinging gently over her head. But it was no use. The dirt, the shackles, the public display - it was too much to overcome. He tried to imagine conducting himself under those circumstances, until he realized this was undoubtedly what Sejanus was doing, and snapped out of it.

Coriolanus thought it was quite a display for Arachne, disproportionate to both her life and death, the latter of which could have been avoided if she'd refrained from being such an exhibitionist.

Being a hero at home had its limitations; he needed a larger audience. 

After a breakfast of fried potatoes and cold buttermilk, he made his way to the Academny with the somberness the occasion demanded. Since he was known to be Arachne's friend, and had proven it by trying to save her, he seemed to have been designated chief mourner. In the hallways, condolences came in from every side, along with praise for his actions. Someone suggested that he cared for her like a sister, and although he'd done nothing of the sort, he allowed it. No need to disrespect the dead.

"Help her!" He remembered the cameras streaming live to the Capitol audience. He had no idea what to do for Arachne, but he did not want to be seen cringing and clinging. His terror was a private thing, not meant for public display. 

If having Marcus as a tribute made Sejanus squirm, then good. Let him squirm. Lucy Gray was one thing belonging to Coriolanus that he would never, ever get. 

"Sorry, my friend," he said mildly. "But I think I'll keep her."

Coriolanus could sense the audience beginning to warm up to his tribute, no longer bothering to keep their distance. People were easy to manipulate when it came to their children. So pleased to see them pleased.

Accustomed as he was to viewing the tributes on-screen, he had not prepared himselt properly for this encounter in the flesh, and a wave of pity and revulsion swept through him. They really were creatures out of another world. A hopeless, brutish world.

One way or another, their fates were irrevocably linked. 

His mind could fixate on a problem like that - anything, really- and not let go. As if controlling one element of his world would keep him from ruin. It was a bad habit that blinded him to other things that could harm him. A tendency toward obsession was hardwired into his brain and would likely be his undoing if he couldn't learn to outsmart it.

Gemma Langella

No, Lucy Gray was no lamb. She was not made of sugar. She was a victor.

Sofía Navarro

Interesting back story, I enjoyed reading it from Snow's point of view.

The story got very slow paced in the middle but towards the end it got interesting again. 

Yega

Interesting back story, I enjoyed reading it from Snow's point of view.

The story got very slow paced in the middle but towards the end it got interesting again. 

Originally, I was not at all thrilled at the announcement of this book, its subject in particular. And I am still glad that I left reading it until now; I think that was the rigth decision as it helped me approach it with more of a positive attitude and an open mind.

Frankly, in the hands of a different author, this could have been an absolute disaster. However, Collins is miles above many of her peers with excellent command of language, plot and themes. It genuinely feels refreshing to read a book that is both an entertaining read and clear and smart in its messaging, whilst also remaining firmly within its target age group (YA / older YA).

One thing I really liked about the novel is that Collins does not directly condemn anyone's actions. Obviously, the audience already knows who Coriolanus is, they come with a pre-concieved notion of him. However, rather than trying to make him excessively cruel or comically evil, Collins lets the character take the natural direction of development - a culmination of his upbringing, circumstances and personality. Instead of blatantly stating his characteristics and giving them a moral value (increasingly rare in mainstream YA and NA), she often places other characters in juxtaposition of him. She leads the readers to ask questions of what is right and what is wrong, how would they react if put in those same situations, and trusts them enough to find their own answers. It is simple but smart writing and what helps bring so much nuance to "The Hunger Games" series.

Another thing that is notable to me is that Collins is absolutely excellent at building up tension. She has such great mastery over her prose that you cannot help but feel anxious in moments that are meant to be joyous, suspicious when things are going well for the characters (even until the very end), moved in dramatic moments (even if Coriolanus, as the main POV, is not). It makes this novel almost fun to read; I definitely gasped in real life at several points. And she achieves all of this even though we know how it all ends!

Last but not least, as always, her worldbuilding is fascinating. It feels grounded in reality - something that a lot of the series' dystopian peers and children seem to lack - and that is because Collins seems to ask how could we get to this point in the first place. This helps here a lot as it allows to create a setting that clearly belongs to the same universe as the original trilogy but does not feel too familiar or like a repeat. 

On the downside, there are parts where the novel feels too connected and referential to the original. I think she could have toned down the elements of the mockingjays and even the Hanging Tree, though it is funny to imagine how gagged Snow was when Katniss showed up. 

Originally, I was not at all thrilled at the announcement of this book, its subject in particular. And I am still glad that I left reading it until now; I think that was the rigth decision as it helped me approach it with more of a positive attitude and an open mind.

Frankly, in the hands of a different author, this could have been an absolute disaster. However, Collins is miles above many of her peers with excellent command of language, plot and themes. It genuinely feels refreshing to read a book that is both an entertaining read and clear and smart in its messaging, whilst also remaining firmly within its target age group (YA / older YA).

One thing I really liked about the novel is that Collins does not directly condemn anyone's actions. Obviously, the audience already knows who Coriolanus is, they come with a pre-concieved notion of him. However, rather than trying to make him excessively cruel or comically evil, Collins lets the character take the natural direction of development - a culmination of his upbringing, circumstances and personality. Instead of blatantly stating his characteristics and giving them a moral value (increasingly rare in mainstream YA and NA), she often places other characters in juxtaposition of him. She leads the readers to ask questions of what is right and what is wrong, how would they react if put in those same situations, and trusts them enough to find their own answers. It is simple but smart writing and what helps bring so much nuance to "The Hunger Games" series.

Another thing that is notable to me is that Collins is absolutely excellent at building up tension. She has such great mastery over her prose that you cannot help but feel anxious in moments that are meant to be joyous, suspicious when things are going well for the characters (even until the very end), moved in dramatic moments (even if Coriolanus, as the main POV, is not). It makes this novel almost fun to read; I definitely gasped in real life at several points. And she achieves all of this even though we know how it all ends!

Last but not least, as always, her worldbuilding is fascinating. It feels grounded in reality - something that a lot of the series' dystopian peers and children seem to lack - and that is because Collins seems to ask how could we get to this point in the first place. This helps here a lot as it allows to create a setting that clearly belongs to the same universe as the original trilogy but does not feel too familiar or like a repeat. 

On the downside, there are parts where the novel feels too connected and referential to the original. I think she could have toned down the elements of the mockingjays and even the Hanging Tree, though it is funny to imagine how gagged Snow was when Katniss showed up. 

Unfortunately, having first seen the movie, I couldn't completely enjoy the plot twists. Still an amazing story, with an original POV compared to the first trilogy.

Ambition will fuel him. Competition will drive him. But power has its price.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (A Hunger Games Novel)

It was a little to dragged out in some parts but overall a really good book.

Isabell McMann

Syasya Diyana 

Too long for what it added to the series but overall it kept my attention and was enjoyable.

4.5 
aaaaaaaa me parece loquisimo como gente lo QUIERE y lo ve como la victima ES UN PSICÓPATA

Took me so long to read this but I gotta say it’s probably a good idea that I read this AFTER watching the movie. You really get a feel for Snow and how paranoid he got just to land on top and honor his father’s name. I think she did well to tie everything in and show why Katniss really got on Snow’s nerves in the far future. Honestly, I just never get tired of reading these books. 

lily

máru

Boring in the middle but incredible ending.

Jessica

The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes

Kiran Aftab

ok kind of shocking but i liked the movie better. the book felt a little inconsistent but to be fair it was shown from snow’s perspective. tbh i really just learned that snow is garbage

Aeryn Emmerich-Wise

Do u ever stop and think about how we all got here, to where society is RIGHT at this moment, and think how did this happen, and how we are like probably 25 years out from a hunger games future? 

Also I can understand why some people didn't love this book - snow is a tough hang lol. I think this book is a lot darker than the original trilogy, and mainly because even though I know Snow is 17/18 at the beginning of this book, I thought we were coming into him already fully formed, calculating and cold and manipulating, and I thought that's exactly what he was doing to Lucy Gray. However, as you read you realize you are stumbling along with this kid in real time while he figures out he'd rather be feared than loved. I think that's what makes the ending so fucked up.

Kaitlin Simpson

Disappointing. Was looking forward to getting back into the Hunger Games universe but Snow’s tale was not interesting at all nor do I have any sympathy or interest in this villainous character.

This was super good and the symbolism was symboling. Only thing is I feel like it was harder to get through than her other books.

Tiana holt

Amanda

This is a nostalgic read to say the least. I really enjoyed it and going back into this universe. Seeing how things came to be was really interesting after knowing everything that we know. The villain origin story we never knew we wanted. I kept putting off watching the movie until I read the book so I’m so excited to watch it. I will say this one was a bit slower in some portions of the book than I would have liked but I still really liked the story, plot, and seeing how everything came together at the end. 

Priscilla Stanfield

Liyah 🤎

Buzzer Beater Baby! last book of 2023. I succumbed to the Tiktok hype. I read hunger games as a teen but wasnt that into the world but seeing clips and memes and discourse about the movie was piqued my interest. I enjoyed this more than i remember enjoying the hunger games. Prose is beautiful. Snow's inner monologue is deranged lol. Pacing was pretty wonky it was slow as a snail in part one, better in part two and then rushed af in part 3. I also felt like part 3 actually held all the juicy bits? part 1 and 2 just fell like loooong set up so part 3 would make sense. The way the loose ends and connections tie up are rather childish and kind of trivialize some events in the Hunger Games trilogy imo. Worldbuilding was fun and lush. A great send off to 2023 reading.

tori 👻

1.5
wow snow, go, give us nothing!
this was a cash grab.
I feel exhausted and also robbed

nien

La ballade du serpent et de l'oiseau chanteur

Hunger Games

carolina

coriolanus is completely unhinged, i don't even have the words for it....

I was a Tom Hughes stan, so I went in with bias when I saw the movie. But the inner mind of Snow is actually so spooky. He acted like a kind man but was so judgy instead. I actually laughed, though, at some of his sassiness. I do feel that he genuinely felt guilt at parts, and then at the end just had a conclusion that made sense with his character growth.

Sarah Campbell

oh he said gaslight manipulate if it’s the last thing i do

anya

I am a sucker for a villain origin story and boy, this was a good one. I read the original hunger games series back in high school and was obsessed with it. it was so cool to be able to revisit the universe. suzanne collins did a great job of making this story its own but carefully weaving in little nods here and there to the original story, which I really enjoyed!

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

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