The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Mantiene la estructura de siempre, personajes bien construidos pero la mayor parte del libro es paja innecesaria y aporta bastante poco a la trilogía principal, quitando algunas escenas de Lucy Gray que nos recuerdan bastante a Katniss y ese simbolismo del sinsajo, las rosas y la importancia de la canción de Hangin' Tree. Y todavía hay que tener bastante imaginación para hacer un paralelismo entre la Bandada que tienen los rebeldes en esta precuela y la Bandada que surge en Sinsajo con Katniss, Peeta, Finnick y compañía. Lo único que me ha sorprendido ha sido que Tigris fuera prima de Snow, y aún así, tampoco explica mucho por qué traiciona a su primo ayudando a Katniss a derrotar el régimen de Snow.

Otra cosa de la que tampoco sabemos nada es de qué pasará con Lucy Gray, aunque entiendo que la autora nos ha querido dejar en ascuas por todo eso del fantasma que da nombre a su personaje, muy bonito y muy simbólico, pero no tiene mucho sentido crear un personaje para después dejar inacabado su arco argumental, me parece muy raro por parte de Collins ya que suele seguir una estructura muy marcada en sus novelas con un arco estructural cíclico de 9 partes y un cierre del ciclo, aunque si lo interpretamos de la otra forma sí que tiene un final metafórico por todo el tema de la nieve que nos cuenta la canción. Decepcionada, pero no mucho.

Good story, but felt a bit rushed at the end

It was an absolutely disgusting and disturbing book; I loved it.

Mmh que dire ? J'ai lu jusqu'au bout car je voulais découvrir la mise en place de Hunger Games, en savoir plus sur l'histoire de Panem. Mais alors pour le reste, très décevant. Le perso principal, futur président de Panem est juste imbuvable. Il ne pense qu'à sa gueule, à son prestige, à ne pas traîner dans la boue le bon nom de Snow. Même envers sa propre famille, il est infect. Le personnage de sa cousine a 0 épaisseur. Lors de ses rares apparitions, elle fait tout pour que la vie de ce cher Coriolanus se déroule sans le moindre accroc. Tout me rend ouf en vrai ! Je n'arrive pas à avoir de l'empathie pour lui, alors que c'était sûrement l'objectif de ce livre pour comprendre pourquoi 50 ans plus les Hunger Games existent toujours. On dirait un livre de ouin-ouin d'un mec cis hétéro CSP+ qui se plaint dans la vie de ne pas avoir tous les privilèges habituels. Son dialogue intérieur est atroce. Le perso de Lucy Gray était un peu plus fin, les dernières scènes de chasse dans la forêt étaient pas loin de me convaincre, mais non.

It was fine. I like the way Cornelius's character remained true to himself without following the typical “good to evil” arc, he has always been what he is.

I also like how they gave Lucy Gray unique traits and were very different from Katniss.
However, I felt a bit disappointed with the portrayal of the games. It would have been more captivating to experience the games from the perspective of the other characters, as it would immerse readers in the intensity of the challenges they faced. That and the song definitely will work better in the movie adaptation. Everything was from the perspective of Cornelius so the initial games were a bunch of waiting for everyone to die, we didn't know who was alive, who was dead. and that is why he decided to change and improve the games to make it more entertaining, so seeing that was also very interesting, but it could have been better.
The other problem was that some parts felt a lot rushed. For example, we were waiting for something to happen for chapters, and when it finally happens, it's just over. There is a lot of anticipation but not a great payoff.

Really more of a 3.5 but rounded to 4 for sheer love of the Trilogy itself.

I love a good novel or novella detailing how a villian became just that. It leads to a better understanding, most times, of why they are how they are. If I had read this as a stand-alone, and had no knowledge of the main series (which I LOVE) I would have rated lower.

While I loved the story behind Snow and how the games actually became what they are, this was a very slow, and oftentimes boring read. Even with the slow presentation, the beginning of the book is where my fascination and enjoyment really held. It waned greatly after the games were over.

I also think the history of Snow could have been made with a lot less pages. The endless amount of Lucy Gray and the Covey's songs, and how they were presented, broke my engagement more than kept it. I found myself skimming and sometimes outright skipping those parts.

I understand now all the disappointed views of this one BUT it does not, nor will it ever, take away my absolute love of The Hunger Games Trilogy.

Reading this was a journey. Not because the book is bad but because it was just difficult to enjoy reading something with such an unlikable main character.

I will admit there were parts where I felt bad for Coriolanus and then I remembered what he did to Finnick and my tear ducts became dry. And I think that's what I don't like about this book. How unnecessary it is. I already knew Coriolanus Snow was a terrible person. And I feel like characters such as Sejanus were just added to add to that point. They built up their friendship for his to die due to Coriolanus' selfishness.

The whole book just felt empty to me.

The whole time I'm reading I just knew Sejanus and Lucy Grey wouldn't make it. And that made me so fucking sad.

The fact that Lucy Grey's story and Hunger Game was hidden and never heard of again makes me so fucking sad. Lucy Grey was someone who was kind and strong, who beat the odds and deserved a happy ending. We will never know if she got a happy ending. Also, I never once believed that Snow actually loved Lucy Grey. It felt like he loved the attention and fame he got by being associated with her.

Overall, this book made me extremely depressed and I regret reading it.

City boy gone bad from his greatest fear of becoming a country bumpkin

This book was major MEH. I wanted to like Snow, but I just couldn't will myself to do it. It was interesting to see how the monster was created, but I couldn't muster the empathy to care about him at all. Definitely my least favorite of the series. What I really want is a book about the 50th Hunger Games. I really need to know how Haymitch won his games.

2.5 Stars - Review Coming Soon

Suzanne collins you genius. might reread thg to remind myself that good people exist

Prequels are tricky things. I think in recent years we've all watched beloved stories receive lackluster prequels in either movie or book form and it doesn't always add a lot or in some cases detracts from it. It would be fair to say that I, along with many others, am now more skeptical about them. In my opinion, though, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, while maybe not necessary to the overall story, was still really good and did a satisfying job of taking me back to the world of Panem in all its rather dismal dystopian future. After a very long string of YA books that just didn't seem all that good, this book brought me back to a time when I still enjoyed them and they were less formulaic.
Unusual for me, I had watched the movie before reading the book, so my perspective may be slightly skewed because of that, and I may look more favorably on the book than others who read it first.
I do recommend reading the original trilogy first, this one will be more impactful I think with that background.
I rather enjoyed going back decades before the events of the original trilogy, which starts putting that story into a different perspective and it was interesting to see how the games evolved, and in direct relation to characters' experiences in this novel. I'm definitely feeling the urge to go back and re-read the Hunger Games trilogy.
The technology of the original trilogy doesn't exist yet and much of Panem is being rebuilt after the war which ended only about 10 years previous to this. The Hunger Games themselves are in their infancy and look nothing like the technological nightmare of the future, but still at its center is the brutish concept of children killing children to atone for a rebel war.
Into this we follow Coriolanus Snow, future antagonist and President in Katniss time, during his teen years. With a family that has fallen on hard times due to the war, but holding on with a prestigious name, he hopes to work his way back up to a life of power, riches, and prestige. Opportunity knocks when The Capitol decides to involve the students of his Academy as mentors to the District tributes in The Hunger Games and have a chance to make a name for themselves while also boosting the viewership of the Games.
At its core, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a character study more than the heart-pounding action story of the original trilogy. This isn't a redemptive arc story, nor a sympathizing one with the villain, which seems to be the trend today in other YA. My first impression was how much more unlikable Coriolanus is in the book than in the movie. Since the book is exclusively from his POV, you're much more inside his head and can see how self-serving, conceited, egotistical, and pretentious he is as a person. Everything he does is to serve or better himself.
While at times I could understand his motivations due to his circumstances and found myself hoping each time he'd make better choices, it always fell back on his inherent nature to look out for himself, even at the detriment of those closest to him. While he always thinks his motivations are just or that he has no choice but to do the conniving things he does, as the reader you realize how truly broken and evil he is at the core. Especially when he's given multiple chances to redeem himself or to choose other paths but continues to choose to put himself and his betterment ahead of others. I think the brilliance of Suzanne Collins writing was being able to make you still want to follow his story knowing this.
It would be tempting to make it about how the world and circumstances shaped him into that type of person, but Collins doesn't do that. This story's strength is in showing not how Coriolanus got to be the villain, but rather that he is inherently reprehensible and diabolical from the beginning.
On the flip side of Coriolanus is Lucy Grey Baird, the Tribute assigned to him, and a member of a gypsy-like group called the Covey. Her charisma, mystery, brashness, and determination make you want to root for her and see her through this nightmare, even though you never get to see the story from her perspective. She lends Coriolanus a sympathy he doesn't deserve but keeps you hoping he will for her sake.
The use of music and ballads of the Covey culture was also a fantastic addition. If you're paying attention there is much foreshadowing and tidbits of information tucked away in the songs.
I do think the book dragged on in a few places and was drawn out longer than necessary. I found the tediousness of some of the Hunger Games, which aren't followed with the same televised precision as they are in the original trilogy, tend to stall the story. Since we're watching from Coriolanus's perspective and not Lucy Grey's the sense of impending danger and death seemed diminished. Coriolanus eats and sleeps and goes back home in the evenings while basically nothing happens in the Games and I found my interest waning and not feeling the intensity I expected. I guess the point is all the macabre machinations behind the scenes, but it halts the progression in some places. The third part picks up again as an unexpected turn of events heads the story in a completely different direction which was an unanticipated and welcome surprise.
A lot of the moral questions asked in the original trilogy hold up here as well, and new ones present themselves to give you a lot to chew over. To say I enjoyed this book seems on some level to be wrong considering its premise and perspective. Like a car wreck on the side of the road though, you feel drawn to see and watch it. I think what I ‘enjoy' is the thoughts it engages to understand more about why the Hunger Games exist, what type of world would allow them to exist, and what type of people see them as just and needed. This book explores that a bit more and I found myself compelled by that exploration through Coriolanus Snow's story and it made for a really good tale in the end.
While not perfect, I do think this is one of the best YA books I've read in a really long time. It's brutal, don't get me wrong, and it's not light, pleasurable reading in the sense of making you feel good inside. It is a thoughtful exploration of morality, war, of governance and truly makes you think what you'd do in similar circumstances or even what lengths you'd go for yourself, others and to create the future world you'd like to see. While it still manages to be entertaining to read, I think it rises above a lot of other YA by inviting a thoughtful reading experience.

Suzanne Collins does not let you down with this prequel to The Hunger Games. I enjoyed getting to learn about Snow’s upbringing and background. I’m anxious for the 2nd one to come out in March - Sunrise on the Reaping - ai already preordered it!

Good prequel

I mean, it was fine. It reminded me that I really do find this world fascinating. I do not, however, give a flying f**k about Snow, so that was a bit of a drag. Honestly I was much more interested in the secondary characters than the lead. It was fine.

I always squirm when a writer puts out a new tale in a finished series. I think, what, do you need the money Suzanne Collins? For crying out loud, write something new (I'm looking at you [a:Ransom Riggs 3046613 Ransom Riggs https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png]). I usually go out of my way to avoid these new titles. For example, I'm not reading any new Harry Potter books. Nope. To me, it's about being in a reading bubble. I have found a series and want to live in that world forever and ever and ever....are words I will never say. But I went into this thinking maybe I could pull a library program idea or two out of it and I have to say, for the first 75% of this book, I was hooked. I had forgotten how well Collins can spin a story. It didn't feel like the Hunger Games, the world is so very different than the Katniss Everdeen arc. So very different! The Ballad gets 4 stars from me, but only because I loved MOST of this book. It tanked (and hard) at the back bit and I'm sorry to say I started counting the pages until ended. I figure it's going to be part of another trilogy. It's not that I hated the ending (Snow's character is well developed and I saw what happened completely being within character for him). It's the non-ending. I'm sure I'll catch some flack for this but the songs got on my nerves. I also dislike the title, and have the worst time remembering it. I just refer to this as the “new” Hunger Games book.

The ending was so disappointing. I was hoping to be explained how Snow got to presidency. Besides that, at least the first 10 chapters were so boring.

it's a good book just very hard to get into and gets a bit boring at times

solo me he leído el libro pq tiktok está haciendome una publicidad muy agresiva y solo me lo he acabado pq me leí los otros de pequeña
como libro suelto hace aguas por todos lados y necesita mucho los otros libros para darle sentido pero aún así no tiene sentido y lo peor es la historia d amor??

Let me begin this review by saying that I really liked the Hunger Games. At the time this book came out in 2008, the YA world seemed to be filled with Bella Swan look-alikes, which is to say that they were girls who were passive in their demeanor, and often would want men to fight over her rather than fight for herself. Katniss, on the other hand, felt like a breath of fresh air. She was a girl who was proactive and fought to protect not just herself, but her family too, both at home, hunting for food in the woods, and in the area, hunting other tributes. The first book was an excellent introduction into the world that she lived in and how she had to work the crowd in the 34th Hunger Games to survive. The 2nd book, while not quite as good as the first, was still well done, as we see that the government seeks to control any sign of rebellion by wanting to control the future of Katniss and Peta in the 35th Hunger Games. While I thought the 3rd, book was not as good, this was mostly down to the decisions that Katniss had made. She chooses to lie to her friends about her real motivations for moving into the capital and this gets many people killed. This made her somewhat unlikeable in my eyes. Then again, I don't think I was supposed to like her. She had been taken advantage of so many times in this series that by the 3rd book she was emotionally, physically, and psychologically scarred by her time spent fighting in the rebellion. This trauma blinded her to all but the obsession to kill the one man truly responsible for all this. One gets the sense that, by the end of the series, that she can never have a normal, loving relationship with either her husband, nor her children because she has seen and been through too much. Now we get a prequel dedicated to the man who was the cause of all that pain and suffering: President Snow.

As far as a character is concerned, 18-year-old Snow is a product of his environment. He is cunning, constantly wondering how far people can take him politically, or how much he can gain from a certain situation. This is because his once proud family name has now fallen on hard times, and risks being considered irrelevant. He also stands to lose his family home, and they may have to actually GASP work for a living. Though some may see this as hard to sympathize with, I thought this was a good way to show how Snow would eventually develop into the man he would become. It also shows the reader how the Capital will eventually become so detached from the Districts, as it is only a few steps from what we see here to the odd looking, vapid people we meet in Katniss' time. Also, Snow's turn from this spoiled-but-fallen-on-hard-times-capital-boy to dictator is one that is made gradually. We see him making these small decisions that we the reader know would only herald the evil man to come, and it is a nice, gradual change. These small steps to villainy make him one of the more memorable characters here.

The same cannot be said of the side characters. Many of them are simply there to make Snow look good by comparison. Those that do not, simply annoy me with how much they tend to make life accidentally difficult for Snow. One example of this would be Sir Janis. Sir Janis is a character that represents the honorable and good in the Capital. His family made a fortune in the war ten years ago, working in District 2. Moving his family into the Capital, his father uses his money to get Sir Janis into a prominent school with Snow. Yet, Sir Janis remains the most outspoken against the Hunger Games, making speeches and spontaneous demonstrations against the practice. These outbursts often drag Snow down with him, causing Snow to grow resentful of Janis' actions. As the story went on, Sir Janis kept making promises that he would watch what he said and did, and I found myself agreeing with Snow, believing Janis' assurances less and less. I am not sure if this is a sign that I got into Snow's head while I was reading, as we see the story from only his POV, or if it was a sign of Collins' writing, but this is something of a positive, as far as a reaction that I can have with a side character.

Another bright spot in this story is the District 12 tribute, Lucy Grey. She is a person who is clearly Snow's opposite. She has no alternative agenda for the games, and often surpasses Snow in terms of a positive, chipper personality one would expect of a performer who moves from District to District, singing for money. She worked, if only to remind the reader that there are still people who try and make the best of this world using whatever strengths they have. She is a bit of a flirt, but she is willing to stand up and fight for herself in the arena, which reminds the reader that the underdog can often be the winner, against all odds.

As for the rest of the book, it does not bode well. The worst element is the pacing, which is the worst I've ever...seen. Scenes will either move too fast for the reader, where things will be moving so quickly, I'm thinking I've missed something, or they will be so slow as to drag on in ages what should have taken minutes. Transitions are a particular issue, with jumps between scenes so fast that the reader can lose all context of not just why the scenes have shifted, but how it is significant for the character.

The concept for the story also bleeds into the pacing issue, with Snow being a mentor in the games. At first, it seems like this would be an interesting dichotomy to explore, as we see how the games have evolved, and what it is like being an early mentor, something we never saw in the original trilogy. Yet, this idea stays out its welcome, as it quickly devolves into characters watching a giant jumbo screen, waiting for something to happen. Collin's tries to placate the reader by making it seem boring to both the characters, and, by extension the reader, but this seems like a missed opportunity. I'll come back to why later.

Then, there is the romance in this book between Snow and Lucy. Yes, you heard that right, the mentor, and tribute fall in love together. Thankfully, it only really serves as a way for the audience to know what a jerk Snow is when it comes to his relationships as well. He continuously thinks of Lucy as his girl, to the point where it becomes an obsession. Lucy also seems to fall for him as well, but for the life of me, I cannot figure out why. A good romance should have both partners working off each other, with each of their traits balancing each other out. That is why I liked seeing the romances in Avatar: The Last Airbender, with Katara and Ang, but not Harry Potter, with Ron and Hermione. Yet, we get little of that here. It is written as though its must be there, and, maybe this is unfair coming from an older reader's perspective, but it did not seem the least bit convincing to me.
So that leaves me with a book that is more of a main character study than a story, but it is not a character I like, even when it comes to a kind of villain origin story. With a boring main plot, pacing that is very inconsistent, and only a few decent side characters, this book leaves little to love. This begs me to ask, why not have this book use multiple perspectives, switching between Lucy and Snow? This way we get the Snow origin story we wanted, but we also have Lucy to balance things out in terms of attitude and perspective during the Hunger Games. Regardless, I have to rate this book based on what it is, rather than what it could be, and this book about Snow is going to melt away from my mind by the end of the Summer. I give it a two out of five.

It took 150 pages to get interesting, and though I did enjoy how well the original series felt entwined despite it being a prequel, the ending was anti-climatic. Giving it a 3 purely because I'm a tried and true Hunger Games fan, and I loved all the little references to the original series.