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

I adored the Hunger Games series. Dystopian YA is not a normal genre for me, but this series is awesome and this prequel? A fantastic villain origin story. Coriolanus Snow is an ambitious 18-year-old student whose wealthy family barely survived the war. He is all about image and pretense, which often vie against his normal, human feelings. His parents are dead and he lives in a rundown apartment with his grandmother and cousin Tigris. But, the 10th Hunger Games is to be the first one with mentors and Coriolanus has been chosen to mentor the female tribute from District 12. While at first humiliated at not being given a more highly rated district, he quickly realizes that Lucy Gray is someone who could win and it's up to him to figure out how to help her do that. Along the way, Coriolanus learns about love and the dangers it can bring. As he works his way through the Games, he also discovers who wields the power in the Capitol, who controls the games and what he needs to do to rise up above the masses. The student mentors also have a say in how the games are run, and in a somewhat twisted sort of way, their professor gives assignments and in Coriolanus' essays, we see how future Games come about and evolve. As the mentors talk about the games and what is happening, we also see how they are not all unfeeling or unkind. They view their tributes as people and they can see how unfair the Games really are. At the same time we see that those in the Capitol are only concerned about their well being and that their losses are because of the rebels. The Hunger Games series is vibrant and colorful in its imagery. This book, however, was almost more black and gray in its imagery, what with the rubble of the arena and the Capitol still trying to rebuild from the war. That made the contrast of Lucy Gray's colorful skirt and the snakes all the more striking. As with the rest of the series, we see the government oppression, we see the results of war and rebellion. We see society broken, but fighting and we see that even with survival, life isn't grand and colorful. But we also see that the human spirit is strong. No one likes who President Snow becomes and I think writing about his story so that he gains the reader's sympathy is brilliant. The story isn't fast-paced, but it drew me in and kept me enthralled.

I’d like to preface this by saying that I love philosophical and moral quandaries. It is fun for me to debate topics in that general field and think deeply about aspects of life like what the true nature of man is, as is discussed in this novel. However, I also love stories. Over complicating story-telling with hidden meanings and philosophy gets dull after too long and sometimes you do just need a story that doesn’t make you think too hard. If that’s you, still buy this book, but wait until you have to mental capacity to think a little more. This book is brilliant from the framing to the writing to just the everything, it is absolutely brilliant. It felt realistic, like something that could actually happen. Coriolanus, from the very beginning, is shown to be a little two-faced, easily figuring out what he needs to say to make people like him and it works. At the beginning, I remember feeling casting uncomfortable with the knowledge that Coriolanus, if he wanted to, could have easily fooled me and I would have no idea. What is most chilling about him even from the beginning is just how REAL he seems, like someone you would actually meet walking down the street, and by the end, I nearly felt sick seeing just how similar to myself he is and the sheer ease with which I, in different circumstances and conditions, could become just as twisted. But what really sets this book apart for me is how she portrayals the “villain origin story.” When I think of origin stories, I think of the classics: murdered girlfriend, abusive parents, abandoned by the world, betrayed by all, wrongfully imprisoned, etc. We’ve all heard and read something along those lines at least once, but this is different. Coriolanus doesn’t become the President Snow we love to loathe because of tragedy. We get the unique pleasure to watch from our seats in his mind as he is faced with several different philosophies: Dr. Gaul’s “we’re all monsters who have to be controlled” idea, Lucy Grey’s “everybody’s born as clean as a whistle” mentality, and Sejanus’ “fundamental rights of man” mentality. We watch him struggle through philosophies, trying to determine which one he will allow to influence him all while his strings are secretly being pulled without his knowledge. What we have here in this book is a REAL person who is a student who CHOOSES to view the world in such a way that causes him to believe his actions during and after this book and into the Hunger Games series are the right thing to do. He see his CHOICES not his tragedy shape him. If you’re still here, I just have one thing more. I loved this book and I think we all have a lot we can learn from it. If you’re considering it, buy it, even if it just collects dust for a while. One day, you can draw it out and embark on the twisted story of a realistic villain that will twist your insides in ways no obviously fictional villain can.

Bough this book just out of curiosity with no expectation - well, I literally couldn’t stop reading it! The writing is simply amazing, sending the reader into the story. 100% recommended!!! Book quality is ok and delivery was on time, as expected.

A really great book! I recommend you read the hunger games first beacuse this is the prequel and it gives you a better prestictive of her world. I love her take on politics and how you dont really know who's in the right or wrong esspecially in the ending. My father and I read it and it lead to some great convosations. i recommend for +12 because there is come quite voilent scenes thoughtout the book. Overall its a great book and i would definitly read it again!

Ótimo

Inga skav eller liknande när boken kom hem. Är så taggad på att läsa den, Hunger Games fick mig att komma in i läsandet så ska bli spännande! Jag såg filmen förra året så har höga förväntningar på boken nu🫣

No traía cubierta de plástico y llegó con algunos detalles en la cubierta, pero fuera de eso la calidad es muy buena. Ya quiero leerlo 👌🏼