The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - Suzanne Collins || Book Review

Book Name: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Author: Suzanne Collins Release Date: 19th May, 2020 Book info on Goodreads - https://tinyurl.com/yawscjxb Buy the book on Amazon - https://amzn.to/3etbNkw Follow my reviews on Goodreads - https://tinyurl.com/y7mxcr57

Let’s look at my review of the book The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins.

It was released on May 19, 2020.

It is a prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy. Set against the backdrop of the 10th Hunger Games, 64 years before the events of the original Hunger Games trilogy. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes revolves around the adventures of a teenage Coriolanus Snow, who would become the dictatorial president of Panem by the events of the original trilogy. With his family on the brink of poverty, Coriolanus is tasked with mentoring District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird for his one shot at glory.

So, how was the book?

I liked this book as much as I liked the Hunger Games trilogy. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but for me it certainly was. There’s so many references and nods to the original books that give a good backstory to the events that happen in the Trilogy.

It is in no way a fast-paced thrill ride like the original trilogy, and that's fine because I honestly wasn't expecting that from this book. However, there were pages upon pages spent on unnecessary events, and very few spent on the high stakes action scenes that did appear. If you are someone who liked the Hunger Games for all its action, adrenaline and the thrill - how different are you from the common resident of Capitol? This book sparks this question in you. It helps you introspect and take sides.

This book is receiving flak for such philosophical undertones and presenting the much-hated Snow in a way that might give some reasons and justifications to what he later became.

I did appreciate that this wasn’t a story about Snow being some wonderful, heroic person who was pushed over the edge to being evil by someone wronging him. It’s very apparent to the reader that he’s an awful person from the beginning of the book, even if he doesn’t view himself that way.

The side characters helped this story immensely and really helped to flesh out the plot. Lucy Gray Baird is a well-developed character. Charismatic, vivacious, and bold. She may not be Katniss Everdeen, but she is the initial seed that gradually grew into Katniss and eventually the Mockingjay.

Snow’s descent into the man we know him as in The Hunger Games is slowly, cautiously, and richly done, and Collins makes it clear that all we are is the sum of our choices, so we must make sure they’re good ones.

Now that you have the backstory it is up to yourself to judge Snow. No character is binary.

A man is what fate makes of him and what he makes of his fate.

This is a story written with a hope that the readers of the Hunger Games Trilogy have now grown up from being Young Adult readers.

My rating for the book is 4 out of 5.

There are mixed reviews for this book. Beware that this is not another action-packed installment of Hunger Games. Do bear this in mind before choosing to read it.

As usual, I encourage you to read the book for yourself and let me know your opinion.

Let’s meet again with another book review. Until then, keep reading and keep exploring.