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 outmanoeuvre 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 favour 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.
Fict.it.ious 
Comments on: "The ballad of songbirds and snakes – Suzanne Collins" (6)
I am not sure I would recommend this book. A prequel to the iconic series, the Hunger Games. The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes follows Coriolanus Snow as he prepares for his one shot as a mentor in the games. Although the odds are against him, he has been given the humiliation assignment of mentoring the female tribute from district 12. Their stories begin to intertwine with each other and the stakes are high as Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute. This book is very interesting in looking back in time in the world of Suzanne Collins but I found the story went on for too long and it lost its pace. I would recommend this book to people who love the Hunger Games but for an ordinary book, I wouldn’t recommend it. I give it 4/10 and would recommend for ages 12+.
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This book was quite odd to me. Not the story particularly but just how it affected me. I would be wrapped up in it one second and the next, rather bored. But it all picked up once Snow was deported to district 12. A bit off topic but I found he and Lucy Gray’s romance kind of forced I guess? It just seemed strange, unnatural if you will. At this point he has more chemistry with Sejanus that our dear Lucy Gray. (also I hated that Sejanus had to die.) I did enjoy the fact that the Hanging Tree song that Katniss sung was written by Lucy Gray and came from an experience that Snow was actually there for. It makes his reaction to it so much more thought out in Mockingjay. Also how Lucy Gray sung the song that Katniss sung to Rue when she was dying. Even though she didn’t write it I loved the little tie between the two characters. I have come to terms with Snow now. I do not excuse him but I will offer a bit of understanding. Also the fact that he hated Mockingjays from the first time he laid eyes on them also makes the fact that Katniss’ title was a Mockingjay that much better. Also I probably should have put this at the start but Tigris is his COUSIN? Her comments on him ‘discarding’ her make SO MUCH MORE SENSE. Something else I wanted to add is how (to me) much blander the games seemed. Now, I’m not sure if it was the lack of tributes, the lack of research or just the fact that the pov we’re reading from is just watching the games but it was far less gut wrenching and well, crazy I guess? Obviously if it were in a tributes perspective there would have been more to write on. It may also have been that they had not yet introduced the high tech arena or the ‘tampering’ that the game makers often did in the later years with the games. (eg. fireballs at Katniss in the first book and basically the whole arena in the second) but there we none of that except for the rainbow snakes.
In conclusion I think this was very interesting. Might not be for everyone but I was personally looking for more Hunger Games stuff, this was perfect! Can’t wait for the movie.
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As someone who has only read the first of Susan Collins’ Hunger Games books, i didn’t know what to expect going into this book. However, i really liked it! Right from the start, it had me invested, and it only got better as it went along.
The novel is a dystopian action-adventure which follows 18 year old Coriolanus Snow as he mentors a tribute in the upcoming 10th annual Hunger Games. He gets stuck with District 12 Tribute, Lucy Gray Baird and the book explores her ability to survive in the games with Coriolanus’ help. Susan Colins is amazing at world building, and makes it so that, even if you haven’t ever read any other Hunger games books, you aren’t confused about any elements of the setting when reading. However, if you have read the original books, there are so many references and little nods to the original books, which makes it all the more enjoyable to read. The parts in which this book started to lull for me was definitely the chapters set while the Hunger Games was occurring. Everything was very rushed, and certain things were not explained in the best way. This made it hard to follow and i often found myself skim-reading these pages to grasp a quick, basic understanding of the events. But, after this, the book gets a lot more interesting, and very tense (in a good way). No spoilers, but let’s just say that i was very shocked and very stressed. I would obviously recommend this to fans of the original Hunger Games series, but i would also recommend it to lovers of dystopian action, adventure and romance. 8/10would read again!
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From the start of this book, i was hooked. I loved how it tells us about the song – The Hanging Tree. I always wondered what that song meant since the fist time I heard it, and as soon as i knew Lucy Gray could sing, i knew she was the songwriter. Snow’s character confused me so much. I absolutely hated him in The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. However this book almost forced be to feel bad for him. I also loved how we found out about how various laws and aspects were added to The Hunger Games, and how bad Snow really is.
At the start, I loved his and Lucy Gray’s relationship but the I kept remembering that he was the bad guy. At some points I wondered what happened between then and during Katniss’ era, but then once i got to know more about his peacekeeping role, i knew that was his turning point.
In conclusion, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is well worth reading and i would recommend this book to any lovers of the Hunger Games trilogy. I would also say the book is age 11-13+. Some people may be concerned that The Hunger Games is centred around violence. The book has a lot of it, and it is graphic at some point.
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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes delves deep into Coriolanus Snow’s teenage life, the poverty he went through and the people that shaped him. I love how Coriolanus finds love, he finds hope and then it’s all gone, just like that. The struggle of living in a District instead of the Capital didn’t make him think that this was people’s everyday lives. He became so awful from all the people that hurt him and came up with was to punish people further for rebelling against the Capital. This gives the reader such an amazing insight into Coriolanus’ younger years and what caused him to be so cold hearted and unforgiving. The book proves that poverty can’t stop you, as long as you don’t let it stop you. My favourite character is Tigris, she is lovely and gave Coriolanus that bit of hope. She also took care of their Grandma and her old fashioned ways. I loved how Tigris was always so supportive of Coriolanus and his decision to work with the his Tribute, Lucy Gray. Everything was beautifully written and the plot line kept me hooked from start to finish. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is and amazing story of love, winning and rising to the top. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the Hunger Games.
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! Small Spoiler !
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a book that will stay with me for awhile.
As a general rule, I don’t cry in books. I didn’t cry in TBOSAS, but in the aftermath i did. Suzanne Collins’ mind scares me, who on earth comes up with some of this stuff!? The Hunger Games is one thing, but the last scene with Lucy and Coriolanus, where Snow decides he loves lavish carpets and a ton of money over love… and comes at her with a KNIFE?! That was the scene that broke me after. I’m a difficult person, I pick the clearly wrong side in a argument simply for the fun of it. Snow or Katniss? I say Snow. I have a list of arguments ready to side. Gale or Peeta? Gale. I also have arguments there. (PEETA IS SO BORING HE CANT DO ANYTHING HES ONLY THE LOVE INTEREST AND SERVES NO PURPOSE OTHER THAN THAT IN THE PLOT. IN A WORLD THAT CONTAINS THE HUNGER GAMES SOME FROSTING EXPERTISE WONT STOP YOU FROM ENDING UP ON THE WRONG END OF A KNIFE) . Anyway, yes. This book showed that even in the most dire situations, you can work your way up to the top. Read it. If you wish to get everything out of this book, i think 13+ is appropiate. 10/10.
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