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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)

by Suzanne Collins

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Reading for the 2nd time

read in February 2025

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Lily said: " This book is so good. The symbolic parts of all three previous books tied into this one wonderfully.
Watching Coriolanus Snow's psyche work is a wonder and makes sense for him not just an evil president in Katniss's story.

Slight spoilers ahead:
I do This book is so good. The symbolic parts of all three previous books tied into this one wonderfully.
Watching Coriolanus Snow's psyche work is a wonder and makes sense for him not just an evil president in Katniss's story.

Slight spoilers ahead:
I do think that if you want to experience this story read the book though, as the movie glosses over so much pre-game events and the relationships he has with his cohort and his tribute, Lucy Gray. In the movie, we especially don't see much of his annoyance with Sejanus, which is palpable throughout the book. In addition to that, the way in which Snow describes Lucy Gray in his internal monologue really shows his descent into madness much better at the end of the book than the movie ever did. Plus, Highbottom also doesn't seem like a conniving annoying antagonist like in the movie, he doesn't really provoke Snow like in the movie, it is more underlying and more to do with Snow's paranoia that ends up running true.
Also, in the movie they try to make him look a little heroic in the bombing of the arena scene, in the book he has a PTSD response and just curls up in a bomb because of his experience with bombings during the war. That just annoyed me a little.
The ending is so symbolic as well, the powder that was his mother's that he found comforting was ruined, so he threw it out. The pictures, which symbolised his friendships, were also ruined, so he threw those out too. The only token that wasn't ruined was his father's campus, the only thing that remains within Snow is his father's teachings. His mother's love for song, which he thought was passed down to him is tainted with the memories of Lucy Gray (and the birds, he really hates those birds), and thus he now can't stand singing. Sejanus was killed through his actions and any sympathy he had for the Districts is now also killed with him, Sejanus was like his little voice in the back of his head telling him this is wrong, without him, he no longer has that and doesn't care. The only part left is his father's hatred and disgust of the districts and the greed for power and wealth.

Also Snow's thoughts during his small run-away really, truly tell you what kind of person he is and how he views himself.

Recap of the entire Series (Excluding Sunrise on the Reaping):
I think the addition of Snow's story shows that both Snow and Katniss are more alike than one might think. They both find ways to bend over backwards to protect the ones they love (although I don't think Snow truly loves Lucy Gray, more so that she is his property and some affection sprouts from there). They both find ways to cheat the games, and Snow is annoyed that his changed version of the Hunger Games has ways of being cheated, through the berries.
Both Snow and Katniss end up finding affection with either Lucy Gray or Peeta, through the trauma shared in the Hunger Games. Although, what greatly differs them is the way they see the world after their experience in the Arena. Snow sees how the world needs the capital because they are all savage animals, reduced to killing machines. This is just a byproduct of his father's teachings as well as his Grandma'am's about the districts, and once he sees how desperate they are to hurt him, he believes the worst in the world. Meanwhile, Katniss sees that differently, siding with the rebels, but realising at the end of her story that the rebels are more of the same evil that Snow is.
Also with what we know about the 50th Hunger Games, every story told (so far) in this story is about how a District 12 tribute, against all odds, finds a way to outsmart the games to win, and then suffers the consequence. Lucy Gray, with the compact that she fills with rat poison (another just strange difference the movie did) to kill the tributes, Katniss with the berries to have two victors or no victors, and Haymitch, using the arenas forcefield to kill another tribute. Lucy Gray's consequence is being with Snow, with him almost killing her. Katniss's consequence is the rebellion rising up because of her symbolic defiance against the capital, and thus Snow's hatred of her, causing the 75th Hunger Games to take place with previous victors, knowing there is no other girl victor from District 12 alive. Haymitch's consequence is Snow killing his family and girlfriend, and whatever else we will find out in the next book.

Overall:
I loved this whole series, the way all of the symbolic elements intertwine through both Katniss's and Snow's story is so amazing. The way that singing is so powerful in both stories in differing ways. I can't wait for March. Once that book comes out I will be buying it day one and reading it. ...more "

Feb 08, 2025 02:50PM · see review