Zachary’s Reviews > The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes > Status Update

I love this book. It's so smart. Snow is a moderate, a right leaning moderate sure, but the way he argues with Sejanus over the need for slow change over helping the rebels, being a sympathizer. He uses pathos to get to Sejanus because he knows that's what he cares about. He's so intelligent, he loves a test and a challenge. The ease for intelligence to move towards elitism and evil.

Is this story a question of nature versus nurture? Or something similar? I feel like Snow has such high potential to be a good person, yet there are these sparks of horribleness. He appreciates Sejanus momentarily as a friend but goes back to disliking him for finding peacekeeper work immoral. And other things. I hate to say I see the good in him because I know what he becomes. But this book makes me wonder.

"Youre okay with policing your own people"
"Oh they dont let you police your own district" im getting anti cop sentiments too. Obviously, but like, sometimes the obvious meaning isnt the obvious intent I guess.

"Had HE really won? The Hunger Games, the Plinth Prize, the Girl" as if he won. As if he did it himself. As if she was his to win.

"Human beings are inherently evil" blah blah blah ive heard it before. You just want an excuse to oppress and kill and be evil yourself without critically thinking about it or trying the hard thing and being good.

I wonder if this is meant to be pro-palestine because it reads like it. "If the war is ongoing, how do we keep winning? By using violence over and over and showing them who is in charge"