The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - What did I think?
(Disclaimer: Possible spoilers!)
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| Source: https://www.denofgeek.com/books/the-ballad-of-songbirds- and-snakes-review-spoiler-free/ |
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes which is the newest novel written by Suzanne Collins, based around The 10th Hunger Games, and the life of Coriolanus Snow, was a book I didn't expect to like as much as I did.
Now, don't get me wrong, if you know me, and you know me well, you know that I am a huge Hunger Games fan. Ever since I was thirteen years old. I created Facebook fan-pages, had every book from the original Hunger Games to Mockingjay, and even had a Mockingjay pin similar to Katniss Everdeens which I purchased from Waterstones when I was 14 years old. I have seen every film in the cinema when they have been released, and can watch the movies several times over and not feel bored, not in the slightest. I'm not bragging, obviously. But the bottom line is is that I really, really love The Hunger Games.
When I first read that this book was being released, it was around March time, I was ecstatic, obviously. I was happy that I was going to be getting a new story about Katniss and Peeta, which would follow their love-story and small family after The Hunger Games, and the rebellion against the Capitol. So I decided to read a few articles. Which was when I then discovered that The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes would not be a story about Katniss and Peeta at all, but about Coriolanus Snow, the then-President of Panem.
Obviously, I was pissed off. Snow, in the books and the films, was a villain and a character that I was not keen on at all. He pressured The Hunger Games against the districts and allowed there to be children fighting to the death, causing pain and uprisings and rebellions from their families and cities, as only one person, out of 24 people, was allowed to have victory within the games. That's why they called them victors, after all.
But I decided that I would pre-order the book and give it a go reading, because I do still love The Hunger Games trilogy, and Suzanne Collins' writing style in general; and I was desperate for something new to read in this dreaded lock-down.
I finished the book in 3 days, and let me tell you, I have some thoughts. Thoughts that people will either agree or disagree with.
But that's the thing about books; they allow a world of universal opinions, from good to bad.
I finished the book in 3 days, and let me tell you, I have some thoughts. Thoughts that people will either agree or disagree with.
But that's the thing about books; they allow a world of universal opinions, from good to bad.
The Character of Coriolanus Snow
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| Tigris: Snow's cousin. Image from the film Mockingjay. |
But as I got halfway through the book, when I really began understanding the story of Coriolanus Snow, I realised why he was presented the way he was.
Snow came from a rich background, with two wealthy parents, and lived within the Capitol in a penthouse apartment. However, their money eventually became sparse, and Snow had to live with his Grandma'am and his cousin Tigris (which was a really good link to the Mockingjay book and film; I literally squealed when I read her name!) when both his parents died. He was an intelligent 18-year old boy, and studied in the Academy, where he was assigned to mentor and be the adviser for tributes include in the 10th Hunger Games, for a District 13 girl who he eventually falls in love with- Lucy Gray Baird.
In the book, he is shown to be quite caring and thoughtful of those around him, such as him realising that if he gets Lucy to win the games, it won't just benefit his future but Lucy's as well, and him helping his friend Sejanus Plinth from being killed in the arena, caring for his Grandma'am and Tigris, and bringing food and gifts to the Covey. He was nothing like how he was presented in the films at the beginning of the novel, but towards the end, you could see where his hatred of the Mockingjay rebellion symbol came from; and why that was so significant to how he treated Katniss within The Hunger Games - The Mockingjay.
The mockingjay birds in the book were described as a 'mutation,' bred with the jabberjay birds, which were mentioned multiple times in the trilogy, as well as mentioned in the Catching Fire film, to be used against Katniss with Prim's voice, and Finnick with Annie's.
Snow described the mockingjay birds as unnatural, and basically had a very negative opinion on them from the very start. He is even described being satisfied with shooting them in the book when he becomes a Peacekeeper.
I like how Suzanne Collins included this link to the character we see of Snow in the book to the trilogy and films, as it shows why he hates the Mockingjay symbol so much, and where the hatred for it came from. It reminded him of his past, being a Peacekeeper, and his relationship with Lucy Gray. As she is described saying, 'it isn't over until the mockingjay sings' a couple of times within the novel.
Snow described the mockingjay birds as unnatural, and basically had a very negative opinion on them from the very start. He is even described being satisfied with shooting them in the book when he becomes a Peacekeeper.
I like how Suzanne Collins included this link to the character we see of Snow in the book to the trilogy and films, as it shows why he hates the Mockingjay symbol so much, and where the hatred for it came from. It reminded him of his past, being a Peacekeeper, and his relationship with Lucy Gray. As she is described saying, 'it isn't over until the mockingjay sings' a couple of times within the novel.
His character development throughout the book was eye-opening, to say the least. He went from this caring, thoughtful young 18-year old boy, to a deceitful and conniving character. He hinted for Lucy Gray to hide rat poison in the compact he gave her, dropped the napkin with Lucy Gray's scent into the snake tank so they wouldn't kill her in the arena, and recorded Sejanus' confession with the jabberjays and sent it to the head gamemaker back in the Capitol. And he somehow knew he would get away with it, no matter how much he doubted himself. He was written in such a way that he could be sympathised with, or even to be a likeable character. But would then open his mouth or do something to remind us exactly who he is. I was never left rooting for Snow, I would only empathize with him.
Overall, his character was manifested brilliantly in the novel. There is so much more I want to say about his character but I don't want to give away too much. But his wonderfully cryptic character, with parallels leading to why and how he was the character he was in the trilogy, led to him being a greatly developed character. As much as I did dislike him.
Links to The Hunger Games trilogy.
When I read this book, I desperately wanted some reference to Katniss, or some character we see in the Hunger Games trilogy. I wanted to feel some sort of nostalgia as I read it. And I definitely got what I wanted. There were little bits thrown into the novel which made you think, 'could that be from the original books?' and it genuinely made me squeal like a little school-girl.
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| A katniss plant. Source: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ ornamental/water-plants/katniss/growing-katniss-plant.htm |
There were a variety of links to a few characters from the trilogy, with some of the most obvious being Lucky Flickerman, an obvious descendant of the arena and television announcer in the trilogy, Caesar Flickerman. There's also Arachne Crane, a possible descendant of Seneca Crane, (the first game maker we meet in The Hunger Games) and Livia Cardew, another possible descendant of Fulvia Cardew (Plutarch Heavensbee's assistant). I like how Suzanne decided to use similar last names to a few characters scattered in the books and films, as it makes you think whether it is a coincidence that a few of them have the same last names as some of the characters in the trilogy, or whether they really are descendants of the characters. I like this link a lot, as I love nostalgia in prequel novels; so this was a really enjoyable touch.
It wasn't until the last third of the book that we got a hint to Katniss from the original Hunger Games, when Lucy Gray had picked a katniss plant, which wasn't in full bloom yet. Because, obviously, unbeknownst to Snow, Katniss Everdeen would be a huge element in his future, and his presidency over Panem. She caused the Mockingjay rebellion against the Capitol, ultimately killing him in the last book where he was mobbed by the Capitol citizens. This brief but superior link to Katniss Everdeen was really, really smart. And I couldn't help but grin.
When I finished reading this book, I was reading theories online and one of the most prominent ones I read was that Lucy Gray, or Maude Ivory, could've been Katniss' grandmother, depending on how long the both of them lived until. This is because Lucy Gray has blue eyes, just like Prim has blue eyes. So, if Lucy Gray or Maude Ivory had married grandpa Everdeen, who would've then given birth to Mr Everdeen (Katniss' dad), then the son would've been able to pass on the gene of blue eyes to his daughter, Primrose. Mr Everdeen also loved singing, just like Katniss and Primrose did. I would've liked for Suzanne Collins to have included some sort of relation to Katniss, and I really think Lucy Gray (Or Maude Ivory) could've been a descendant of Katniss Everdeen.
The Hanging Tree and The Meadow Song
Finally, we got a background of The Hanging Tree song, and The Meadow song that Katniss sings for Rue in the first Hunger Games. Finally! I've been wanting a thorough explanation for the songs and their inclusions ever since Katniss sung that song for Rue when she died. So I'm really glad Suzanne gave us a background of the ballads, and where they originally stemmed from.
The murder ballad, The Hanging Tree song, which Katniss Everdeen learns from her father and sings as part of the propoganda efforts in Mockingjay, can evidently be traced back to Lucy Gray Baird. The song is inspired by the hanging of Arlo, a district 12 citizien, who was hung in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in the second part of the novel. Snow is part of the Peacekeeper presence at the hanging, and witnesses the Mockingjays picking up Arlo's final words to his wife: which are 'Run! Run, Lil! Ru-,' which also reflects the first verse of the eerie love song: Are you, Are you / Coming to the tree / where they strung up a man / they say who murdered three.' The Hanging Tree song was written by Lucy, and was obviously a favourite within District 12, as even Katniss knew it - 60 years later!
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| President Snow Portrait. Source: https://villains. fandom.com/wiki/ President_Coriolanus_Snow |
Lucy Gray also sings The Meadow song to Maude Ivory to soothe her - the same song that Katniss sung to Rue as she died in the first original Hunger Games, and that an older Katniss ponders on when looking upon her children at the end of Mockingjay. Obviously there is a blatant link there to Lucy Gray's reputation within District 12, and how her reputation with her music lived on past her death in District 12.
In conclusion, the character of Coriolanus Snow and the development of his character in the novel was amazing, and I couldn't have thought of a better way for Suzanne Collins to represent his teenaged nature in the book, to mirror how he was in the trilogy during his presidency.
He was the one who thought of the inclusion victors houses within the Districts, donations in the arena such as food and water, and betting against the odds to keep the economy running within the Capitol- completely transforming how the Hunger Games were rant and presented for the next half-century.
The book was amazing, and I am so excited for the film. Even now, at 20 years old, I will still love any book written from and around the era of The Hunger Games. The nostalgia and enjoyment it brings to me is something I could never explain. But, Suzanne Collins, if you're reading this, I would love a story about Haymitch's victory of the games, or even Finnick's! Now that is something I would definitely read.
He was the one who thought of the inclusion victors houses within the Districts, donations in the arena such as food and water, and betting against the odds to keep the economy running within the Capitol- completely transforming how the Hunger Games were rant and presented for the next half-century.
The book was amazing, and I am so excited for the film. Even now, at 20 years old, I will still love any book written from and around the era of The Hunger Games. The nostalgia and enjoyment it brings to me is something I could never explain. But, Suzanne Collins, if you're reading this, I would love a story about Haymitch's victory of the games, or even Finnick's! Now that is something I would definitely read.
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. And always remember; snow lands on top.
E.
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