The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Review
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
My rating: 8/10
Finally!!!
I didn’t know how much I missed Panem until I read this long-awaited marvel of a novel. This aptly titled prequel is at once a new story and a trip down nostalgia lane of The Hunger Games. And I cannot appreciate the title enough.
The story revolves around young Coriolanus Snow who lives a double life. His poverty hidden under a rich and careless demeanor, a heartless selfish drive covered by concerned and caring appearances. He belongs to the generation who were just old enough to remember the district rebellion and the siege of the Capitol. When he is chosen as one of the student mentors for tributes in the 10th Hunger Games, life presents him with a whole new arena and a charming Lucy Gray Baird. The tribute from District 12 is the soul of the narrative. She manages to become the center of attention among the twenty-four tributes by singing to a recent war-surviving society. One headed for certain death and the other on the way to losing his future, Coriolanus and Lucy Gray battle both inside and outside the arena for their lives.
The settings are descriptive and well thought of. The inclusion of Covey was a nice thing. They are a community who perform from place to place. The writing is to the point with vivid descriptions and a foreboding sense that never takes leave. All the characters are familiar yet different. Characters like Sejanus, Dean Casca Highbottom, Tigris, Dr.Gaul, will earn a place in your heart or haunt your dreams.To all the people who think they know enough of the Hunger Games to not feel horrified, a warning: It was much worse this time. Brace.
In a time when centuries old discrimination finally received the attention due to it with everybody stepping forward and asking for an end to it, A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes helps us realize how difficult it is to change minds that absolutely believe that anyone who is different from us is less human and that this fight that started along ago will continue for a long time and that we never can stop pushing for equality because discrimination runs deep. To stop this imaginary war of “us v/s them”, every thought, every decision, every voice, every protest counts. We cannot rest and let this fire die down.
There’s so much I want to say about this book but I will not for fear of giving you spoilers. There are a lot of songs, so if you’re a musician and manage to give them tunes, do send me the audios. The first part of the book is full of action and in contrast the second part seems a little tame. This book answers a lot of questions from THG. I remember wondering how anyone could think of anything as brutal as The Hunger Games. And also, the origin of the song ‘The Hanging Tree’. Well, I got my answers. Hope you do to!
Anyone can read this book. Of course, there is violence so in case of children, you might want to check it out yourself before you give it to them. If you haven’t read The Hunger Games, no worries you can go ahead and read this book. And if you’ve read THG then I think you should definitely read it.I’ll leave a snippet for you, not a very important line but it seemed loaded to me. The ‘him’ is Snow.
“She could fly around District 12 all she liked, but she and her mockingjays could never harm him again”
I know I haven’t really said a lot but I truly didn’t want to spoil it for you. Enjoy the read!
Hardcover ======>I didn’t know how much I missed Panem until I read this long-awaited marvel of a novel. This aptly titled prequel is at once a new story and a trip down nostalgia lane of The Hunger Games. And I cannot appreciate the title enough.
The story revolves around young Coriolanus Snow who lives a double life. His poverty hidden under a rich and careless demeanor, a heartless selfish drive covered by concerned and caring appearances. He belongs to the generation who were just old enough to remember the district rebellion and the siege of the Capitol. When he is chosen as one of the student mentors for tributes in the 10th Hunger Games, life presents him with a whole new arena and a charming Lucy Gray Baird. The tribute from District 12 is the soul of the narrative. She manages to become the center of attention among the twenty-four tributes by singing to a recent war-surviving society. One headed for certain death and the other on the way to losing his future, Coriolanus and Lucy Gray battle both inside and outside the arena for their lives.
The settings are descriptive and well thought of. The inclusion of Covey was a nice thing. They are a community who perform from place to place. The writing is to the point with vivid descriptions and a foreboding sense that never takes leave. All the characters are familiar yet different. Characters like Sejanus, Dean Casca Highbottom, Tigris, Dr.Gaul, will earn a place in your heart or haunt your dreams.To all the people who think they know enough of the Hunger Games to not feel horrified, a warning: It was much worse this time. Brace.
In a time when centuries old discrimination finally received the attention due to it with everybody stepping forward and asking for an end to it, A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes helps us realize how difficult it is to change minds that absolutely believe that anyone who is different from us is less human and that this fight that started along ago will continue for a long time and that we never can stop pushing for equality because discrimination runs deep. To stop this imaginary war of “us v/s them”, every thought, every decision, every voice, every protest counts. We cannot rest and let this fire die down.
There’s so much I want to say about this book but I will not for fear of giving you spoilers. There are a lot of songs, so if you’re a musician and manage to give them tunes, do send me the audios. The first part of the book is full of action and in contrast the second part seems a little tame. This book answers a lot of questions from THG. I remember wondering how anyone could think of anything as brutal as The Hunger Games. And also, the origin of the song ‘The Hanging Tree’. Well, I got my answers. Hope you do to!
Anyone can read this book. Of course, there is violence so in case of children, you might want to check it out yourself before you give it to them. If you haven’t read The Hunger Games, no worries you can go ahead and read this book. And if you’ve read THG then I think you should definitely read it.I’ll leave a snippet for you, not a very important line but it seemed loaded to me. The ‘him’ is Snow.
“She could fly around District 12 all she liked, but she and her mockingjays could never harm him again”
I know I haven’t really said a lot but I truly didn’t want to spoil it for you. Enjoy the read!
Leave your thoughts, advice, criticism down in the comments.
Thanks for reading! Have you read The Hunger Games? Comment below.
Kindle edition ===>
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