The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020), written by Suzanne Collins
An English review.
(WARNING: Spoiler Alert!)
“Can you tell who the songbird is and who the snake is?” The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a dystopian young adult-adventure novel created by Suzanne Collins. It is a prequel to The Hunger Games Trilogy. The author is known for her other works, such as Underland Chronicles Series and The Hunger Games Trilogy. The book was published on May 19, 2020, and is set to have a movie adaptation released on November 2023. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is an intriguing prequel that dives into the past of the infamous President Snow from The Hunger Games Trilogy. It digs into Panem's dystopian world's complicated web of power, ambition, and love.
The story centers around 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow before becoming Panem's tyrannical president 64 years later from the original trilogy. The novel takes place during the 10th Hunger Games, where Snow is chosen as a mentor for District 12's female tribute, Lucy Gray Baird. The Capitol developed the Hunger Games to show their dominance and punish the districts that rebelled against them. It was televised to the whole country of Panem. Before the games began, she gained popularity in the Capitol thanks to her performing talents and charming demeanor. As the games unfold, Coriolanus forms a complicated relationship with Lucy Gray by falling in love with her, and his views on power, loyalty to the Capitol, and morality are tested. The narrative explores Snow's descent into darkness and the corruption of power, shedding light on his motivations and the origins of his cruelty, offering a compelling backstory to one of literature's most infamous villains. As he always says, “Snow lands on top.”
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes explores several themes and conveys various messages throughout the novel. One of the central messages revolves around the corrupting influence of power and the lengths individuals will go to maintain control. It delves into the origins of President Snow's ruthless nature and sheds light on the oppressive regime that eventually emerges in the Hunger Games trilogy. The novel also shows the privilege and inequality in society. It contrasts the luxurious Capitol residents with the impoverished districts, highlighting Panem's injustice and disparity. The story raises concerns about the morality and consequences of exploiting the less fortunate for personal gain. In addition, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes discusses the complexities of morality and the gray areas between right and wrong. It provokes readers to ponder the motivations and choices of the characters, highlighting the ambiguous distinction between heroism and evilness. The novel ultimately acts as a cautionary tale against the dangers of an oppressive regime and the loss of empathy and compassion in the desire for power.
The events in the novel precisely reflect the society we have before and even now. Many people experience injustice and exploitation from those with a high position or class in our country, and a person can have a moral dilemma because of some situations that they experienced. Everyone has the potential to be both harmless and stunning, like a songbird, and dangerous and destructive, like a snake. As an individual, what are you? A songbird or a snake?
This book is a warm welcome for me as someone unfamiliar with the dystopian genre. It is a compelling novel that made me read it for two days straight. I love how Suzanne wrote every character in this book, from Coriolanus and Lucy Gray to the side characters like Sejanus. It was a thrilling adventure, it made me feel like I was in the arena watching the tributes fighting each other, and it made me root for the tributes who were just victims of the Capitol’s abuse. I wish I could experience again the chills and feels that I felt while reading this book for the first time without any clue about it outside of the teaser trailer of its movie adaptation. I will never forget this book as my introduction to the dystopian genre and The Hunger Games universe. It is a highly recommended novel if you love The Hunger Games movies or any other movies or books with the same theme and genre.
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