The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

Description

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Set 64 years before Katniss Everdeen’s time, the novel centers on Coriolanus Snow, the future President of Panem, who is portrayed as a young man struggling to maintain his family's legacy after the fallout of the First Rebellion. At the age of 18, Snow is chosen to be a mentor in the 10th Hunger Games, a brutal event where he must guide a female tribute from District 12, Lucy Gray Baird, in her fight to the death. Unlike the established, iconic games we see later, the 10th Hunger Games are still raw and evolving, with much of the Capitol's current political structure not yet in place. As Snow navigates this early version of the Hunger Games, his ambition and desire for power clash with his growing connection to Lucy Gray, who is a talented singer and a charismatic figure in the arena. Their bond, however, is complicated by Snow’s ruthless drive to secure his future, as well as the tension between his personal ethics and the demands of his environment. The book delves into themes of power, manipulation, morality, and survival as Snow’s character begins to take shape, showing his transformation from a young, idealistic man into the cruel and calculating dictator that he becomes in the original trilogy. The story provides a deeper look into the early years of the Hunger Games and the origins of the Capitol’s control over Panem.