a book review

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Decades before Katniss Everdeen survived the Hunger Games and earned the disdain of the President, a teenager of a noble family tries to survive post-war life in the Capital. Coriolanus Snow attends the elite Academy and hopes to win a scholarship to attend University. The opportunity arises when 24 students are chosen for a new approach to the fairly new Hunger Games. These students are to stand as Mentors to the Tributes from the Districts and to help "revive" interest in the games. The Mentor paired with the Tribute who wins will receive a full scholarship to the University.

Coriolanus finds his hopes dashed when he finds himself not only paired with a Tribute from District 12 (the one considered the lowest of the low), he gets paired with the girl - who is seen to be the least likely to win. But as the family motto says "Snow Lands on Top" and he starts plotting, scheming and working to gain sympathy for Lucy Gray Baird and find ways to help her survive the Games.

Meanwhile he has to do deal with outcast friends, psychotic teachers, delusional family members and the real fear of having no money.

And then the unimaginable happens - Lucy Gray wins and Coriolanus sees his future brightening. Right up until the school headmaster reveals that there is evidence Coriolanus and Lucy Gray cheated. But he offers Coriolanus the option to either be expelled or he could voluntarily drop out and join the Peacemakers, the governmental law enforcement. Rather than bring further disgrace to his family, he joins the Peacemakers and finds himself stationed to District 12 with another schoolmate.

There he is reunited with Lucy Gray Baird and struggles to deal with emotions for her, loyalty to the Capital and maintain his image and honor.

++++

I gotta say, I actually really liked this book. But I also fully admit that I like the "origin" stories of literary antagonists, and Coriolanus Snow, future President of Panem, is a great literary bad guy. I would not mind more stories in the life of this one.



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