Madison Meeks – Opinion Editor

mvm7037@psu.edu

“The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” by Suzanne Collins was released on May 19, 2020. The novel is a spin-off and a prequel to Collins’ New York Times bestselling series “The Hunger Games” The novel takes place 64 years before the beginning of the first novel. 

The story follows young Coriolanus Snow, or President Snow as he is later known in “The Hunger Games” series. Snow is far from the cold, devious, dictator that he is known as in the original trilogy. Following the costly war against most of the Districts, the Capitol remains heavily damaged and is beginning to recover. The Snow family was once wealthy, with their family member General Crassus Snow leading the Capitol’s army during the war and later dying in action, but has now become poor. 

The family is determined to keep up their appearance. But Coriolanus Snow who is 17 at the time of this novel, his cousin Tigris, and their grandmother begin to run out of options and money. Snow is determined to restore his family, regularly using the saying “Snow Lands On Top.”

Snow is chosen to be a mentor for the upcoming tenth annual hunger games. He was chosen based on his academic success at the Academy, which is the Capitol’s most prestigious high school. He is chosen to mentor District 12’s female tribute Lucy Gray Baird. 

Lucy Gray used to be a member of the traveling music group known as the Covey. She was forced to live in District 12 after the war had begun. Lucy Gray grasps the audience’s attention after she sings and slips a hidden snake into the clothing of the Mayor’s daughter when she was chosen during the reaping. 

Snow wants to make a good impression because his success in the games will guarantee the money he needs for university. Snow decides to meet Lucy Gray at the train station where the tributes are to arrive, but he accidentally ends up with them in their transport vehicle. The other tributes discuss whether to kill Snow or let him go, but Lucy Gray convinces them not to kill him due to the repercussions their families would be faced with. 

Will Lucy Gray succeed in the games? Will Snow get the money he needs to attend university? What made him the evil villain fans see in the original trilogy? 

Fans of ‘The Hunger Games’ trilogy will love this book. Discover the story of President Snow and more in “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.”