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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

(The Hunger Games #0)

Suzanne Collins

really liked it 4.00 · Rating details · 10,869 ratings · 475 reviews

It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the 10th annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to out charm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to ...more

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Kindle Edition, 540 pages

Expected publication: May 19th 2020 by Scholastic Press

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· 10,869 ratings · 475 reviews

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Start your review of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)

Jun 17, 2019 Emily (Books with Emily Fox) marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2020-releases

So apparently this is about President Snow...

A teen born to privilege but searching for something more, a far cry from the man we know he will become. Here hes friendly. Hes charming. For now hes a hero.

Really? ...more

flag 694 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 Kai marked it as desperate-to-read

Shelves: to-buy

*whispers softly*: fuck

flag 1081 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 Chaima ✨ شيماء marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2020-releases, young-adult, fiction, ya-sff

hi hello, excuse me as I temporarily switch back to my former occupation as a Hunger Games enthusiast *pulls out all my merch from the closet*

flag 1213 likes · Like · see review

Jun 24, 2019 Nick marked it as to-read

I really really really don't care about Snow's life.

flag 471 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 Teodora marked it as to-read

Shelves: ya, want-to-read-but-do-not-have, dystopia, sf, 2020-releases

I feel an old obsession coming back to life...

flag 318 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 Cardan Greenbriar -- PLEASE STAY HOME AND SAFE marked it as to-read

Shelves: grabby-hands, panicking, super-curious, will-die-if-not-given, desperately-want-to-read

Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute . . . and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.

*intense screaming*
uhum excuse me sorrryyy
HOLIEEEEE SHITTTwhaaattttttt?!!sfbkjsdks

Deeep in the meeaaadow, under the wiiillow, you'll find meee, choking Coriolanus Snowww

P.s. Snow's name sounds like a scientific name of a harmful bacteria often found on shit

Peeta: This saucepan, real or not real?
Katniss: Real
Peeta: Our ...more

flag 272 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 Chelsea Humphrey marked it as future-tbr

Cover and Title Reveal!!!

Hi, hello, excuse me, what is this? What's going on? Is this the next book that we didn't even know that we needed?

description

flag 269 likes · Like · see review

Jan 25, 2020 Nilufer Ozmekik marked it as to-read

When you patiently wait for this book too long and you find out this book's plot is about: President Snow's early times:

flag 243 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 ✨ A ✨ marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2020-release

All I'm saying is this book better not try to make me feel sorry for President Snow or I'll riot.

Yes, I'm still going to read it and it will be interesting to know more about Snow but I'm tired of authors taking characters we hate and giving them redemption plots. Let me hate them in peace thank you. I guess i'll just have to wait and see.

...Also she could have chosen to write about Haymitch. i feel cheated.
___
TITLE AND COVER!! AND A YA SNAKE

flag 210 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 ✨ jamieson ✨ marked it as to-read

Shelves: dystopian, anticipated-2020

may the odds of getting an arc of this be [and i cannot stress this enough] ever in your favour

flag 203 likes · Like · see review

Jul 04, 2019 Nenia ⚡ Aspiring Evil Overlord ⚡ Campbell marked it as wishlist

Me: I'm tired of authors writing unnecessary side-books to further cash in on their series

Suzanne Collins: I'm writing a prequel to the Hunger Games

Me: HALLE-FUCKING-LUJAH, TAKE MY MONEY AND MY SOUL

flag 173 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 Mary S. R. marked it as to-read

Shelves: science-fiction, young-adult, dystopia

UPDATE, 05 OCT: the Hunger Games prequel has a NAME & COVER

flag 163 likes · Like · see review

Jun 18, 2019 Elise (TheBookishActress) marked it as 2020

this announcement absolutely changed me as a person

flag 151 likes · Like · see review

Jan 24, 2020 The Burning Rose (Jess) marked it as to-read

Wait, what the fuck?

flag 123 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 Tucker marked it as not-released-tbr

Shelves: reviewed

[10/04/19] - We have been blessed with a cover and a title! Not a fan of the title but the cover is gorgeous!

-----------

Me when ARCs are being sent out:

flag 115 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 megs_bookrack marked it as to-read

Shelves: ya-science-fiction-to-read, 2020-releases

What's this???

Irrefutable proof that dreams really do come true, that's what.

Thank you, Goddess, Suzanne Collins!

Thank you.

flag 112 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 Tatiana marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: not-yet-available, ppb, to-read-in-2020

Not sure I liked this excerpt or the idea of redeeming a monster. Still, hope dies last...

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/w...
____________
Never expected this one to happen...

flag 106 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 Raeleen Lemay marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: wishlist, young-adult

still excited for this but dang that's a bad cover/title

flag 106 likes · Like · see review

Jun 21, 2019 Kiki marked it as to-read

The pre-release discourse on this book has been fascinating. I mean, I'm looking forward to this book, mostly because I'm an adult now, and upon my recent revisit of The Hunger Games (albeit by watching the movies, though I do plan on a re-read of the whole series this year) I've grown far more invested in the story and world. I didn't care for these books as a teen, but I was paralysed with overwhelming distress when I rewatched the movies; at the end of Catching Fire, I had cried so hard and The pre-release discourse on this book has been fascinating. I mean, I'm looking forward to this book, mostly because I'm an adult now, and upon my recent revisit of The Hunger Games (albeit by watching the movies, though I do plan on a re-read of the whole series this year) I've grown far more invested in the story and world. I didn't care for these books as a teen, but I was paralysed with overwhelming distress when I rewatched the movies; at the end of Catching Fire, I had cried so hard and so many times that I had a headache. I had to lie down with a cold cloth on my forehead. I don't know if that says more about me than it does the books - maybe it's fair commentary on both - but I feel like the thematic complexity was lost on me when I was 16.

Of course, this isn't even a pre-review; it's just my musings. Do I feel like this book is wholly necessary? Nah. Not really. I know all I need to know about Panem. I'm not particularly interested in revisiting it, and I'd have liked to see Suzanne Collins write something new. But as I said, the discourse around this is interesting. Some people are excited, and some people are appalled, and some people are appalled enough to rate the book before it's published. Am I judging those people? No. It's absolutely none of my business and certainly not my responsibility how other people choose to conduct themselves online.

But what piques my interest is how uncurious some people appear to be. Like... Aren't you curious? Don't you think it might be kind of interesting to understand how the government, gamemakers, and upper echelons of Panem related to each other within their social enclave? Aren't you curious about how Panem's elite managed to uphold this culture of structured violence for so long? Don't you care about how power bleeds down through generations and corrupts the young? Doesn't any of that sound interesting? How can it not?

I understand why some people might not be interested in reading about Coriolanus Snow, but I'm a bit perplexed by this idea that there's no value in trying to deconstruct the mind and personal history of an enemy. I find it odd that people don't want to ponder how dictators, war criminals, or autocrats are made, and therefore consider what we might do, or what systems we might put in place, to stop crimes against humanity from happening at all. Isn't prevention always better than cure? ...more

flag 95 likes · Like · see review

Aug 06, 2019 Tijana marked it as to-read

Edit: I didn't expect this to be about President Snow!!! As a mentor!!! To a district 12 tribute!!! Whaaat?
-----------------------------------------
Um...
Why does this book already have over 4000 ratings??
And yeah, okay, I can somewhat understand people giving it 5 stars in advance because they believe in Suzanne Collins that much, but what's with everyone else?
Do they just sit with their crystal ball and go like "Hmmm, I think this is going to be a 3 star read"??

Me confused.

flag 84 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 Merline marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-most-anticipated

*pterodactyl scream into the void*

flag 80 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 Cece (ProblemsOfaBookNerd) marked it as tbr-unreleased

Shelves: anticipated-of-2020

Can't believe I'm going to be reading a new Hunger Games book in the year of our lord 2020. High school me is shaking.

flag 84 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 ALet marked it as to-read

I feel like I'm 14 again

flag 74 likes · Like · see review

Sep 14, 2019 Gaia marked it as to-read

so apparently this is gonna be about young president snow???? i just went from SUPER EXCITED to most likely never gonna read it. disappointed and underwhelmed

flag 65 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 destiny ♡⚔♡ [howling libraries] marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: unreleased-but-i-need-it-now

I cried when I heard the news that this was happening. I am not over this series. I will never be over this series.

flag 64 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 Charlotte May marked it as to-read

OMFG! What?!? 😍 This is the prequel I didnt know I needed until now 🙌 ...more

flag 57 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥ added it

And once again I can't help but ask myself if I'm living under a rock or behind the moon!
How come I didn't know this is a thing?

A prequel of "The Hunger Games" is the last thing I would have expected!
Still, it sounds pretty intriguing and I'm definitely going to read this.
I always wondered what happened before the Hungergames started and I'm more than just ready to find out.

2020 though... >_<

flag 54 likes · Like · see review

Jul 30, 2019 ♡ ᴅ ʀ ᴇ ᴀ ᴍ ♡ marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2020-release

Im not a huge fan of the title but yeah, I cant wait to read it!!! Highly hope that Ill like this book as much as the first three ones! ...more

flag 46 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 Amelia marked it as to-read

22.01.2020 update:

It would appear that the prequel is about President Snow when he was young....

..what is this nonsense? There were so many great characters that this could've been about, but no...I'm still gonna read it, but my expectations are getting lower and lower.

First updates:

WE. ARE. GETTING. A. HUNGER. GAMES. PREQUEL.

WHAT IS LIFE?

flag 45 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2019 Ayesha (The Fifth Marauder) marked it as to-read

Shelves: need-to-read

Me: *buys more books*
Family: stop! you don't have enough room
Me: you're right
Me: *buys more shelves*

flag 42 likes · Like · see review

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
New hunger games prequel, who else is psyched?!?!	11	11	2 hours, 41 min ago
Temecula Valley B...: New Hunger Games Prequel release date + controversy	1	54	Jan 29, 2020 03:28PM
We Live In Books: Who's Excited? The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes	11	50	Jan 27, 2020 04:56PM
Who do you think this will be about? and which district?	3	46	Jan 02, 2020 10:21PM
Discord Book Club: New "Hunger Games" book coming May 2020	8	48	Nov 09, 2019 05:52PM

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About Suzanne Collins

Suzanne Collins

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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Since 1991, Suzanne Collins has been busy writing for childrens television. She has worked on the staffs of several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy-nominated hit Clarissa Explains it All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. For preschool viewers, she penned multiple stories for the Emmy-nominated Little ...more