Patricia answers “I can't stand that we don't know what...”

Rachel Dean asked this question about The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0):

I can't stand that we don't know what happens to Lucy Gray. We don't even know if she figured out his treachery. What do you think? Did she die somewhere in the woods? I felt like he went off the deep end fairly quick at the end. I didn't want him to be so evil and heartless. Do we think there is a chance she survived? Climbed a tree and waited for him to leave? :(

Patricia

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I believe there is every chance she survived. From the beginning, Lucy Gray marched to a different drum, and in her own way, she managed Coryo Snow much more capably than he managed her. I think the question of the three men he killed triggered a survival instinct in Lucy, she made her escape, leaving behind the orange scarf which had become repugnant to her. Maybe she knew the snake was there, maybe she didn't. Do you think this is going to be the only prequel? I think the author plans it to be the beginning of a new series that leads us to how the Hunger Games developed into the games in which Katniss features. And yes, I believe there will be a connection to Lucy Gray.

I con't know that Coriolanus is evil and heartless. When we look at the evidence, we see that he is spoiled, in spite of his position, and sensitivity to appearances runs in his family, trying to maintain a societal position they can no longer afford. What I do see in him is that he is utterly reliant on others to make things happen in his life - he goes to his cousin for a new shirt, and she does everything she can to help him. While he is the great hope for renewing the family fortune, his cousin really enables him not to have to work too hard to attain the things he wants most at any given moment. He is self-absorbed, concerned mostly about his own needs, and oblivious to the needs - physical and emotional - of others. In the beginning, he has a little bit of conscience, most of which is concerned with consequences and appearances. As he develops, he becomes more callous and calculating to achieve his goals. I bet the memory of his experience with Lucy haunts the rest of his life.

There is a lot of material here for a continuing series. There is the death of Sejanus, and his flirtation with the resistance and Coriolanus' role in those events. There is his betrayal with the jabber jay, and the fact that Sejanus' father is now bankrolling his education and lifestyle. There is his recorded behavior in the arena, and of course, his killing of the professor who was once friends with his father (and there has to be a great backstory there, too.) I'll bet it had something to do with Coriolanus' mother. (hide spoiler)]

flag

View all 4 comments

Gayle This prequel shook me more than the entire original trilogy, but I don't think there will be any more direct sequels to this prequel. I would die for ...more
Dec 05, 2021 07:09PM

Cassandra The backstory with Dean Highbottom - (view spoiler) ...more
Apr 09, 2024 12:38AM

More questions about The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes…

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

by Suzanne Collins

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more