The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games #0) by Suzanne Collins -- Restarting April 1st 2025

[Karen]

Aly wrote: "ch 27 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I know it's not particularly exciting on paper, but I think the way this is shaping up to focus on Snow's time as a Peacekeeper is probably going to be instrumental in explaining his later character. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Shannara wrote: "Finished part one and I’m losing momentum here... I just can’t seem to really get into this for some reason. [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ A couple of others have commented - and they're a bit further through - but I wonder whether her role was glossed over because of the cheating/Snow's involvement. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Finished. Review on home page. Seen quite a few comments showing disappointment in this, which may simply be a sign of how well The Hunger Games first captured the imagination of readers. Not quite what I expected, but it grew on me.

[Bea (Books And Bees of Bea)]

I just got my copy today. Read up to Chapter 7. (view spoiler)[ I have a theory that Snow and Lucy Gray would be another star-crossed lovers. Just like @Deana's (hide spoiler)]

Karen wrote: "Up to ch4. Interesting to see how we’re being encouraged to feel about Snow."
@Karen (view spoiler)[ I really don't like Snow in the original trilogy. But seeing a kind Snow is nice at some point. I thought he was a snobby rich guy growing up. (hide spoiler)]

[Bea (Books And Bees of Bea)]

Shannara wrote: "Finished part one and I’m losing momentum here... I just can’t seem to really get into this for some reason. [spoilers removed]"

Hmmm. (view spoiler)[ I have the same feeling with regards to Snow. However, and not spoil you in any way, I think Lucy Gray will win the 10th Hunger Games. It was mentioned in the movie that Haymitch is the only victor aside from Katniss and Peeta. But in the first chapter of the Hunger Games, it was mentioned that there were two victors but only one was alive (Haymitch). Perhaps, the other one was Lucy Gray. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Bea (Books And Bees of Bea) wrote: "I just got my copy today. Read up to Chapter 7. [spoilers removed]

Karen wrote: "Up to ch4. Interesting to see how we’re being encouraged to feel about Snow."
@Karen [spoilers removed]"

It's definitely something that offers a different idea for us about a character that we only see from one perspective in the original.

[Shannara]

Bea (Books And Bees of Bea) wrote: "Shannara wrote: "Finished part one and I’m losing momentum here... I just can’t seem to really get into this for some reason. [spoilers removed]"

Hmmm. [spoilers removed]"

Really?!?! Then there is hope!!!! Thanks for that!!!!

[Bea (Books And Bees of Bea)]

@Karen This book also shows how the game was first designed. With highschool kids as mentors, starting a betting game for citizen of the Capitol, and the introduction of mutations in the game. Definitely enjoying it. But I guess not as much as the original trilogy.

@Shannara No problem!

Also a quick update: I just finished Chapter 21. (view spoiler)[ And I guess this is the turning point for Snow. With the games done, I wonder what will then happen to Lucy Gray. Is she gonna still be on the picture? Or not as much? (hide spoiler)]

[Ta || bookishbluehead]

I just got the book in the mail, starting it right away. Don't know what to expect.

[Ta || bookishbluehead]

14 % Chapter 5 (view spoiler)[Knowing what person Snow becomes makes it hard for me to feel anything for him. It makes me sick to see how the tributes are treated. (hide spoiler)]

[Bea (Books And Bees of Bea)]

Just finished the book. Quite enjoyed it despite everything moving so slow. (view spoiler)[ Part 3 was really obvious since we know what wiol happen to Snow in the end. (hide spoiler)]

[Tee]

I just started reading, I'm so excited!

[Shannara]

End of chapter 17... (view spoiler)[ I keep seeing hints that Snow is already the jerk we all love to hate today. It seems as though everything he does has to benefit him in some way. Feeding Lucy Gray makes her stronger and gives him a better shot at looking good and winning his prize. Being nice to Sejanus and his other classmates makes him look good too. The way he looks, what he eats in public, and everything he says to people gives him the image he thinks he needs to succeed. No one really knows him, but I think Dr. Gaul can see his calculated moves. As crazy as she is, I think she sees his truth. He has the ability to be ruthless. Heartless. Perhaps if something terrible happened to Lucy Gray because of the other tributes then that might push him over the edge to Dr. Gaul’s level of ruthlessness. But that’s just a guess. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

I'll be starting tomorrow!!

[Courtney]

I just bought this one! Hoping to join soon.

[Dr. Andy]

Ch. 6 (view spoiler)[ Man Snow is such a twat. I already don't like him. Is him being poor in the Capitol supposed to make me pity him or something? because I definitely don't. Tigris is interesting tho, I'd love to learn more about her (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Shannara wrote: "End of chapter 17... [spoilers removed]"

Oh yes I could totally see that! Snow is awful, but Dr Gaul has a viciousness that he still lacks.

[Dr. Andy]

Ch. 12 (view spoiler)[ I'm really not all that interested in this story except for the comparisons to how the hunger games are in the original trilogy. I didn't like Snow before and I don't think I will after this. It's kinda sad that Snow doesn't think he has any friends or refuses to make any. He has a really twisted view on people. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Aly wrote: "the audiobook chapters are way off so my updates might be random"

Omg I thought i was going crazy at first but audible really effed up the chapter formatting!

[Dr. Andy]

Aly wrote: "ch 18 [spoilers removed]"

Yeah the actual games were the only interesting part to me basically lmao

[Dr. Andy]

Aly wrote: "finished [spoilers removed] ..."

(view spoiler)[ Omfg that part was so damn confusing!! Like how tf does he jump from we're running away together to she knows all my secrets and now I need to kill her. Just wtf man. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Ch. 21 (view spoiler)[ Wait Lucy really won?? Don't they point out in the 74th games that Districts 12 only winner is Haymitch. Or was that the only living victor?? I really did not expect Lucy to win. (hide spoiler)]

[Dr. Andy]

Finished (view spoiler)[ I feel bad for Sejanus. He really thought he had a true friend in Snow. Had Snow let him go, I might be more sympathetic to him. But he didn't of course. The last couple scenes between Lucy and Snow felt so off to me too. I just don't understand that whole mess. I also thought Lucy was going to tell Snow to eff off when she saw him in 12, I didn't think she truly cared for him.

Other things: why did this only focus on one game? Why didn't we get to see Snows actual rise to power? For as long as this book was, I don't feel like we learned much about Snow and a lot was left open ended. (hide spoiler)]

[Heather]

Joining in this!

[Vivi]

Started reading today...

[Natalie]

I’m gonna hop in on this :)) I’ll probably start it in a couple of days.

[Shannara]

Andrea wrote: "Ch. 21 [spoilers removed]"

Yeah I didn’t either. Such a surprise!! Makes things interesting.

[Shannara]

Andrea wrote: "Ch. 12 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Girl I am feeling you on this!! I’ve been struggling to get into this for most of the book. It picked up for the games, but now that he’s a peacekeeper I’m trying to read, but every five minutes I’m like, ooooo Pinterest, or eBay, or GR. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ (hide spoiler)]

[Deidra]

Through Chapter 9: (view spoiler)[ It's so weird reading about the man that becomes President Snow. Why does Suzanne Collins have to make sort of like the man. It's weird knowing what's coming.

Thoughts: I think he really did those things for his tribute because he seems to care about her. I mean it works out for him as well, but I think he sees more than he thought he would. I'm very curious to see how this Hunger Games plays out. It's interesting to see the Captial's perspective of the war as well. (hide spoiler)]

[Simone]

Until Chapter 9 (view spoiler)[I agree with you on the fact that he appears to really care about Lucy Gray. I mean, I find the romance to be a little forced, but I think that both of them are genuine. I don't think that I really like Snow, but I do sympathize with him (but I guess that's common for villain backstories). Though it is a little weird how fast he goes from mourning Arachne to thinking that she has no real worth.

Speaking of Arachne, I found the name choices to be interesting.
In the Greek myth, Arachne's downfall was taunting Athena, and in this book, her downfall was taunting her tribute. Also with Nero and Persephone, Nero being a cannibal, and Persephone being the innocent. (hide spoiler)]

[Vivi]

Julie wrote: "14 % Chapter 5 - (view spoiler)[ Knowing what person Snow becomes makes it hard for me to feel anything for him. It makes me sick to see how the tributes are treated" (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ It's really horrible how they are treating the tributes like feral animals (caged, with cuffs) and making them starve! I Never thought it could be worse than in the 74th Hunger Games, but it seems in here they aren't even considered human beings.

Snow is young here, only 18, but still self-absorbed it seems. Knowing how evil he'll turn out to be does make it hard to like him very much...but we'll see... I think he'll grow on me (if I just stop thinking about President Snow 64 years in the future). (hide spoiler)]

[Vivi]

Deidra wrote: "Through Chapter 9: - (view spoiler)[ It's so weird reading about the man that becomes President Snow. Why does Suzanne Collins have to make sort of like the man. It's weird knowing what's coming.

Thoughts: I think he really did those things for his tribute because he seems to care about her. I mean it works out for him as well, but I think he sees more than he thought he would. I'm very curious to see how this Hunger Games plays out. It's interesting to see the Captial's perspective of the war as well." (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[I think Snow is seeing Lucy Gray a lot more humanized than he expected, initially. Most people in the Capitol seem to see the districts tributes as animals or traitors to kill off in the games... But actually getting to know them is showing them that they are people (and children) too.

I really believe Coriolanus kind of sympathyzes with Lucy Gray. It's the 1st time that there are mentors in the games...they're close in age and they're both young. Snow kind of likes how different, "colorful", and special Lucy Gray is. She's a breath of fresh air in his life. He's curious, intrigued... I think he does actually care about what will happen to her (mostly he cares about himself, but in here he does not care ONLY about himself). Lucy Gray is becoming a sort of friend (which I guess Snow and other mentors never expected to happen). They're not really supposed to bond to then just have her be killed off in the games... That will hurt deeply.

I, somewhat, have the feeling Lucy Gray will turn manipulative and evil???!!! (I think she'll use/play Snow to win the games...and Maybe break his heart in the process.) I think Snow might have changed after the 10th hunger games with her, and never have cared for a tribute again...maybe.

AND I'm so curious about Tigris too. I really like her! She pretty sweet. How did she end up as the Tigris we see in Mockingjay?! They're cousins... Family! And in here they're close, almost like siblings... Yet, in Mockingjay they are on opposite sides... Is it because she was against his evil doings?! Did Snow push her aside because she had other values that went against his own as President of Panem?!

I hope they adress this here. I'm gonna be mad if I read 500+pages and get no answers to my questions. (hide spoiler)]

[Shannara]

Oh thank goodness. It’s over. 100% (view spoiler)[ I’m not saying I didn’t like this book, but I hate Snow so much that this had me rolling my eyes and waiting for his true nature to come through. When he says “He knee this would be easier if he wasn’t such an exceptional person” I seriously wanted to punch the boy. Like damn, how full of yourself do you have to be to think that?! And how quickly he tossed Lucy Gray aside is just sickening. I think had he walked out and tossed the gun into the lake immediately, maybe she’d have come back. But no, he thought to himself, welp, she’s got a knife so I better run her down to protect myself. What?!?! So overall it was well written and not uninteresting, I just didn’t like the subject and I felt like it could have been about 150 pages shorter. (hide spoiler)]

[Shannara]

Andrea wrote: "Finished...

(view spoiler)[ Yeah I agree that whole last scene with Lucy Gray was just strange and a bit off. It didn’t seem to fit with how he claimed he felt for a majority of the book. And, I also get the feeling that we’re looking at a prequel trilogy. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I hope not unless the next one is focused on someone or something other that Snow. (hide spoiler)]

[Shannara]

Deana ~ Organically grown, Fae dusted wrote: "100 percent ..."

(view spoiler)[ I know right?! Like as soon as he realized the gun didn’t actually condemn him, he took half a second to be like, oh okay, I don’t need to run away with Lucy Gray. She’ll be fine in her own. Oh wait no, she might possibly be a threat to me. Maybe. Better try and shoot her down. 🙄 (hide spoiler)]

[Jammin Jenny]

Chapter 12 (view spoiler)[ It's interesting seeing Coriolanus Snow's years at the 10th hunger games, and that his family was not doing so well then. He must be the ancestor of Cornelius Snow we know in our Hunger Games ages. Also interesting how they were scheming to try and make laws at the time to ensure the districts were actually watching the hunger games. (hide spoiler)]

[Vivi]

Jammin Jenny wrote: "Chapter 12 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[actually, spoiler to you, I think this 18 year old Coriolanus Snow is the same President Snow of the Hunger Games, 64 years in the past.

They're the same person...(same name and ages match) in here snow is 18,in hunger games he is 82 years old.

We can kind of see how he was when young and how he started to become the man we know in hunger games. (hide spoiler)]

[Deidra]

Vivi wrote: "Deidra wrote: "Through Chapter 9: - It's so weird reading about the man that becomes President Snow. Why does Suzanne Collins have to make sort of like the man. It's weird knowing what's coming.
..."

(view spoiler)[ I was thinking Lucy couldn't have won because Haymitch was the only tribute in the winner's group from District 12. Maybe I'm remembering wrong. (hide spoiler)]

[Deidra]

Through Chapter 17: (view spoiler)[Well that was intense. The Hunger Games really evolved before we meet Katniss. I can't believe how many mentors and tributes are gone and the games haven't even started yet. Snow is making me happy. I kind of hate that, but I love Tigress. She's precious. (hide spoiler)]

[Jammin Jenny]

Chapter 25 (view spoiler)[ Coriolanus seems to want to be good, but he's got a lot of bad in him. His teachers are really cruel. His tribute from district 12 is still in the mix. I wonder if that's why the Snows hate District 12 so much in Katniss's time. (hide spoiler)]

[Jammin Jenny]

Chapter 37 (view spoiler)[

So now Coriolanus has been sent to District 12 as a peacekeeper. He finds Lucy Gray again, but finds that she belongs to another person in District 12. I have a feeling that this is going to be the beginning of the end of the love for District 12 by the Snows. (hide spoiler)]

[Jammin Jenny]

I loved this new installment and prequel to The Hunger Games. It was so interesting to see the early years of Coriolanus Snow and his involvement in the 10th annual hunger games. And we find out (view spoiler)[ that Snow's father is the true creator of The Hunger Games (hide spoiler)]. Great prequel to the series.

[Vivi]

Deidra wrote: "Vivi wrote: "Deidra wrote: "Through Chapter 9: -
(view spoiler)[
I was thinking Lucy couldn't have won because Haymitch was the only tribute in the winner's group from District 12. Maybe I'm remembering wrong. (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Actually, Deidra, I've re-read the hunger games Triology and I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure District 12 had 2 victors... So there's a chance Lucy Gray will be the 1st Victor of district 12. She wasn’t in the winner's group, because she's probably dead already... She'd be 80 years old in the Hunger Games time. (hide spoiler)]

[Vivi]

Deidra wrote: "Through Chapter 17: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I love Tigris too. I hope we get to know more about her (hide spoiler)].

[Vivi]

Andrea wrote: "Ch. 21 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ yep, Lucy Gray won... But Coriolanus was turned into a peacekeeper, because of his meddling in the games to protect Lucy Gray, I think. (the idea of using rat poison, using her scent with the snakes...)

The thing is...in the Hunger games there's no old victor Lucy Gray in District 12...so, what happend to her?

Was Lucy Gray forced to stay in the Capitol? Or did she run away to other districts? Or is she really Greasy Sue of the Hob?! (hide spoiler)]

[Deidra]

Finished: (view spoiler)[ Whew that was intense. And as they say, that escalated quickly. All I want to know now is what truly happened to Lucy Grey. She was the kind of person I want to know. She was fierce and smart and I hate that she probably died. And realizing how much Snow became such a horrible part of the future of the districts. I loved the symbolism of how after the encounter with Lucy in the woods, the only thing left he has is of his father. That's who he became. I did like the book though. (hide spoiler)]

[Deidra]

Jammin Jenny wrote: "Chapter 37

So now Coriolanus has been sent to District 12 as a peacekeeper. He finds Lucy Gray again, but finds that she belongs to another person in District 12. I have a feeling that this is go..."

It happened faster than I expected.

[Vivi]

Deidra wrote: "Finished: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ yep, that was a big turn of events... One minute they're gonna run away together and the next they're trying to kill each other!... Shocking!

Just shows Snow and Lucy gray's true nature... They're survivors and most of anything, they care about them 1st and they're own well-being! I don't think they really loved each other for real... They were just infatuated with each other. It was good they didn't rum into the wilderness... I don't think it would have lasted. Snow is ruthless and extremely self-absorbed and will do ANYTHING to save himself and his own reputation... Even cause the death of a supposed best friend. I'M SO SAD Sejanous died! I really liked him... He reminded me of Peeta. I wanted Sejanous to live on... My poor boy.

And then Reaper, I think it's extremely noble how he refused to kill anyone even if he has forced into the hunger games. Of course he was killed, but he died a innocent and as himself, with a pure heart of gold.

About Lucy Gray... She’s fierce and not as innocent as she 1st seems. She's a survivor, too. I am sad we didn't get to know what really happened to her. I really hated this ending! Too open... Not a dead body found... She became a ghost, mystery. I like thinking she could have lived on, and turned out to be Katniss' grandmother (her father's mother), because of the hanging tree song that Katniss' father sang too... But I think it very unlikely that this is true. Snow would have found out if she was alive and living in district 12...and probably find a way to get her killed, to keep his wrongdoings hidden.

Another chance is that Greasy Sae is Lucy Gray. Meaning Lucy Gray ran away from 12, and returned some years later with this new name... A new identity So she wouldn't be found out by snow or anyone. And so lucy gray is dead, but still she lives on.

Again, I really hate this type of open endings... Just leave me here hanging, thinking about what may or may not have happened 😩 (hide spoiler)]

[Deidra]

Vivi wrote: "Deidra wrote: "Finished: [spoilers removed]"

yep, that was a big turn of events... One minute they're gonna run away together and the next they're trying to kill each other!... Shocking!

Just sh..."
(view spoiler)[ I like the idea of Greasy Sae being Lucy. They didn't love each other that's for sure. They had to do what they had to do because they needed the other to succeed. And feelings developed, but they were based on things that weren't necessary. (hide spoiler)]

[Jammin Jenny]

Vivi wrote: "Jammin Jenny wrote: "Chapter 12 [spoilers removed]"

actually, spoiler to you, I think this 18 year old Coriolanus Snow is the same President Snow of the Hunger Games, 64 years in the past.

They'r..."

I thought it was but then for some reason I didn't think the older guys name was Coriolanus so I thought maybe it was his father. Then I found out later (view spoiler)[that his father was the original designer of The Hunger Games!!! (hide spoiler)]