Jayson’s Reviews > The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes > Status Update
Jayson
is on page 22 of 528
Notes:
(1) I don't like that Collins uses poverty to make Snow sympathetic.
- Feels cheap to me.
(2) Snow's cousin's named Tigris. I wonder if this is the same Tigris from "Mockingjay"?
- If so, it'd give her scenes there added meaning.
(3) Snow's family is bankrupt nobility, a contrast with his school rival, Sejanus, who's family is nouveau riche.
- Such a very Victorian trope. Odd to see outside of classics.
— Dec 26, 2021 04:45AM
(1) I don't like that Collins uses poverty to make Snow sympathetic.
- Feels cheap to me.
(2) Snow's cousin's named Tigris. I wonder if this is the same Tigris from "Mockingjay"?
- If so, it'd give her scenes there added meaning.
(3) Snow's family is bankrupt nobility, a contrast with his school rival, Sejanus, who's family is nouveau riche.
- Such a very Victorian trope. Odd to see outside of classics.
78 likes · Like flag
Jayson’s Previous Updates
Jayson
is on page 518 of 528
Notes:
(1) Yeah, I just finished the book and I still don't know what the heck to think about it.
- Whereas "Mockingjay" similarly required time mull over its ending, it was a much more exciting book, punctuated with action. This, on the other hand, was slow throughout and ended with a head-scratcher.
(2) On the bright side, the thing I dreaded would happen because of the midpoint plot twist, didn't end up happening.
— Jan 04, 2022 04:30PM
(1) Yeah, I just finished the book and I still don't know what the heck to think about it.
- Whereas "Mockingjay" similarly required time mull over its ending, it was a much more exciting book, punctuated with action. This, on the other hand, was slow throughout and ended with a head-scratcher.
(2) On the bright side, the thing I dreaded would happen because of the midpoint plot twist, didn't end up happening.
Jayson
is on page 471 of 528
Notes:
(1) '"Hey, you found some katniss" ... but [Lucy Gray] immediately examined the roots, from which small tubers hung. “Little too early yet."'
- How awfully meta.
(2) Less than 50 pages from the end, and I still don't know what to think of this.
- By now, books would be in tidying-up mode, but what appears to be the climax doesn't feel built up enough to cap off this book, it feels like the end of a second act.
— Jan 04, 2022 05:50AM
(1) '"Hey, you found some katniss" ... but [Lucy Gray] immediately examined the roots, from which small tubers hung. “Little too early yet."'
- How awfully meta.
(2) Less than 50 pages from the end, and I still don't know what to think of this.
- By now, books would be in tidying-up mode, but what appears to be the climax doesn't feel built up enough to cap off this book, it feels like the end of a second act.
Jayson
is on page 391 of 528
Notes:
(1) The whole book I wondered why Lucy Gray Baird was called "Lucy Gray" while everyone else is referred to by their first name. Apparently, her first name is "Lucy Gray".
- It isn't a double-barreled surname, her people have double first names, with the second a common surname.
- Something that could have been explained 250 pages ago!
(2) The romance is going too well. I feel like tragedy's around the corner.
— Jan 03, 2022 05:15AM
(1) The whole book I wondered why Lucy Gray Baird was called "Lucy Gray" while everyone else is referred to by their first name. Apparently, her first name is "Lucy Gray".
- It isn't a double-barreled surname, her people have double first names, with the second a common surname.
- Something that could have been explained 250 pages ago!
(2) The romance is going too well. I feel like tragedy's around the corner.
Jayson
is on page 351 of 528
Notes:
(1) Collins seems to only know how to write one kind of female lead.
- Practically perfect in every way, who boys pine after.
(2) About 60% in, and it's a totally different book.
- It could have just ended there, and the rest could be Part 2 of a duology.
(3) Oh no! They're not doing what I think they're doing to link this to the main series!
- No spoilers, please.
(4) How very "Game of Thrones" Night's Watch.
— Jan 02, 2022 04:40AM
(1) Collins seems to only know how to write one kind of female lead.
- Practically perfect in every way, who boys pine after.
(2) About 60% in, and it's a totally different book.
- It could have just ended there, and the rest could be Part 2 of a duology.
(3) Oh no! They're not doing what I think they're doing to link this to the main series!
- No spoilers, please.
(4) How very "Game of Thrones" Night's Watch.
Jayson
is on page 255 of 528
Notes:
(1) Of course, being an Ancient Rome analogue, this society unsurprisingly has their own variation of public crucifixion.
- 20' high poles with a crossbeam sounds remarkably similar to American football uprights.
(2) It's a running joke that very few people in Panem actually know the national anthem.
- Possibly a commentary on indifference to national unity in the Capitol: anthems being symbolic of nationhood.
— Dec 30, 2021 05:20AM
(1) Of course, being an Ancient Rome analogue, this society unsurprisingly has their own variation of public crucifixion.
- 20' high poles with a crossbeam sounds remarkably similar to American football uprights.
(2) It's a running joke that very few people in Panem actually know the national anthem.
- Possibly a commentary on indifference to national unity in the Capitol: anthems being symbolic of nationhood.
Jayson
is on page 206 of 528
Notes:
(1) Whenever Coriolanus frets over the possibility Lucy, or Tigris, aren't as chaste as he naively presumed, I hear Britney Spears singing: "I'm not so innocent!"
(2) This is turning out to be quite the Jane Austen romance.
- Well, except for all the murder... and explosions... and allusions to prostitution... and ritual humiliation... did I mention murder?
(3) Tigris like to eat raw meat.
- A bit on the nose.
— Dec 29, 2021 05:40AM
(1) Whenever Coriolanus frets over the possibility Lucy, or Tigris, aren't as chaste as he naively presumed, I hear Britney Spears singing: "I'm not so innocent!"
(2) This is turning out to be quite the Jane Austen romance.
- Well, except for all the murder... and explosions... and allusions to prostitution... and ritual humiliation... did I mention murder?
(3) Tigris like to eat raw meat.
- A bit on the nose.
Jayson
is on page 157 of 528
Notes:
(1) There's a lack of distinction among students. All the names are too alike, exotically Roman, and easily confusable.
- Contrast this with "Harry Potter," where student names were distinct, a bit stereotypically ethnic but distinct nonetheless, and gave an impression of appearance and voice.
- I'm having difficulty telling Clemensia from Lysistrata and Persephone. Make note of different hair color, at least!
— Dec 28, 2021 04:45AM
(1) There's a lack of distinction among students. All the names are too alike, exotically Roman, and easily confusable.
- Contrast this with "Harry Potter," where student names were distinct, a bit stereotypically ethnic but distinct nonetheless, and gave an impression of appearance and voice.
- I'm having difficulty telling Clemensia from Lysistrata and Persephone. Make note of different hair color, at least!
Jayson
is on page 100 of 528
Notes:
(1) Dr. Gaul, the Head Gamemaker, is inclined to speak in rhyme... frequently, not all the time.
- Might as well call her Dr. Seuss.
(2) Familiar names keep popping up. I assume Arachne Crane is related to Seneca Crane and Hilarius Heavensbee to Plutarch Heavensbee, for example.
- How very "Harry Potter."
(3) 100 pages in, and I'm not feeling the urgency of the original books.
- Sort of reads like fan fiction.
— Dec 27, 2021 04:15AM
(1) Dr. Gaul, the Head Gamemaker, is inclined to speak in rhyme... frequently, not all the time.
- Might as well call her Dr. Seuss.
(2) Familiar names keep popping up. I assume Arachne Crane is related to Seneca Crane and Hilarius Heavensbee to Plutarch Heavensbee, for example.
- How very "Harry Potter."
(3) 100 pages in, and I'm not feeling the urgency of the original books.
- Sort of reads like fan fiction.
Jayson
is starting
Notes:
(1) Some of you might recall that I did an audiobook re-read of "The Hunger Games" trilogy late last year. Well, the whole purpose of that was to prep myself for reading this book.
- The problem is I forgot, lost urgency and it got lost in the shuffle.
- I'm sure most people here know the feeling, when you buy a book, you either read it straight away or it sits around on a shelf until you're in the mood again.
— Dec 23, 2021 04:30AM
(1) Some of you might recall that I did an audiobook re-read of "The Hunger Games" trilogy late last year. Well, the whole purpose of that was to prep myself for reading this book.
- The problem is I forgot, lost urgency and it got lost in the shuffle.
- I'm sure most people here know the feeling, when you buy a book, you either read it straight away or it sits around on a shelf until you're in the mood again.
Comments Showing 1-8 of 8 (8 new)
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Era ➴
(new)
-
rated it 4 stars
Dec 26, 2021 09:39AM
I think Tigris was said in Mockingjay to be Snow's cousin?
reply
|
flag
That’s the same Tigris, yes 😁 Fun plot twist.
I actually didn't see it that way. I didn't pity Snow at all during the entire book because he doesn't start off as a genuinely good person. He just pretends to be so that he can earn some prestige and secure his family. He does what is necassary for survival, no matter the costs. Kind of like Katniss, which was an interesting parallel to me (apart from the fact that Katniss is a nice person, just socially awkward.) And yes, it indeed is Tigris from Mockingjay :D That was one of the very few plot points in the book that felt too much like fanfiction to me.
Era ➴ wrote: "I think Tigris was said in Mockingjay to be Snow's cousin?"I think it's something I would have remembered. I've done a search of the Mockingjay text, and the only time "cousin" is used is in reference to Katniss and Gale. Though, I'm open to the possibility that it was hinted at or clues were dropped. 🤷♂️
Nicole wrote: "That’s the same Tigris, yes 😁 Fun plot twist."Indeed, quite thought provoking. Puts everything in a new light 🤔
On point 3: Is it really that uncommon? I feel like many books have this trope. I'm thinking the Weasleys and the Snape family in Harry Potter, for example...
Sana wrote: "I actually didn't see it that way. I didn't pity Snow at all during the entire book because he doesn't start off as a genuinely good person. He just pretends to be so that he can earn some prestige..."Thanks of the insight, Sana! I'm only through the first chapter, so it'll be interesting to see the full scope of how snow is portrayed, and how he contrasts with Katniss. I only mention poverty as a cheat toward sympathy because it's so often a trope in fiction, especially to rehabilitate villains. Also, he's very hard-luck, and has a family to support, so there's cause to root for him despite his personality, unconsciously even.
To me, it seems that way from the first chapter. Possibly that was intended but didn't work out ultimately, or possibly it wasn't, and he's not meant to be sympathetic at all. Either way, it's an interesting trait to start off with, particularly in contrast to Sejanus and the rest of his social circle :)
GridGirl wrote: "On point 3: Is it really that uncommon? I feel like many books have this trope. I'm thinking the Weasleys and the Snape family in Harry Potter, for example..."Well, I guess it depends on the books you read, and whether those books resurrect or try to tap into that Victorian ethos. You mention Harry Potter, which is very much a Victorian throwback. Everything from the names to the class structure to an orphan protagonist, etc., is downright Dickensian. I'm far from the only person to make that comparison. Whether or not it's common today, I'd still say it's a throwback. Retro often becomes modern again :)
