Upcoming Review: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Ambition will fuel him. Competition will drive him. But power has its price. It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-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 outcharm, outwit, and outmanoeuvre his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute. The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined — every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favour or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. 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.

The Hunger Games Prequel Stars a Young President Snow

The Hunger Games was originally a trilogy of books about the struggles of Katniss Everdeen. The Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, has a different protagonist and is set sixty-four years before the first Hunger Games book.

So who is this new protagonist? A young Coriolanus Snow.

Best of 2015: #2 Mockingjay Part 2

I talk about why Mockingjay Part 2 made this list.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014)

Title: Mockingjay Part 1

Series: The Hunger Games

Based on The Hunger Games Trilogy By: Suzanne Collins

Director: Francis Lawrence

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth

Rated: PG-13

Released: 2014

Glimniss (Secret Door)

Series: The Hunger Games

Pairing: Glimmer and Katniss Everdeen

Plot: Glimmer is dying and admits her love to Katniss. Afterwards Katniss mourns Glimmer's death.

Glimniss (The Good Left Undone)

Series: The Hunger Games

Pairing: Katniss Everdeen and Glimmer

Pairing Type: Femslash

Pairing: Non-Canon (to the max!)

Plot: Katniss Everdeen is forever changed by the Tribute from District 1 (Glimmer). Katniss, after winning the 74th Hunger Games, always remembers Glimmer fondly. However, she feels guilty about loving a Career Tribute.


I made up the title for this pairing. As far as I know I'm one of the few (if only) shipper of this pairing.

The Hunger Games (2012)

Title: The Hunger Games

Series: The Hunger Games

Based on the Book: The Hunger Games

Book By: Suzanne Collins

Director: Gary Ross

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth

Rated: PG-13

Released: 2012

Personal Rating: 4.5/5

Oscars: N/A

Basic Plot: Set in a future where the Capitol selects a boy and girl from the twelve districts to fight to the death on live television, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place for the latest match.

Compared to the Book
I will get this out of the way first. I might even do another post on all the differences in the movie. Katniss' relationship Rue is explored more. The same basic feelings are shown in the film but you don't feel as much in the movie. The mockingjay isn't clearly explained. You don't get the fact that it basically is the symbol of rebellion. At the end of the movie it isn't shown if Peeta was using Katniss or if he had real feelings for her. In the ending of the book it's shown that Peeta's feelings for Katniss were real.

The Deaths
One thing I was worried about in this movie is if the deaths would be able to equal up to their book counterparts. I am glad to say that the deaths were very good. Rue's death cut like a knife and Riley Dawson...I mean Glimmer (played by Leven Rambin) were my two 'favorite deaths'. Well...Glimmer's death is one of my favorite deaths just because I like the actress. I will say, though, Glimmer still glimmers even in death.

President Snow
I like that the movie shows much more of President Snow than the book. Like, more than a paragraph or two. This prepares for President Snow's increased importance in the series. And he does become VERY important to Katniss especially.

Final Thoughts
This movie was just AWESOME! They were able to pull The Hunger Games off with only a PG-13 rating. The fire scene was just awe inspiring. I felt myself dodging in my seat like I was with Katniss. And there is some good eye candy in this movie: Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen) and Glimmer (Leven Rambin) being among them. This is a movie you NEED to see in a theater to get the full effect.

The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)

Title: The Hunger Games

Series: The Hunger Games Trilogy

Author: Suzanne Collins

Released: 2008

Rating: 5/5

Basic Plot: Katniss Everdeen takes her sister's (Prim) place in the Hunger Games and now has to fight for her life.

Big, Bad Government Theme
I admit I have a very low opinion of government. This hasn't been helped by how the US Government is acting now (especially SOPA and Protect IP which effect me). And the big, bad government is a big part of the book. The Capitol (the Government) created The Hunger Games as a big fuck you to the 12 Districts of Panem (the old USA). What's especially great about The Capitol is that you feel its evil even without it being in the scene.

The Bloody Scenario
This book is for Young Adults and yet it has something that belongs in an adult novel. That something is children (12-18 year olds) killing other children because the Capitol finds it amusing. I loved when I was a teen when Young Adult authors would treat me like an adult. If you are a teen, and feel the same way I did when I was young, you'll love this aspect of the book. If you're an adult, this still might disturb you just because children are killing children.

The Bleak Future
This book has one of my favorite scenarios: the bleak future. I don't like happy futures but I like to see how the future can go wrong. This book's depiction of the future is so down and it gets worse as things go on.

Final Thoughts
This book made me want to read the other two books in the trilogy. I can't tell you how painful it is to wait to finish the trilogy. One mystery I want to find out is who the mutated wolves are. For a young teen this might be gritty. For an adult, it won't be as bad for you.