The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the prequel to Suzanne Collins “Hunger Games” series. The story follows young Coriolanus Snow as a young mentor in the 10th Annual Hunger Games. For those familiar with the Hunger Games series, there are many references to people, places and things that will be familiar to you. If you have not read the previous series, then many of these references will be lost on you, therefore it might be a good idea to read the original series first.

Choosing Snow as the main character for this book was a bold choice. If you are new to this series then you may be shocked by some of his decisions and actions. If you already know how Snow ends up later on, then it is difficult to feel any sort of sympathy or compassion for him. Regardless of your feelings towards this complicated character, I do feel that this book provides some great context that allows us to better understand why he is the way that he is. It was also great to spend more time in the world of the Hunger Games, specifically the Capitol, and learn more about what life there is like. Although, because of when this book takes place, the Capitol looks and feels very different compared to what you may have seen in the main series of books and/or movies. This version of the Capitol is still re-building and has not yet become the shiny extravagantly rich city that it appears to be later on.

This book is very easy to read. Almost every chapter ends on a mini cliff hanger that demands you continue on and read the next chapter. You will be surprised how fast you read this book, in order to find out what happens next. The story is full of twists and unexpected turns. Because the story is only told from Snow’s point of view, it will leave you questioning whether certain events actually happened as they appeared.

Ultimately, this book is a must read for every Hunger Games fan. If you are not a fan yet, then this could be a great jumping in point. I hope that this is not our last visit to the world of Panem, and the Hunger Games.