The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
By Leslie Urena ('24)
On November 20th, 2015, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 was released in theaters, concluding the beloved dystopian series. Fans said goodbye to the world of Panem and its iconic characters, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, with the satisfaction that they got to have their happy ending, having laid the tyrannical President Snow to rest. Or had they?
In 2020, Suzanne Collins shocked the world with the announcement of a brand new Hunger Games novel, reopening what many had believed to be a dead-and-gone series. Instead of picking up where it had been left off with Katniss and Peeta or focusing on a fan-favorite character, such as Finnick Odair, Collins gave readers the impossible task of having to read about the universally hated antagonist of the series, President Snow. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes would take place 64 years before the first Hunger Games novel, telling the story of the man, the game, and the tribute that started it all.
Suzanne Collins & TBOSAS Book!
Photo courtesy of Washington Post
Rachel Zegler & Tom Blyth as Lucy Gray and Coriolanus
Photo courtesy of People
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows teenage Coriolanus Snow working to lift his family, the befallen Snows, from the throes of poverty after the first rebel war. At this point, the Hunger Games were in their 10th year and suffering from low ratings and little interest from the public. Coriolanus and his fellow classmates are assigned with mentoring the tributes of that year’s Hunger Games and turning them into stars to garner interest from audiences. Assigned to Coriolanus is the female tribute from district 12, Lucy Gray Baird, from the poorest district no less. What was an unfortunate homework assignment soon becomes a story of love, heartbreak, and betrayal, and the catalyst for Katniss’s story 64 years later.
A film adaptation of the novel by Lionsgate, the studio that had made the original films, was quickly in the works after the novel’s publication. Soon, the leads, Tom Blyth, as Coriolanus Snow, and Rachel Zegler, as Lucy Gray Baird, were announced. Along with the two came a stellar, star-studded cast, consisting of big names such as Viola Davis as Dr. Volumnia Gaul and Peter Dinklage as Casca Highbottom. The film was directed by Francis Lawrence, the director of the last three Hunger Games movies. With the movie came an extensive soundtrack, featuring Can’t Catch Me Now by Olivia Rodrigo, Wool by Flatland Cavalry, as well as many ballads sung by Rachel Zegler in her role as Lucy Gray.
Cast Photo!
Photo courtesy of Den of Geek
As is when a prequel is released, the new addition to the Hunger Games series received a heavy dose of criticism. Fans complained that the original series was fine on its own and wondered if this new book even added anything to the story. The announcement made many wonder: was this story going to offer anything new, or was it just another blatant nostalgia cash grab?
When asked about this, Leslie Laureano (‘24), a fan of both books and movies said “A prequel is necessary for series; with stories as deep as The Hunger Games.”
Nadia Solano (‘24), says that despite the absence of the beloved original characters, she is excited to “see a new cast and to have a new movie for a new generation of fans.”
Photo courtesy of People
When it came down to it, readers gave the book a score of 3.88 stars on the most popular book review site, Goodreads, which is the lowest of all The Hunger Games novels. In contrast, since its November 17 release, the movie has received an audience score of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, the highest of all The Hunger Games movies.
There also seems to be a call for more Hunger Games content amongst the positive reception of the movie. It seems that The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has awakened a yearning amongst fans of the series for deeper explorations into the world of Panem and the thrilling stories and captivating messages it sends. Time will tell if these wishes are answered, for as Lucy Gray Baird said, “The show’s not over till the mockingjay sings.”
Cover photo courtesy of IMDb
Banner photo courtesy of Teen Vogue