The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, by Suzanne Collins

This one is a thinker. ‘Cause, you know, “The Hunger Games”. It’s really good. And I feel confident saying that it’s really good, even though lots of people will probably describe the series as sort of cliché now, but since when does success turn something into a cliché? There are strong characters, engaging developments, and twists and turns a-plenty. It absolutely succeeds in what it set out to achieve, and then some.

But then there’s this one. The prequel about President Snow in his youth, and the part he played in the Capitol and the Hunger Games becoming what we know it to be when we meet Katniss. We start the story at the commencement of the tenth Hunger Games: the first time a Flickerman (Caesar's family for the layman) has hosted the extravaganza; the first time each tribute is assigned a mentor; the first time Capitol residents can bet on and sponsor the tributes. Very appealing to a die-hard fan of the series.

The basis of this story world is politics and ethics, so I think what this book really achieves is giving the reader a greater depth of understanding for how the Capitol works. How the Hunger Games play into their political and social rankings; how the ruling class justify their actions; how individual citizens of the Capitol feel and function day-to-day. As it turns out, they are no more a united front than the districts are. For me, that was the most interesting part of the story.

There are some fabulous easter eggs for fans of the franchise; some backstory for certain details mentioned in the original series, like characters, songs, and phrases. That was fun.

As for Coriolanus Snow… well, I’ll let you decide. Watching his spiral into powerful insanity and a total disregard for life is unsettling in a subtle-until-it’s-not sort of way, and kind of feels like a chokehold. I found my jaw on the floor, shaking my head at the pages multiple times. He is totally unhinged, completely charming, and weirdly convincing for a second or two. I hate him.

If you love the Hunger Games and nerd out on a rich and nuanced story world, then I highly recommend this one. But if you really can’t bare to read about a total sociopath, and aren’t particularly invested in The Hunger Games, I’d give it a miss.

- Sian

Paperback, £8.99 - hardback available, £18.99. Find this in the Young Adult Fiction section!