“Coriolanus released the fistful of cabbage into the pot of boiling water and swore that one day it would never pass his lips again.”

From Suzanne Collins’ The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

Eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow prepares for his coveted position as a Hunger Games mentor with a strong desire to succeed.  Despite the fact that he lives in a wealthy section of the Capitol with his grandmother and fashion-loving cousin, Tigris, the Snow family fortune is long gone, save their empty penthouse apartment.  With no other option for affording his place at the University, Coriolanus is placing his entire future on his mentorship.  Even though the fighting ended a decade ago, Panem’s Capital City is still struggling from the war between the Capital and the rebellious 13 districts.  Coriolanus is initially horrified to be assigned as mentor to the poor female tribute from District 12, Lucy Gray Baird, but he quickly realizes that her uniqueness can make her a solid publicity boost for himself.  Most of his fellow mentors (with the exception of district-born Sejanus Plinth) are eager to gain fame through their tributes, but none are able to connect as well as Coriolanus does with Lucy Gray.  His actions bring Coriolanus recognition from Head Gamemaker, Dr. Gaul, he receives only disdain from the Academy’s Dean.  As the Games draw closer and a series of deadly events limits the number of tributes, Coriolanus realizes that Lucy Gray could actually do well in the arena, especially when Dr. Gaul enacts his ideas of gambling and food sponsorship into the Games.  However, Coriolanus’ goals of success are only complicated by Lucy Gray’s captivating personality, and it quickly becomes apparent that surviving the 10th. Annual Hunger Games is only the beginning.

The Hunger Games prequel is a captivating read from the first page, especially for fans of the series. Collins does an amazing job creating an endearing backstory for an ultimately-evil character.  The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a must-read for anyone looking for a story with action, sorrow, and solid character development.