I’ve never written a book review before so please bear with me in this one.
I seem to have this skill in searching the new releases and still picking up old books to read so it always seems strange to review them but, this time, I actually picked up a new release and that was The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins. This book is the prequel to the widely known Hunger Games and follows the story of the one and only President Snow. Now, if you don’t know the original trilogy, I would stop you here and note that somethings I say will refer to the original stories and so some knowledge might be of use. I have also tried to write it without spoilers for those who find this before they find themselves reading the book!
I want to talk about this book in three parts, which seems fitting as the book is also in three; the readability, the plot, and my thoughts.
The Readability
When I read stories I am quite fickle for pace but I also have this annoying sense of perseverance which will push me through even the most dull of story lines. The Ballad is most certainly not dull but, it did at times, sink into pages of background narrative which I found hard to keep at. I’m not one to stop midchapter but I did find myself doing this quite often when reading simply for a break. That isn’t to say it isn’t good and, over all, I finished the book feeling like they were needed, but during the reading process it wasn’t always enjoyable. This is a book you need to read and digest not lounge in the sun with and, perhaps that was my mistake.
With it being a prequel, I found myself having to refresh my knowledge of the previous books at certain points which applauds the fact that there were both transparent and subtle connections to the original stories. Not knowing the original stories would potentially make the read a little jarring and so I would recommend readers go into these four books in order they were penned and not chronologically by plot.
The Plot
The plot for this book makes complete sense at the end and that is arguably my favourite type. Some stories lay out what will happen and some leave you guessing; this left you guessing. This to me is more enjoyable because the final pages didn’t just tie up the story but they in their own carried the plot and gave even more context.
Are there parts I would like fleshed out or could even see being made into seperate books? Yes but, as I mentioned with the readability, the more you do this the harder it can be to read and the balance overall seemed to work. I would have loved to hear more from the views of other characters during different points in the story. What was happening with Lucy Gray in the arena? How was home life in part three? Whilst some of this is conveyed at different points in the book through different questions I’m one who likes answers and will feed on any knowledge an author offers for characters they have built me to know. The book ends on a question and I have no doubt any reader will be left wondering what the answer is an if we will ever know.
My Thoughts
Would I recommend this book? Definitely. I would however tell you to read on. I have this rule of reading 10% before I make judgement and I definitely needed the 50 pages that offered for me to fully get into it and get to a point where I would willingly continue.
Go in with an open mind. You know The Hunger Games but this gives you a dramatically different perspective from the character you would least expect to give you it.
If you have read The Ballad, let me know your thoughts below!
Love Jen
x
Jennifer Pickering 