The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Prequels are tricky things. I think in recent years we've all watched beloved stories receive lackluster prequels in either movie or book form and it doesn't always add a lot or in some cases detracts from it. It would be fair to say that I, along with many others, am now more skeptical about them. In my opinion, though, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, while maybe not necessary to the overall story, was still really good and did a satisfying job of taking me back to the world of Panem in all its rather dismal dystopian future. After a very long string of YA books that just didn't seem all that good, this book brought me back to a time when I still enjoyed them and they were less formulaic.
Unusual for me, I had watched the movie before reading the book, so my perspective may be slightly skewed because of that, and I may look more favorably on the book than others who read it first.
I do recommend reading the original trilogy first, this one will be more impactful I think with that background.
I rather enjoyed going back decades before the events of the original trilogy, which starts putting that story into a different perspective and it was interesting to see how the games evolved, and in direct relation to characters' experiences in this novel. I'm definitely feeling the urge to go back and re-read the Hunger Games trilogy.
The technology of the original trilogy doesn't exist yet and much of Panem is being rebuilt after the war which ended only about 10 years previous to this. The Hunger Games themselves are in their infancy and look nothing like the technological nightmare of the future, but still at its center is the brutish concept of children killing children to atone for a rebel war.
Into this we follow Coriolanus Snow, future antagonist and President in Katniss time, during his teen years. With a family that has fallen on hard times due to the war, but holding on with a prestigious name, he hopes to work his way back up to a life of power, riches, and prestige. Opportunity knocks when The Capitol decides to involve the students of his Academy as mentors to the District tributes in The Hunger Games and have a chance to make a name for themselves while also boosting the viewership of the Games.
At its core, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a character study more than the heart-pounding action story of the original trilogy. This isn't a redemptive arc story, nor a sympathizing one with the villain, which seems to be the trend today in other YA. My first impression was how much more unlikable Coriolanus is in the book than in the movie. Since the book is exclusively from his POV, you're much more inside his head and can see how self-serving, conceited, egotistical, and pretentious he is as a person. Everything he does is to serve or better himself.
While at times I could understand his motivations due to his circumstances and found myself hoping each time he'd make better choices, it always fell back on his inherent nature to look out for himself, even at the detriment of those closest to him. While he always thinks his motivations are just or that he has no choice but to do the conniving things he does, as the reader you realize how truly broken and evil he is at the core. Especially when he's given multiple chances to redeem himself or to choose other paths but continues to choose to put himself and his betterment ahead of others. I think the brilliance of Suzanne Collins writing was being able to make you still want to follow his story knowing this.
It would be tempting to make it about how the world and circumstances shaped him into that type of person, but Collins doesn't do that. This story's strength is in showing not how Coriolanus got to be the villain, but rather that he is inherently reprehensible and diabolical from the beginning.
On the flip side of Coriolanus is Lucy Grey Baird, the Tribute assigned to him, and a member of a gypsy-like group called the Covey. Her charisma, mystery, brashness, and determination make you want to root for her and see her through this nightmare, even though you never get to see the story from her perspective. She lends Coriolanus a sympathy he doesn't deserve but keeps you hoping he will for her sake.
The use of music and ballads of the Covey culture was also a fantastic addition. If you're paying attention there is much foreshadowing and tidbits of information tucked away in the songs.
I do think the book dragged on in a few places and was drawn out longer than necessary. I found the tediousness of some of the Hunger Games, which aren't followed with the same televised precision as they are in the original trilogy, tend to stall the story. Since we're watching from Coriolanus's perspective and not Lucy Grey's the sense of impending danger and death seemed diminished. Coriolanus eats and sleeps and goes back home in the evenings while basically nothing happens in the Games and I found my interest waning and not feeling the intensity I expected. I guess the point is all the macabre machinations behind the scenes, but it halts the progression in some places. The third part picks up again as an unexpected turn of events heads the story in a completely different direction which was an unanticipated and welcome surprise.
A lot of the moral questions asked in the original trilogy hold up here as well, and new ones present themselves to give you a lot to chew over. To say I enjoyed this book seems on some level to be wrong considering its premise and perspective. Like a car wreck on the side of the road though, you feel drawn to see and watch it. I think what I ‘enjoy' is the thoughts it engages to understand more about why the Hunger Games exist, what type of world would allow them to exist, and what type of people see them as just and needed. This book explores that a bit more and I found myself compelled by that exploration through Coriolanus Snow's story and it made for a really good tale in the end.
While not perfect, I do think this is one of the best YA books I've read in a really long time. It's brutal, don't get me wrong, and it's not light, pleasurable reading in the sense of making you feel good inside. It is a thoughtful exploration of morality, war, of governance and truly makes you think what you'd do in similar circumstances or even what lengths you'd go for yourself, others and to create the future world you'd like to see. While it still manages to be entertaining to read, I think it rises above a lot of other YA by inviting a thoughtful reading experience.