Over the summer, members of Readers of the Round Table read The Hunger Games' newest addition, The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes, written by Suzanne Collins. Overall, we found the novel to be highly enjoyable, and coming soon we will offer our review of the film adaptation which is releasing in theaters November 17th of this year.
Below are some reviews written by a few of our members of Readers of the Round Table:
"Absolutely obsessed! Growing up, the Hunger Games series was definitely one of my absolute favorites that immediately had me hooked so I knew I wanted to read this book, to dive back into that universe. The focus being on the original antagonist of the original series, Coriolanus Snow, was a nice perspective to focus on. This [Snow] is a character that I have associated with as someone who can be inherently evil. I mean, a game to kill kids! This book offered me a different lens in viewing him. Do not get me wrong, in this book I have had several moments of anger towards him still, but I have also had moments of curiosity towards this character and how he held himself in society's views. It was very frustrating to see how there was such an influence as Snow's upbringing and how his image had to be upheld and how it was vastly different than the universe that I had experienced years ago with the original series. In that previous universe, those characters didn't have to worry much about society's views, they had to focus on living. In this book, I can understand why some might still not be a fan of snow and his character, however I have to respect the new viewpoint presented here. A viewpoint that still might not explain everything, but one that gives a better understanding of how Snow navigated the world he was living in."
-- Taryn Glentzer, Readers of the Round Table Alumni member
"I knew President Snow was the worst, but I never expected that he would be this horrible as an 18 year-old. Despite my strong dislike for him, the world that he grew up in was so interesting to read. Snow grew up as a snobby rich kid, so it only makes sense that he became a control freak with a strong sense of superiority. This is the first villain origin story that I've read, and I really appreciate the depth that Suzanne Collins went into creating a complex and highly intelligent villain. And after being in his head for an entire book, I've realized that this story also functions as a cautionary tale about narcissists. I hope they capture Snow's cleverness in the upcoming adaptation."
-- Whitney Bolitho, Readers of the Round Table - Chair Officer
"This is, by far, my favorite book in the Hunger Games series. It gives a wonderful insight into future President Snow's mind. This book answers the questions I had left from the first three books while keeping the thrill and danger of the Hunger Games."
Audrie Black, Readers of the Round Table - Vice President
Thank you for reading! And visit again to see what we will be reading next!
