What’s the Premise?

We return to the early days of Panem. Right away, Collins caught my attention with a dramatic perspective shift. Instead of seeing through the eyes of Katniss, a rebel in embryo from the poorest district, we have the perspective of a young man from the Capitol. Coriolanus Snow is Capitol royalty by blood, but his family has lost their fortune. Coriolanus becomes involved in a senior project to popularize the hated Hunger Games. And the question quickly becomes how low will he sink to win a coveted position at the University and a path towards wealth and power. When he finds himself falling in love with one of the district tributes in the Hunger Games, he has to make a hard choice. Who will he align himself with? And what does his heart truly desire?

What’s to like?

Read beside the original The Hunger Games, you have a fascinating juxtaposition of perspectives. What is the Capitol actually trying to do? Are all Capitol citizens cruel and tyrannical? Are all District citizens blameless? Are the Districts treated poorly or not? And are people intrinsically good and merciful or bestial and cruel? There’s so much to unpack in these books about tyranny, power, and Coriolanus’s three C’s: chaos, control, and social contract. I appreciated that Collins “shows” the reader rather than “tells” us about these things.

A great book report on this book would be to trace Coriolanus’s gradual moral decline. Collins does a fantastic job making this believable. Another good report or discussion point would be how the government should control their citizens? How far is too far in quelling rebellion? Is it permissible to kill a few people to avoid a potential future war? So much to think about; great for teens to start grappling with these questions.

I appreciated that Collins makes this a realistic struggle. Some of Coriolanus’ choices seem like a choice between two bad options. Sometimes he is indeed trying to make the right decision. And then sometimes he’s making a “good” decision but his intention is bad. LOTS to talk about here through a Catholic moral compass.

Another great part of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is it explores a teenage relationship gone wrong in subtle ways. Coriolanus’s narcissistic tendencies sabotage his burgeoning relationship from the moment it begins. This “love story” will make teens question what true love should look like. If it isn’t selfless love, is it actually love at all?

What’s not to like?

The original Hunger Games trilogy got a bad rap for gratuitous violence. You can read my original review for my thoughts there. But let me assure you that The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is significantly less violent than its predecessors. Yes, there are a few arena deaths described, but very quickly and in a sort of off screen way. Coriolanus isn’t in the arena (well, mostly!) and he doesn’t have the same response as Katniss to death. For better… or worse as it may turn out. Shouldn’t killing be horrific? But for the reader, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a less violent read.

As far as sexual content, again The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is surprisingly clean overall. There are a few songs about break ups that one could read as implying a past sexual relationship. There are two mentions of teen girls possibly being desperate enough to “sell themselves,” though nothing further is said about whether that actually happened. There’s one scene where a group of teen boys and girls strips to their underwear to swim, although there is no innuendo implied here. The two main protagonists share a few kisses. The two main characters talk about running away to the wilderness together to live apart from the world.

Language? A touch. Use of the word “ass,” for example.

Although I actually think this is a book decrying tyranny and narcissism, since the protagonist is the narcissist and tyrant-to-be in question, the message is subtle. A non-discerning teenager could possibly walk away agreeing with Coriolanus that all his actions are justified. Know your teen, of course. If need be you could point out that this is a book intentionally written from the point of view of a teen whose moral compass is falling apart.

In the end…

I think The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a reasonably clean modern novel that makes a great discussion opener for a book club or family. What age? I would say high school; older high school for particularly sensitive teens.

At heart, this book is a coming of age story with a twist. Coriolanus doesn’t end up becoming the man you’re rooting for him to be. Instead, you may end up disgusted or angry or disappointed. This is a story that pulls you to the good by showing that compromising on what you know is the right thing to do is a slippery slope that never ends well.