“The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes” by prestigious writer Suzanne Collins is a direct prequel to the award winning “Hunger Games” series. Collins doesn’t fail in her writing, having a distinct style and carefully thought out plotline that is recognizable to any avid fan. This prequel follows the corruption of the main villain in the “Hunger Games,” President Coriolanus Snow. 

The shift in perspective lets the audience understand the mind of the timelessly hated villain whilst getting a peek into his past. In this book we learn that Snow experienced a harsh bout of poverty while living in the Capitol. It shows us a never seen before angle of the stone faced and cruel man who dictated the Hunger Games as an antagonist should. There are zero qualms to be had with this book. Collins is a very well written and ingenious author who knows how to write a story correctly. Insight into his childhood days reveals that as a young boy Coriolanus was nothing but a rebellious teen who studied diligently to get into the university he wanted to. 

Before this prequel, not much had been previously known about mysterious and cruel President Snow. Collins gives us something that has not been widely asked for, but definitely something that develops his character much further. A character the readers were taught to hate now deserves some sympathy the reader hadn’t previously been able to spare for him. Young Coriolanus had only wanted to survive in a rich community and perhaps fall in love along the way. After a long and trivial fight with himself and society, Coriolanus eventually had come to a stalemate of choosing between love and living a life of loneliness in the capital. And, to much of the reader’s disagreement, he chooses to give up that love and instead pursue the “betterment of society,” turning himself into the President Snow that he is in the “Hunger Games.” 

The plot twists and anger that Collins makes the reader feel is something not everyone can do. She truly knows how to ignite the minds of her readers and push the boundaries of what is expected in a book. “A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” is a twisted and dark book wrapped in a gold and green bow to make it seem unassuming. Truly, this book is worthy of a read and It’s suggested that whoever is debating on giving it a chance, definitely should.