The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Last updated

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Suzanne Collins).png
North American first edition cover
Author Suzanne Collins
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Series The Hunger Games
Genre Adventure, War, Science fiction, Romance, Action Thriller, Dystopian
Publisher Scholastic
Publication date
May 19, 2020
Pages517
ISBN 9780702300172
Followed by The Hunger Games  

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a dystopian action-adventure novel written by the American author Suzanne Collins. It is a prequel to the original The Hunger Games trilogy, set 64 years before the events of the first novel. It was released on May 19, 2020, by Scholastic with an audiobook of the novel, read by the American actor Santino Fontana, was released simultaneously. [1] The book had a virtual launch due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [2] A film adaptation by Lionsgate, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes , was released on November 17, 2023. [3]

Contents

Collins said in an open letter, "The book was an attempt to explore the state of nature debate through the tale of young President Snow while lifting the veil on the origin of the Hunger Games..."

Plot

To help revive the televised Hunger Games' declining viewership, 24 Capitol Academy students are chosen to mentor tributes for the upcoming 10th Hunger Games. Eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow hopes to win the offered Plinth Prize to pay his way to the University and return the Snow family's prestige.

Snow is assigned the District 12 female tribute, Lucy Gray Baird, a member of the Covey, a nomadic music band. District 12, the poorest district, has never produced a victor. However, during the reaping, Lucy Gray sparks the Capitol's attention by defiantly singing and slipping a snake into the dress of Mayfair Lipp, the daughter of District 12’s mayor. Snow starts considering her a possible victor. He urges Lucy Gray to use her musical abilities to garner Capitol viewers' favor and gifts during the Games.

During a Games arena tour, rebel bombs explode, killing several tributes and mentors. Lucy Gray chooses to save Coriolanus from a fallen beam while Marcus, the District 2 male tribute, escapes amid the chaos. Lucy Gray and Snow overcome their mutual mistrust and share their first kiss the night before the Games. With Snow's help, Lucy Gray wins the games.

Dean Casca Highbottom discovers that Snow gave Lucy Gray unpermitted assistance and confronts Coriolanus with evidence of his cheating. Threatened with his family's public disgrace, Coriolanus reluctantly joins the Peacekeepers for a 20-year contract, but requests to be assigned to District 12, hoping to see Lucy Gray again.

In District 12, Coriolanus and Lucy Gray resume their romance. Sejanus, another Academy student who has also been forced into the Peacekeepers, plans with rebel Spruce to smuggle other dissenters beyond Panem's northern border. Coriolanus and Lucy Gray discover the plan and argue over Sejanus' involvement. Upon discovering Mayfair eavesdropping with Billy Taupe, Lucy Gray’s ex-boyfriend, Spruce and Coriolanus kill them. Spruce is detained for the crime and hanged for treason.

Knowing he can be linked to Mayfair and Billy's murders, Coriolanus agrees to run away with Lucy Gray. In the process of escaping District 12, Snow finds the weapons used in Mayfair and Billy’s murder. Realizing that Lucy Gray is the only link to his crimes, Snow turns on her, but she escapes.

Snow reports for his training. He meets with Head Gamemaker Dr. Volumnia Gaul, who reveals she exposed his cheating and arranged his military service, wanting to shatter his idealism and show that authority must contain humanity's violent nature. Snow receives a spot at the University and Sejanus' parents make him their heir, unaware he betrayed their son.

As Gamemaker, Coriolanus introduces the Victor’s Village and rewards winning districts each year with money and food. This ultimately incentivizes the Games for both districts and the Capitol, thus beginning his rise to power.

Characters

Reception

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has received positive reviews. [4] Even though book critics had an overall mixed reception to the novel on its release day, [5] the review aggregator website Book Marks , which assigns individual ratings to book reviews from mainstream literary critics, indicated that the novel received a cumulative "positive" rating, based on 19 reviews. [6]

The Guardian praised the book, writing, "Collins's themes of friendship, betrayal, authority and oppression, as well as the extra layers of lore about mockingjays and Capitol's history, will please and thrill." [7] Similarly, Time said that Collins shines most "as she weaves in tantalising details that lend depth to the gruesome world she created in the original series". [8] Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review, saying the book is "both a tense, character-driven piece and a cautionary tale". [9]

The Daily Telegraph reviewer criticized it as "not the most promising opening [fans expected]" and said that Collins should "stick to plucky heroes and dazzling plot-twists". She wrote that when it comes to writing the murkiest backwaters of the human psyche, Collins is fathoms out of her depth". [10]

Darren Franich from Entertainment Weekly said, "The storytelling itself trends desperate at times. Chapters close on violent cliffhangers that edge into parody," and that "there are too many folk music interludes [and] some ludicrous franchise callbacks" but overall it "is a major work with major flaws, but it sure gives you a lot to chew on", ultimately giving it a grade of B−. [11]

Film adaptation

In August 2017, Lionsgate's CEO, Jon Feltheimer, expressed an interest in spin-offs of The Hunger Games, with intentions to create a writers' room to explore the concept. [12]

In June 2019, Joe Drake, the chairman of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, announced that the company was working with Collins on an adaptation of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. [13] By April 2020, Collins and Lionsgate confirmed that plans were underway for the film's development. Casting had not yet begun, but the director Francis Lawrence had been confirmed to return after his success with The Hunger Games quadrilogy. The film's writer was to be Michael Arndt, with Nina Jacobson and Collins as producers. [14]

In August 2021, Lionsgate's chairman, Joe Drake, revealed that the film was in pre-production with filming expected to begin in early 2022 for a targeted release of "either late fiscal 2023 or early 2024". [15] On April 28, 2022, it was announced that the film would be released on November 17, 2023. [16]

On May 16, 2022, it was announced that Tom Blyth had been cast as the young Coriolanus Snow. [17] On May 31, Rachel Zegler was cast as Lucy Gray Baird. [18] On June 15, Josh Andrés Rivera was cast as Sejanus Plinth. [19] On June 22, Hunter Schafer was cast as Tigris. [20] On June 27, Jason Schwartzman was cast as Lucretius "Lucky" Flickerman. In July, Peter Dinklage was reported to have been cast as Dean Highbottom. [21]

On June 6, 2022, Lionsgate released a teaser trailer for the film, followed by a full trailer on April 27, 2023. On November 17, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes was released in theaters to mixed reviews from critics. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francis Lawrence</span> American music video, film and television director

Francis Lawrence is an American filmmaker and producer. After establishing himself as a director of music videos and commercials, Lawrence made his feature-length directorial debut with the superhero thriller Constantine (2005) and has since directed the post-apocalyptic horror film I Am Legend (2007), the romantic drama Water for Elephants (2011), four of the five films in The Hunger Games film series, and the spy thriller Red Sparrow (2018).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suzanne Collins</span> American television writer and author

Suzanne Marie Collins is an American author and television writer. She is best known as the author of the young adult dystopian book series The Hunger Games. She is also the author of the children's fantasy series The Underland Chronicles.

"Lucy Gray" is a poem written by William Wordsworth in 1799 and published in his Lyrical Ballads. It describes the death of a young girl named Lucy Gray, who went out one evening into a storm.

<i>Catching Fire</i> 2009 book by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire is a 2009 dystopian young adult fiction novel by the American novelist Suzanne Collins, the second book in The Hunger Games series. As the sequel to the 2008 bestseller The Hunger Games, it continues the story of Katniss Everdeen and the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem. Following the events of the previous novel, a rebellion against the oppressive Capitol has begun, and Katniss and fellow tribute Peeta Mellark are forced to return to the arena in a special edition of the Hunger Games.

<i>Mockingjay</i> 2010 novel by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay is a 2010 dystopian young adult fiction novel by American author Suzanne Collins. It is chronologically the last installment of The Hunger Games series, following 2008's The Hunger Games and 2009's Catching Fire. The book continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, who agrees to unify the districts of Panem in a rebellion against the tyrannical Capitol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katniss Everdeen</span> Main character in the Hunger Games universe

Katniss Everdeen is a fictional character and the protagonist of The Hunger Games trilogy written by American author Suzanne Collins. She is portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence in the film adaptations The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.

<i>The Hunger Games</i> (film) 2012 film by Gary Ross

The Hunger Games is a 2012 American dystopian action film directed by Gary Ross, who co-wrote the screenplay with Suzanne Collins and Billy Ray, based on the 2008 novel of the same name by Collins. It is the first installment in The Hunger Games film series. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, and Donald Sutherland. In the film, Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Hutcherson) are forced to compete in the Hunger Games, an elaborate televised fight to the death consisting of adolescent contestants from the 12 Districts of Panem.

<i>The Hunger Games</i> Young adult book series by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games is a series of young adult dystopian novels written by American author Suzanne Collins. The first three novels are part of a trilogy following teenage protagonist Katniss Everdeen, and the fourth book is a prequel set 64 years before the original.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coriolanus Snow</span> Character in The Hunger Games

Coriolanus "Coryo" Snow is a character in The Hunger Games franchise, a book series and film series. In the original book trilogy (2008–2010), President Snow is a fascist dictator who leads the counter-revolutionary movement. In the prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020), he is an ambitious, intelligent and charismatic 18-year-old. He is assigned the role of mentoring a girl competing in the tenth Hunger Games—singer Lucy Gray Baird—and forms a relationship with her.

<i>The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1</i> 2014 film by Francis Lawrence

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 is a 2014 American dystopian action film that is the third installment in The Hunger Games film series. The film is based on the first part of Mockingjay, the third novel in the underlying book trilogy by Suzanne Collins. The film is directed by Francis Lawrence based on a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong. It stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland and Sam Claflin. In the film, Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) joins Alma Coin (Moore), the renegade leader of the underground District 13, in a mass rebellion against the Capitol.

<i>The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2</i> 2015 film by Francis Lawrence

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 is a 2015 American dystopian action film directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong, based on the 2010 novel Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. The sequel to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014), it is the fourth installment in The Hunger Games film series and the final installment in the original film series. It stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland and in his final film, Philip Seymour Hoffman. In the film, Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) leads a team of rebels to Panem to liberate it from the tyrannical leadership of Coriolanus Snow (Sutherland). This marks Hoffman’s final film appearance prior to his death.

<i>The Hunger Games</i> (film series) Series of films based on the novel series

The Hunger Games film series is composed of science fiction dystopian adventure films, based on The Hunger Games series of novels by American author Suzanne Collins. The films are distributed by Lionsgate and produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik. The series feature an ensemble cast including Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne, Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy, Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket, Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman, and Donald Sutherland as President Snow. In the prequel film, Tom Blyth stars as Coriolanus Snow, Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird, Josh Andrés Rivera as Sejanus Plinth, Hunter Schafer as Tigris Snow, Peter Dinklage as Casca Highbottom, Viola Davis as Dr. Volumnia Gaul and Jason Schwartzman as Lucretius "Lucky" Flickerman.

The Hanging Tree (<i>The Hunger Games</i> song) 2014 song composed by James Newton Howard

"The Hanging Tree" is a song by American composer James Newton Howard featuring vocals from American actress Jennifer Lawrence. It was written by Suzanne Collins and composed by Howard, Jeremiah Fraites and Wesley Schultz from the band the Lumineers. The song was released by Republic Records on December 9, 2014, as the second single from the soundtrack for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014). It was first included in the film's score album but was later added to the digital extended edition of the film's soundtrack. "The Hanging Tree" is a folk ballad that features orchestral strings and a choir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Zegler</span> American actress and singer (born 2001)

Rachel Zegler is an American actress and singer. She came to prominence with her film debut playing María in Steven Spielberg's musical adaptation West Side Story (2021), for which she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. In 2023, she played Anthea in Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.

<i>The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes</i> 2023 film by Francis Lawrence

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is a 2023 American dystopian action film directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Michael Lesslie and Michael Arndt. Based on the 2020 novel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins, it serves as a prequel to The Hunger Games (2012), and is the fifth installment in The Hunger Games film series. The film stars Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, and Viola Davis. Set 64 years before the events of the first film, its plot follows the events that lead a young Coriolanus Snow on the path to becoming the tyrannical leader of Panem, including his relationship with the Hunger Games District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird during the 10th Hunger Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Blyth</span> English actor (born 1995)

Tom Keir Blyth is an English actor. He took an interest in drama from a young age, studying acting at the Television Workshop in Nottingham and at the Juilliard School in New York City.

<i>The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes</i> (soundtrack) 2023 soundtrack album by various artists

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is the soundtrack album to the 2023 film of the same name, based on Suzanne Collins's 2020 novel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The fifth installment in the The Hunger Games film series and prequel to the first film, it stars Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Jason Schwartzman, Josh Andrés Rivera, and Viola Davis.

<i>The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes</i> (score) 2023 film score by James Newton Howard

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is the score album to the 2023 film of the same name based on Suzanne Collins' 2020 novel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The fifth instalment in the The Hunger Games film series and prequel to the first film, stars Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, and Viola Davis. James Newton Howard composed the film's score, whose album consisted of 40 tracks and featured pianist Yuja Wang in three of them. The soundtrack was released by Sony Masterworks on November 17, 2023.

References

  1. Gans, Andrew (April 8, 2020). "Tony Winner Santino Fontana Will Narrate Audio Edition of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Hunger Games Prequel". Playbill. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  2. Italie, Hillel (May 17, 2020). "'Hunger Games' prequel 'Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' to receive virtual launch". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  3. "'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes': Cast, trailer and when it hits theaters". USA Today. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  4. Oliveira, Pedro Henrique Ribeiro de (June 19, 2020). "Leia o que a imprensa internacional achou de A Cantiga dos Pássaros e das Serpentes" [Read what the international press thought of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes]. Distrito 13 (in Portuguese). Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  5. McCreesh, Louise (May 19, 2020). "Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes gets a mixed response from critics". Digital Spy. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  6. "Book Marks reviews of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (a Hunger Games Novel) by Suzanne Collins". Book Marks. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  7. Womack, Philip (May 19, 2020). "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes review – a sleek Hunger Games prequel". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  8. "The 'Hunger Games' Prequel Adds New Dimensions to President Snow". Time. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  9. "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes". Kirkus Reviews.
  10. Goldsbrough, Susannah (May 19, 2020). "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins, review: less Hunger Games, more sixth-form philosophy". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  11. "Your highly-anticipated review of the 'Hunger Games' prequel book". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  12. Lang, Brent (August 8, 2017). "Lionsgate Chief Says 'Hunger Games,' 'Twilight' Have 'More Stories to Tell'". Variety. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  13. D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 17, 2019). "'Hunger Games' Prequel Novel From Suzanne Collins Coming in 2020, Lionsgate in Talks For Movie". Deadline. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  14. "Hunger Games Prequel Movie The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Officially Set by Lionsgate". Den of Geek. April 21, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  15. Hayes, Dade; D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 5, 2021). "'Hunger Games' Prequel To Start Production In First Half Of 2022, Lionsgate Film Boss Joe Drake Says". Deadline. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  16. D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 28, 2022). "'Hunger Games' Prequel 'The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes' Gets 2023 Release Date – CinemaCon". Deadline. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  17. Juneau, Jen (May 16, 2022). "The Hunger Games Prequel Casts Billy the Kid's Tom Blyth as a Young President Snow". People. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  18. D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 31, 2022). "Rachel Zegler To Play Lucy Gray Baird In Lionsgate's 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes'". Deadline.
  19. Galuppo, Mia (June 15, 2022). "'Hunger Games' Prequel Enlists 'West Side Story' Star Josh Andrés Rivera". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  20. "'Euphoria' Star Hunter Schafer Joins 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes '". Variety. June 22, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  21. "'Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes': Peter Dinklage to Co-Star in Lionsgate Prequel". Deadline. July 18, 2022.
  22. "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023 Movie) - Reveal". YouTube. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
    - "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023 Movie) - Reveal" . Retrieved April 27, 2023.
    - "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Rotten Tomatoes (2023 Movie)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 27, 2023.