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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

A Hunger Games Novel

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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

By: Suzanne Collins
Narrated by: Santino Fontana
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About this listen

It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the 10th annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to out charm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined - every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute...and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.

©2020 Suzanne Collins (P)2020 Scholastic Inc. Action & Adventure Fiction Literature & Fiction Science Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy Survival Stories Young Adult

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Featured article: Katniss Everdeen - a Hunger Games character guide


Sister, tribute, revolutionary, the Girl on Fire—Katniss Everdeen has been known as a lot of things, but there is truly no character quite like the heroine of the The Hunger Games series. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins is set in a future dystopian world where the Capitol keeps a tight hold on Panem, the country made up of what is left of North America, and its strictly divided 12 districts. The main trilogy follows Katniss Everdeen on her journey from an average, impoverished girl in a forgotten district to the symbol of resistance. Here's everything you ever wanted to know about Katniss.

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Firstly the guy that reads this is a bit bad at it. For all the singing you’d think they’d find someone a little less annoying to read it all. However I like that he sounds stuck up because it’s sounds very capitol like.
Then we get to the story.
It’s very confusing. A lot of boring parts too. I think the purpose of this was to explain some of the origins a bit better but it would have been better to focus on the rise of snow. I’m a bit annoyed that I want to root for him and see his humanity in this. I thought he was meant to be the bad guy.

There are a lot of good explanations for things and these can interest the reader. Some parts of the story are interesting but it takes a long while to see action and it’s pretty short lived. Back to confusion and a slow pace. Lucy isn’t someone I really care about further than not wanting her to lose the games.

Despite all my complaints so far it’s a good book. I’m into part 2 now and have liked it if not exactly loved it. It’s not as good as the first trilogy but it’s an ok book and I hope the writer takes whatever criticism she may get on board and improves for whatever she plans to do next. However I hope she’s also not bullied into doing a basic cash grab book as some fans seem to want this without thinking of how boring that could really be. Maybe she’ll never do anything with this story again. I’d be sad if that were the case but I hope she still improves for whatever book she does do no matter what.

Not really sure

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I waited almost a year for this to come along and it didn’t disappoint. The story was absolutely fantastic and the narrator portrayed the characters excellently. It was a brilliant book to go with a brilliant series and I would recommend it!

Loved it

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Fans of the original Hunger Games trilogy will be thrilled by a return to Collin's richly textured universe. However, the promise evoked by such a reprise isn't nearly realised in this oddly paced, often plodding tale. It smacks of an ill conceived TV sitcom spin-off (think Joey) and fails to reach the gut wrenching, pulse quickening heights of its predecessors. There is the odd element of what we want from Collins, Dr Gall's visceral loathing for her fellow man being one example, but much of the colour, richness and texture previously created by Collins is lacking. Fans will be disappointed with the drab, grey scale depiction of the post-uprising Capital, and the Character arc of Snow lacks the plausibility and intricacy (if that is the right word) of Katniss Everdeen's. I was left feeling as though the whole thing had been a bit rushed. In trying to garner sympathy for Snow and his family's much reduced status following the war, Collins left herself with little room to transform him (believably) into the blood thirsty tyrant we know from the later episodes. His subsequent cruelty and ruthlessness reads as out of kilter, rather than a natural progression. Listeners will also wonder how on Earth the doting figure of Tigress will ever come to loath Snow to the extent depicted in Mockingjay. But with this question I see a glimmer on the horizon- the prospect of yet another visit to Panem. I had hoped that this work would address Snow's rise to power, as briefly described by Finnick O'Daire in Mockingjay- that would undoubtedly have been a far more thrilling ride. So I hope that Collins is merely laying the groundwork for further writings... Because this story certainly isn't at an end.

An unexpected treat for fans, but not up to par.

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Many people think that the hunger games novels are just fiction but in my mind it’s the evolution of our current capitalist society and if we don’t change to something like Marxism soon we will be plunged into nuclear war ,destroying all moral and most of society .

The ballad of songbirds and snakes is one of the best books I’ve ever listened to

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Have to agree with everyone that the narration was dire. However I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

Dreadful narration

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I loved the Hunger Games, this is not as good in my opinion but is an enjoyable prequel. Audio is much more tolerable at 1.2 speed!

Enjoyable prequel

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engaging story with some gruesome details. not too keen on the lector. nicely ties to the trilogy

some rather scary details in the story

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I liked the story and how you end up rooting for "the bad guy" which gives more depth to the hunger games universe. As usual in Suzanne's books there's alot of detailed fashion descriptions, which can get a bit anoying when you're listening to it all :p the narrator does a great job and has a very engaging voice. I still hear his voice when I think of the book! The characters are great and I love it that there are connections amongst the Capitol people to the hunger games, 64 years later.

excellent book

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I didn't find this book anywhere near as engaging as the others. I was curious to learn more about the character arc of Snow, but it fell a bit flat. I found the monotonous reading of song lyrics really irritating; you'd think for a blockbuster sequel /prequel like this the producers could have afforded a bit of music or atleast a narrator who could sing to give the audio book a bit more zest. Usually I prefer the books, but I think this story needs the full production values a movie offers to help it reach it's full potential.

Needs actual singing and music

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I thought the story was great. As for the performance, like other comments have mentioned, it sounds like Audible has slowed down the narration. I listened at 1.4 speed and it was great. anything below 1.3 felt too slow, and unnatural - try this book sped up and I guarantee you'll enjoy it more

Audio needs speeding up

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