Have You Read the New Hunger Games Book? (My Thoughts)

I have a confession: When I heard there was a new Hunger Games books in the works, I was intrigued at best, but not excited. Part of it was timing–I’m trying to read through the Wheel of Time series this year. The bigger part, though, was that I liked each of the original books less than the previous book, especially as the protagonist became increasingly passive (things happened to Katniss instead of Katniss actively doing things).

However, after I finished the third Wheel of Time book, I happened to notice that the reviews of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes were very, very good. So I thought I’d take a break from Robert Jordan and give Suzanne Collins another try.

I’m glad I did, because I am REALLY enjoying this book.

I’m not going to discuss any plot points below, but if you’re at all intrigued by a new Hunger Games book, I’d highly recommend it, and there’s no need to read further. Also, I should mention that I haven’t quite finished the book yet–my thoughts are independent on what happens at the end, as I don’t know what that is.

The Ballad is a prequel to the Hunger Games trilogy–it’s set right before the 10th Hunger Games. I knew this going into the book, and I wasn’t sure what it would do differently than the previous books: We have the evil Capitol, the 12 districts, and the Games themselves, right?

But hears where I think Collins took a bold step that really opens up the way readers view the world. Well before Katniss was ever born, the Capitol wasn’t the opulent, futuristic city we read about in original trilogy. It’s in tatters following the war. They’re in better shape than most of the districts, but people hungry there too, including the main character.

Even though the 10th Hunger Games is approaching, no one really cares about it. A handful of starving tributes are thrown into what appears to be an old football stadium, and they fight for a day or so until only one remains. The Games aren’t well funded, and they’re still being designed–it’s like they’re playtesting a new game at the expense of some unfortunate children.

There’s so much more that happens in this setting, but I wanted to mention those two aspects because they’re such a stark contrast to the original trilogy. There’s so much more to discover in this world. It’s rare that I get excited about a prequel, but the Ballad shows how a prequel can be done well.

I’m excited to finish the book this week, and I’d love to hear your spoiler-free thoughts in the comments below.

8 thoughts on “Have You Read the New Hunger Games Book? (My Thoughts)”

  1. I just finished this book a few days ago. I was also hesitant to read it because (like you) I found I enjoyed each of the original Hunger Games books less and less. I’m glad I gave the book a try though because I ended up really enjoying it!

    I found it so interesting to learn more about the effects of Panem’s civil war and the rebuilding effort afterwards. I also enjoyed learning more about the origins of the Hunger Games and how they changed over time. Finally, I loved learning about Snow and his background. I was surprised at how much I liked and sympathized with him, given his villainy in the original trilogy. It’s interesting to see the circumstances and choices that will eventually lead him down that path.

    I hope you enjoy the rest of the book!

    Reply
  2. So is The Wheel of Time not really grabbing you?

    I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on the series so far.

    We really loved that series, even though it does suffer from a bit of… narrative inertia… in some of the later installments and RJ was never particularly good at writing women. Book 1 (The Eye of the World) is fine enough — takes a while to get to grips with all the places and characters — Book four is one that I really like due to the involvement of a particular character.

    Reply
    • I’m still enjoying the Wheel of Time–I just wanted to take a short break from it. I’m eager to get to book 4 now!

      Reply
      • I can imagine WOT might need a bit of a lighter pallet cleanser once in a while, especially white running a successful business at the same time.

        It’s a strange beast — probably could have been condensed down to 9 books instead of 14 — but the world-building is second to none.

        Reply
  3. Just finished it, so great! The author’s intent with all of her work has been to show the complex and long-lasting impacts of war, and this was no exception. I loved it.

    Reply
  4. I was also hesitant to read this book. Considering I didn’t care for President Snow in the original trilogy, I wasn’t sure about reading a book whose main character was one I already knew I didn’t like. I’m really glad I read the book though. It helped me understand the Snow character better and see him from a completely different perspective. I also really enjoyed the references that tied into the Hunger Games trilogy, like learning more about the hanging tree song and the katniss plant.

    Reply

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