The United States has turned against each other. City upon city has been reduced to ashes. Up rises Panem, a new country. Where each district is filled with rebels who lost the war. But the Capitol must not let the rebels forget all the bloodshed they’ve caused. In remembrance, a new tradition is formed: The Hunger Games.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes takes you through the unlikely bond between a mentor, Coriolanus Snow, and a contestant of the games, Lucy Gray, during the beginning of The Hunger Games. With plot twists every few chapters and a heart throbbing ending, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes makes you ask “Does Snow always land on top?” For these reasons, I give this book a ⅘.