Latest ‘Hunger Games’ novel a timely read
What to know before launching into 500-page “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.”
It is quite a time to crack open a “Hunger Games” book. • As huge numbers of protesters take to the streets to demand systemic reform in the wake of the death of George Floyd and other Black Americans, many are also reading the latest novel in the series about political unrest, on-camera killings and what it means to become a symbol of protest.
Just-published novel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” spent two weeks at No. 1 on USA TODAY’s Best-Selling Books list, before dropping to No. 2 in its third week.
Suzanne Collins’ new book was released a decade after her successful young adult book series was thought to have ended. It takes place more than 60 years before the events of the original “Hunger Games,” long before Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) was in the picture. It tells the story of would-be villain Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland)
“Hunger Games” prequel when he was a poor teenager figuring out how to navigate a classist society before he would go on to become the tyrannical president of police state Panem.
All of that might sound vaguely familiar, but there’s a good chance it’s been years since you last read or watched anything about Collins’ dystopian franchise. In that case, here are a few things you should know before launching into the 500page plus “Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”:
‘Peacekeepers’ are the ones who kill protesters in later books
In Panem, peacekeepers are the people who patrol the districts. On the surface, they’re tasked with maintaining order, but more often than that they are trying to discourage rebellion against the Capitol. They tend to have riot gear and weapons, the latter of which they use in the original trilogy to whip or shoot residents who ignore orders or give the three-finger Mockingjay salute. “Songbirds and Snakes” takes a closer look at how people become peacekeepers.
The name Tigris should sound familiar
In the “Hunger Games” books and movies, Tigris is a Capitol resident who provides Katniss and other rebels refuge in her fur shop.
In “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2,” Tigris (Eugenie Bondurant) has a face tattooed with tiger stripes and whiskers on her cheeks. She was a stylist in the Games, but stopped after “Snow decided I wasn’t pretty enough anymore,” she says. In the prequel, we get a glimpse of Tigris’ and Snow’s childhoods, and quickly learn how they’re related.
Snow is known for his roses
You might remember that Finnick, in the book and onscreen (Sam Claflin), revealed that President Snow used roses to cover the scent of blood in his mouth.
Those sores, says Finnick, are caused by Snow poisoning his enemies and drinking from “the same cup to deflect suspicion.” Snow is often seen among the roses in his garden and wearing a rose on his lapel.
“Songbirds and Snakes” gives a back story on Snow’s connection to roses.
Katniss sang ‘The Hanging Tree,’ but the haunting song was written before she was born
In “Mockingjay – Part 1,” Katniss sings the old, haunting song about lovers meeting at “The Hanging Tree.” Plutarch Heavensbee changes up the lyrics for a propaganda film for the rebellion against the Capitol. “That line was originally ‘necklace of rope,’” says Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman in one of his final roles), “I changed it to ‘necklace of hope.’”
In the “Mockingjay” book, the song has even more significance as something Katniss remembers her dad singing, a tune that Peeta also recalls. It becomes very important in “Songbirds and Snakes.”
Mockingjay images are forbidden by Snow
In case you forgot: In Panem, a mockingjay is a bird that mimics melodies and goes on to be the symbol of the rebellion. Katniss becomes the embodiment in “The Mockingjay” and, in “Catching Fire,” memorably shows off a wedding dress that turns into a black-winged mockingjay costume. Eventually, President Snow outlaws all images of mockingjays. You can expect to learn more about the birds in Collins’ latest book.