If you were ever a fan of The Hunger Games franchise when you were younger, then you
are probably familiar with the new movie, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” that was just
released on November 17. Just like the original movie trilogy based on the book series, this
movie is a book adaptation that follows the future president of Panem, Coriolanus Snow as we
see him before his rise to power.
As a fan of the original trilogy, who has seen all the movies and read the books, this new
one did not disappoint. However, with all book-to-movie adaptations, there are some obvious
differences. It is difficult to translate everything that happens on a page onto the big screen. For
example, Snow’s inner monologue is something we can read about but never see fully translated
on screen. In the original trilogy, President Snow is a tyrannical president who we know is the
villain of the story. Reading the book and watching the movie we see Coriolanus Snow’s
backstory and the choices he made that lead him to be the villain that we know him as. However,
if you want to understand his character, reading the book is essential.
The book follows a young Coriolanus Snow who has been left impoverished due to the
war between the districts and the capitol (also known as the dark days). As one of the star
students of his class in the academy, he is picked to be one of the mentors for the tributes in the
10th annual Hunger Games. His tribute is Lucy Gray Baird of District 12 and the two quickly
form an attachment towards each other. Lucy Gray plays such a pivotal role in Snow’s backstory
because you start to understand why President Snow in the original trilogy has such deep hatred
for the districts, especially District 12. Snow’s inner monologue about Lucy Gray is interesting
because he sort of looks at her as some sort of trophy. If Lucy Gray wins the Hunger Games,
then it would also mean victory for Snow as well.
*WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD*
The book does a better job of showing Snow’s true intentions. Everything he does is for
his benefit, and you can see how selfish his actions are in the book compared to how he acts in
the movie. His need to control situations is not as obvious on screen. The movie tried to make us
sympathetic towards him. When he cheats to ensure Lucy Gray’s victory, the movie makes it
seem as if he does it out of affection. That is somewhat true. However, in the book, Snow’s inner
monologue reveals that he sees her more as an object that he can control. This is evident nearing
the end of the book when Lucy Gray is the only person left who knows that he killed Mayfair
Lipp and suspects that he played a part in Sejanus’s death. She then runs away from him, and he
loses his mind. Even though many other factors led to his corruption, it was at this moment that
he realized that he never wants to be put in a situation where he feels weak and out of control
again. Everything he does from that moment on is to ensure that Snow lands on top.
I feel as though the book doesn’t try to make us sympathize with him, unlike the movies.
His unhinged thoughts make it known that he was always toeing the line between good and evil.He is easier to hate in the books because his thoughts are very blunt, especially regarding his
distaste for Sejanus. While the movie convinces you to believe their friendship is genuine, the
book makes it evident that he loathes him. Snow only considers him as a friend when he can
benefit from it, such as becoming the heir to the Plinth fortune, despite his betrayal being the
reason for Sejanus’s death.
In regards to Snow’s relationships, not just with Lucy Gray but with other characters like
Sejanus, and Tigris (his cousin), I think the book does a better job of portraying how little by
little these ties get severed. Again, this all comes down to being able to read his thoughts and
reasonings as to why he made specific choices. Of course, we should all keep in mind that
Coriolanus Snow does become a villain later in life, so even though we might be able to
understand his reasoning, it does not mean that those reasons justify all the terrible crimes he
commits.
Overall, I was a big fan of both the book and the movie, and I recommend checking out
either version. Although, I highly recommend watching the movie, if you want to see Young
Snow played by the charming and attractive Tom Blyth.