BOOK VS FILM! The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

by Grace H.

The Teen Book Guild is proud and excited to display our new blog series: Book VS Film! We will discuss both the book and film adaptation of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins, and we'll deliver a verdict at the end!

Disclaimer: minor spoilers ahead.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the prequel to the well-known Hunger Games series. This new addition follows Coriolanus Snow, the villain of the original trilogy, as a teenage boy living in the Capitol. Coriolanus's prestigious family has fallen into debt and ruin after the death of his father, and Coryo must win back his honor. How so? By becoming one of the first ever mentors of the 10th Annual Hunger Games, where 24 teenagers fight to the death. Which is done better, the film or the book?

The Book

Contrary to some, I immensely enjoyed this prequel. I thought it was fascinating to be able to see the origins of many of the components of the Hunger Games through the eyes of a future villain. My favorite parts were the hidden easter eggs that hinted towards plot points from the original trilogy. In comparison to the movie version, there were a couple things that the book did better. First of all, in the novel, we get a lot of scenes with Ma Plinth and her cooking for Coriolanus, which were completely absent in the movie. We also get more of a backstory surrounding Lucy Gray and the rest of the Covey. However, all in all, the movie adaptation matched the book very well.

The Film

The movie adaptation hit theaters in mid-November of this year and has been trending ever since. Snow, in particular, has become increasingly popular on TikTok. The film has been praised for following the book closely, and with a few minor exceptions, I agree. For fans of the book (like myself), this made for a great viewing experience.

The casting of the movie was incredible; Tom Blythe and Rachel Zegler did a fantastic job in their roles, and both really made their characters come to life. Personally, I thought it was SO COOL to see Snow as a teenager. Another benefit of the movie was getting a lot more action scenes of Lucy Gray in the arena. The book mainly stays with Coriolanus, but in the movie, we get scenes inside the arena, more from the perspective of Lucy Gray. One drawback of the movie is the absence of Clemensia's fate after being bitten by Dr. Gaul's snakes. After the incident, she disappears for the rest of the movie. However, more scenes with Tigris make up for it, especially in the epilogue.

The Verdict

After careful deliberation, I have decided that the movie version of the story has won.

Simply being able to see the action on screen with the amazing actors portraying the characters beats reading on paper. However, I would still highly recommend reading the book, as the plot points between the film and novel are very similar.

What do you think? Does the book or film win?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Feel Like a Harry Styles Song

Written by Helena M.

It's another Top Ten Tuesday, brought to you by the WPL Teen Book Guild!

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday is a widespread trend in which book bloggers create a “Top Ten” list in response to a different topic each week.

This week: the theme is a freebie, so Helena chose--

Top 10 Books That Feel Like a Harry Styles Song

1. As It Was - The Summer I Turned Pretty

The Summer I Turned Pretty follows Belly, her brother, and the Fisher brothers when they go to their summer house every year. Belly has always loved Conrad, but it never is reciprocated. But this summer, everything has changed. As It Was gives off the same vibe as The Summer I Turned Pretty - they both have fun, summer aesthetics.

2. Matilda - Impostor Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim 

Impostor Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim is about Ale, a Korean Argentinian, who struggles with fitting in at her wealthy predominantly white school and her home in Jackson Heights. She dreams of going to a prestigious liberal arts school with her best friend Laurel, but Laurel starts a petition against a teacher who claims Ale is a shoo-in for colleges because of her race. This book deals with the heavy topic of acceptance and racism. Matilda and Impostor Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim are very similar because they speak of not feeling comfortable or accepted anywhere.

 

3. From the Dining Table - The Night in Question 

The Night in Question is the second mystery in its series. It features Alice and Iris again, with a new mystery relating to Kennedy, Alice’s old friend. Alice is still coping with Brooke’s death and is ready to forget with a new obsession. As the mystery becomes deeper and deeper, the pair is stuck in an inescapable hole. From the Dining Table and The Night in Question are similar because they both have the same feeling of grief and melancholy during hard times.

 

4. Kiwi - The Cheerleaders

One night, two cheerleaders mysteriously die in a car crash. Then the rest of the team dies too. Monica, the little sister of one of these cheerleaders, is determined to find the truth. She is terrified of what she will find and knows it could threaten her life. Kiwi and The Cheerleaders give off the same dangerous feelings.

 

5. Watermelon Sugar - We Were Liars

We Were Liars is about Cadence and her cousins on a private island that her perfect family owns. Their island is the most magical place on Earth for Cadence because it has memories of the sun and family. But when she begins to unravel decades of injustice and terrible practices, she begins to rebel against her parents with her friends at her side. We Were Liars and Watermelon Sugar both tell tales of nostalgic fun. 

 

6. Two Ghosts - They Both Die at the End

Rufus and Orion got the call, the one that ends lives. In their world, they have DeathCast, which can accurately tell you when you die. So when they get the call, they are determined to live. They haven’t met, but fate leads them together on the famous Last Friend app. They form a connection and encourage each other to step out of their comfort zones. Two Ghosts speaks of changing personalities and feeling empty, and Rufus and Orion certainly change throughout They Both Die at the End.

 

7. Little Freak - If He Had Been With Me

Autumn and Finn have been close friends since they were little; then Autumn begins to like Finn. But he is in a relationship with Sylvie, which gives her conflicting emotions. He dies in a tragic accident, and Autumn is left to cope with his death. Little Freak is about a special girl that is unique from most people, and Autumn was certainly that for Finn in If He Had Been With Me.

 

8. Sweet Creature - Love & Gelato

Love & Gelato features Lina, an American girl who goes to Italy for her mother’s dying wish. Lina finds her mother’s notebook and begins to recreate her experiences with the help of Ren, a local Italian boy. In Sweet Creature, Harry Styles speaks about how a girl reminds him of home, just like how Lina’s mother helps her find her family history through her journal.

 

9. Adore You - American Royals

 

American Royals provides an alternate American reality where there isn’t a president, but instead a royal family. Nina and Sam, the American princess, are best friends. But Nina starts to have feelings for Sam’s brother, Prince Jefferson. Their lives are constantly on display, and Nina can’t seem to get away from the press. America just “adores” the royal family. Adore You and American Royals are similar because the characters are loved, but never reciprocated at the same level.

 

10. Love of my Life - To All the Boys I've Loved Before 

Lara Jean is a high schooler who writes letters to boys she has crushes on. But she never actually sends them. Her little sister, Kitty, sends out all of the notes after her older sister, Margot, leaves for college. It stirs up drama with her old crushes. Love of My Life is about a girl that the speaker loves, and Lara Jean almost sounds like the speaker.