Those of us who learn The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Suzanne Collins’ President Snow-centric prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy, are in for a deal with. Even extra persons are going to be taught the story of Coriolanus and Lucy Gray Baird…and we get to see it performed out on the large display screen! For the nervous and/or excited e book followers on the market, here is how The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie compares to the e book. Be warned: there are spoilers forward!
I’m thrilled (?) to report that The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is almost too devoted to the supply materials. It’s wild how a lot watching it looks like cracking open the e book. The movie is even break up up into three elements, similar to the books, labeled “The Mentor,” “The Prize,” and “The Peacekeeper.” I’m not that shocked. The Hunger Games is written in first person viewpoint, so it is smart that the film variations made adjustments to develop its perspective exterior of Katniss’ head. (I like her, however she’s not essentially the most dependable narrator. The films made the suitable alternative.) The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, then again, is written in third person viewpoint. That’s already extra like watching a movie, the place you the reader/viewers are an out of doors observer. So it was in all probability simpler, IMHO, to adapt with out making drastic adjustments.
That stated, I do know you are all itching to know what adjustments they did make. It’s a part of the enjoyable! The e book does have, like, extra of every little thing–extra time within the enviornment, extra time spent with Coriolanus’ class brainstorming tips on how to get individuals to look at The Hunger Games, and extra time chillaxing in District 12 as soon as all is alleged and carried out. And listed below are just a few of the extra particular variations that stood out to me.
We see the “Dark Days” as an alternative of simply listening to about them
In the film: The film begins with a flashback to a really young Coriolanus and Tigris through the battle between the Capitol and the districts. It reveals us what it was like as an alternative of tells us. We additionally see him be taught that his father died in District 12. That just isn’t specified within the e book. This man actually has a laundry record of causes to resent Katniss’ hometown.
In the e book: The e book additionally makes it slightly clearer that Snow’s household misplaced their money as a result of they owned a munitions manufacturing unit in District 13. I doubt that was a obligatory element for the film, however I geeked out after I learn it within the e book.
In the e book: One of essentially the most haunting elements of the e book is when Dr. Gaul punishes Coriolanus’ classmate for dishonest on her homework by hospitalizing her. In the e book, Coryo will get a glimpse of her situation. Later, a shaken Clemensia rejoins the group.
In the film: She simply form of vanishes after the snake incident. Terrifying… particularly given how Coriolanus finally ends up working with Gaul sooner or later! He actually has no worry!
The drones trigger some shenanigans within the enviornment
In the e book: the mentors of the tenth Hunger Games strive, for the primary time, sending meals and water to their tributes by way of drone.
In the film: Call me loopy, however I feel that is the most important distinction. The model new drones are defective and susceptible to crash. It’s disappointing at first, as a result of they can not actually assist out their mentees. Then, Coriolanus weaponizes the chaotic drones to his benefit in a final ditch effort to avoid wasting Lucy Gray.
Lucy Gray just isn’t current on the “The Hanging Tree“
In the e book: Lucy Gray and Coriolanus are each current when the person who they are saying murdered three, infamously, is hanged. She then writes the long-lasting music, together with his story.
In the film: While we see the execution that the music is about, and later see Lucy Gray singing the music that can come again to hang-out President Snow in 60 odd years, she’s not current at stated hanging. While it is positively clear that the music is critical to Coriolanus, I want it had been like 5 p.c extra clear within the film that Lucy Gray truly wrote it too.
We do not actually get to know Maude Ivory
In the e book: Coriolanus and Sejanus go to Lucy Gray’s home and hang around together with her “siblings” fairly a bit.
In the film: We spend much less time with Lucy Gray’s discovered household, the Covey. I’m assuming we’ll see extra of this, at the least, within the deleted scenes. It’s a disgrace, as a result of Maude Ivory and her goat hinted at a connection to Katniss and Primrose Everdeen.
But we do see slightly extra Tigris, particularly on the finish
In the e book: the epilogue is just about simply Coriolanus’ dialog with Dean Highbottom.
In the film: We see him return to the Capitol and transfer his household to a greater condo, the place Tigris and their grandmother have totally different takes on how Coryo has modified. Thank goodness for that! I’m at all times completely satisfied to see extra from Hunter Schafer.
Leah Marilla Thomas is an leisure author, UNC alum, and former Hasbro Toy Tester (sure, that is an actual factor) who loves The Good Place and Love Island equally. In her alleged spare time, she’s in all probability both on the theater, in a park, or watching basketball.
