Unlike my last read where I jumped into book 2 of a series without reading the first, I came fully prepared to Suzanne Collins’ “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” I started the “Hunger Games” prequel with full knowledge of its existing world having read the original trilogy twice and having seen all of the movies.

I knew going in that this book was about Coriolanus Snow, who in the trilogy is the president of Panem, the government that oversees the 12 districts it holds in tight control in the wake of a rebel uprising and war. The story takes place the year of the 10th Hunger Games — the government’s way of punishing the losing rebels for the war — when Snow is 18 years old.

I was fully prepared based on his reputation and actions to dislike and distrust him, and Collins does a nice job of making you question that at times. From the very start he and his family are a somewhat sympathetic bunch, with Coriolanus being an orphan and he and his grandma and cousin having to sell many of their possessions to keep up the appearance of being a prominent Capitol family even though their glory days are long past.

But throughout the story there is plenty to keep the voice in the back of your head yelling reminders that “THIS GUY SUCKS!” He’s manipulative. He’s extraordinarily self-centered. He fully believes wealth and position at the only real worth of a person. He’s a terrible friend.

Late in the story he’s thinking about abandoning the path that’s laid out for him, but can’t wrap his mind around what it would be to just basically live a simple life.

“What was there to aspire to once wealth, fame, and power had been eliminated? Was the goal of survival further survival and nothing more?” he asks himself.

One fun thing about prequels is the ability to look for clues and hints the author knowingly drops about what is to come. I found myself scrutinizing names such as Hilarious Heavensbee, the same last name as Plutarch Heavensbee, who in the trilogy is the one in charge of creating and running the Hunger Games competition in which two kids from each district are chosen to battle to the death.

And then there were little clues as to the future life of Snow himself, including the very obvious and repeated references to his love of the smell of roses which comes up a lot in the trilogy. Perhaps the most satisfying came after he made his first trip to District 12, the home of future Hunger Games nemesis Katniss Everdeen, aka “The Mockingjay.”

“A black bird, slightly larger than the jabberjays, suddenly opened its wings to reveal two patches of dazzling white as it lifted its beak in song. Coriolanus felt sure he’d spotted his first mockingjay, and he disliked the thing on sight.”

I have news for you, pal. They don’t end up liking you much either.

Overall this is a very interesting and fulfilling addition to the Hunger Games universe and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed those books.