This prequel to the successful “The Hunger Games” trilogy or the movie adaptation by the same name tells the story of Coriolanus Snow’s rise to power – a story of friendship, betrayal, manipulation and oppression. For those who have read “The Hunger Games”, you might recognize the name Snow as a villain rather than a protagonist. But like all villains, there’s a backstory that shaped them into what they became. Following a war full of destruction and loss, Coriolanus is shattered emotionally and financially. In an attempt to rise through the ranks at his private school in the Capitol, he takes on the challenge of mentoring one of the tributes forced to fight in the Hunger Games. And although he does everything in his power to keep her alive, he is set on a path of twisted politics and mind games. In this novel, we get to see the process of healthy ambition transforming into a thirst for power and the consequences that follow.

This novel is suitanle for interdisciplinary teaching with regard to Social Studies and Politics.

Novel · United States · 2020