A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Abstract

A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes takes place in Panem, a dystopian future version of the United States of America, and is a prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy. This novel portrays the 10th edition of the Hunger Games, having Lucy Gray Baird, the tribute from district 12, and a young Corialanus Snow, who would later become president of Panem, as its protagonists, and it is shown how the games evolved into what they are in the original series, set 64 years in the future. This evolution is done through the inclusion of a betting system but also through the development of the technology used in the games themselves. These developments are the responsibility of Dr. Volumnia Gaul, the current Head Gamemaker, and a scientist. One of the developments she uses to make the games more complex is bioengineering, through the mutation of animals with the goal of making them more dangerous predators. It is also under her supervision that Dr. Kay develops the Jabberjay, a genetically engineered bird that can record and repeat sounds including human speech. These experiments were intended to be used for both the games and warfare.