#thg reread tb

[heavensbeehall]

"The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," Chapter 11

Part 2: The Prize

Chapter 11: ... and we enter a new part! Lucy Gray having saved Coryo gives her a bit more leverage in making him listen to her. She says "we" will come up with a strategy not him, for example. And I am like, "yes, girl." Coryo has to find a guitar and the thought of singing cheers Lucy Gray up. Then the mentors have to endure more crazy from Dr. Gaul. She wants them to write papers about what they liked about the war. Coriolanus goes to Pluribus Bell to get a guitar. Pluribus mentions that Highbottom and Snow's father were friends, which is news to Coriolanus. Interviews happen. Lucy Gray sings. Coriolanus is jealous.

Thoughts:

-- Okay if we were doing Capitol Draft Kings, who would you bet on at this stage? Several tributes are out. I think Reaper or Jessup would be strong picks at this juncture.

-- I was thinking. Gaul was an area in Europe that was eventually conquered by Julius Caesar, right? Does that imply that Coriolanus--who becomes the dictator later--defeats her in some way? Or does that analogy fall apart because the first Emperor was Augustus? I don't know that much Roman history.

Quotes:

“Enduring horrible things is one of my talents.”

*whispers* she is alive. enduring is her talent.

Coriolanus couldn’t help admiring his pluck. Of course, Sejanus didn’t know how dangerous Dr. Gaul could be. He might end up in a cage with a pair of parakeet wings and an elephant’s trunk if he wasn’t careful.

Early on in this book, Coriolanus often uses terms like "admire" to describe Sejanus' outbursts. Sejanus, of course, doesn't think much before saying or doing--like Katniss in the future. Even though he was never Sejanus' friend, I feel like he respects him less as we get further along?

Coriolanus wished he’d kept quiet. He noticed Dean Highbottom giving him a quizzical look and busied himself by opening his notebook and uncapping his pen.

Highbottom thinks Snow is just like his father. Occasionally he does things that aren't in line with Crassus, but he usually regrets them immediately.

“Let’s consider for a moment that the war is a constant. The conflict may ebb and flow, but it will never really cease. Then what should be our goal?”

Gaul is talkinga bout a perpetual war. She does work in the War Department, yes? So having a forever war is good for her business. Coriolanus says they control it. While the Quarter Quell envelopes Katniss sees in Catching Fire are almost certainly fake. It does seem true that Gaul wants the Hunger Games to go on forever.

Tigris had provided an old dress of hers, saying that if Lucy Gray was willing to trust her, she could wash and iron her rainbow ruffles for the broadcast. Lucy Gray hesitated, but when he gave her Tigris’s other gift, a small cake of soap shaped like a flower and smelling of lavender, she had him turn his back while she changed.

Tigris is the first stylist in the Hunger Games! It's not much but it's more than the other tributes have to make them stand out in the interviews. (There is also makeup given later.)

... said Coriolanus, adjusting a hot pink rosebud in her hair. It matched the one on his lapel, just in case anyone needed a reminder of who Lucy Gray belonged to.

I hate this "belonged to" crap.