#yes I believe Sejanus deserves better

[starryevermore]

the house of snow (11) ✧ coriolanus snow

the house of snow ✧ a royal coryo au | pinterest board| ao3

pairing: king!coriolanus snow x fem!reader

series summary: the king of panem is in search of a bride. and, for reasons you can never understand, coriolanus snow has set his sights on you. it would never be a happy marriage, you’re sure of that. but none of that matters, because when snow decides he wants something, he will do everything in his power to ensure it is his. 

chapter summary: finally, coriolanus can call you his. 

word count: 2,423

series warnings?: 18+ MINORS DNI, royal au, regency au, arranged marriage, rivals to lovers, obsessive!coryo, jealous!coryo, protective!coryo, eventual smut, eventual pregnancy, more tags to be added later

chapter warnings?: coryo’s pov, pet name (petal), not proofread 

Coriolanus Snow was eighteen when he asked for your hand. 

He had just graduated from the Academy—no thanks to Dean Highbottom—and he was due to ship out to whatever Peacekeeper base he was assigned to by the end of the week. He was fine with the idea of being a Peacekeeper. As fine as he could be, at least. Because his father had been a general during the war, people could easily believe that his enlistment was to honor his father—not because the Snows were penniless. His brilliance demanded more, of course, but he could come back to the Capital eventually. Perhaps find clever ways to invest his money. 

The worst part, though, was the idea of not seeing you again. He loved, no, adored, his verbal sparring matches with you. He adored how you got a rise out of him so easily, as if you weren’t even trying. He adored the way you occupied his every thought. To not be able to hear you rant, or see the way a smirk would curl across your face when you discovered something particularly clever to say, would be the death of him. 

He surely looked pathetic, standing in your father’s office, his hands clasped together to hide their shaking as he asked, “Sir, could I please have your daughter’s hand in marriage?”

Your father scarcely looked up from his paperwork. “You’re shipping out soon, are you not? Or did my friends at the Peacekeeping Office mislead me?”

Coriolanus swallowed hard. “Yes, sir. But your daughter…I have never met a more brilliant person.” More quietly, he admitted, “She makes me want to be a better man.”

Your father glanced up, quickly, then looked down again. “She deserves a better life than one on a military base.”

“I agree, sir. I will provide her one. I don’t intend to serve the rest of my life.” Intent and reality were different. Competing. While Coriolanus might not want to be a Peacekeeper forever, he very well might be. “I already have a ring for her.”

He opened his hand and placed the ring on your father’s desk. It was a family heirloom. One of the few that hadn’t been sold off to pay their debts. His Grandma’am insisted that he keep it. He would need it, after all, for when he found the woman he wished to marry. And for every night after that day at the opera, he had pulled it from his nightstand and imagined how it might look, sitting prettily on your finger. 

Your father glanced up again and pushed the ring away. “Ask again when your service is up.”

Every part of Coriolanus wanted to scream and shout and insist that he be granted your hand. No one could love you better, he was sure of it. But fighting your father…That would ensure he never got to marry you. So, he swallowed again, plucked the ring from the desk, and thanked your father for his time. 

Coriolanus Snow was eighteen, still, when he asked for your hand again. 

Over the last several months, he had worn that ring alongside his dog tags. It was his only rebellion he had against the strict Peacekeeper regimen. It was his only reminder of what he was fighting so hard for. And now, after the Plinths had found some convoluted reason to grant him a portion of their fortune—something about a debt that Sejanus owed him in school—he was back in the Capital. 

Your father was leaned back in his chair as Coriolanus asked again, making his case for why he would be a dutiful husband. When he finished, your father said, “The ton knows how your wealth was squandered after the war. How you were only saved from ruin by the generosity of the Plinths.” Your father practically spat on their name. “Why should I let my daughter marry into that?”

“I would never let her experience financial ruin, I can promise you that. What happened with my family was, is, a travesty. But we are a proud family, and we have been working to rebuild ourselves. There was hardly a family not so afflicted by the war. We might have had a boost by the Plinth family, but I will not allow our good name to be sullied.”

Your father eyed Coriolanus, scrutinizing every details. From how new his suit was, to the buzzcut that was slowly being grown out. “I don’t doubt that. But I will need more reassurance that my daughter will be taken care of. You have to understand.”

Coriolanus could only nod, scared of what acid might fall from his lips if he deigned to speak. 

“Ask again when you make a name for yourself.”

Coriolanus Snow was four and twenty when he asked again. 

He was the King now. The Electors had granted him the title after the Former King Ravinstill passed. Coriolanus had fought like hell, clawed himself up from the pits of poverty, to get to this moment. He made sure he did everything right. Carefully coaxed the Electors and their families into thinking he was a friend. Convinced them that he would do right by Panem, do right by the Capital. Honeyed his words at every turn. But he did not care for any of that. All he wanted was to have you by his side, protected against any harm that may come your way. The only thing that stood in his way was the man standing before him. 

Your father stood behind his desk, hands clasped behind his back. Coriolanus barely had gotten the question out when your father said, “You have gone to great lengths to make a name for yourself these last five years.”

And he had. He barely participated in the social seasons beyond speaking to the families in power. Speaking to those who would have sway in his appointment as president when the time came. He made no time for himself. Coriolanus had a goal, and he would be damned if he didn’t meet it. 

“None of it matters if I do not have a powerful woman by my side,” he said. 

Your father let out a chuckle. “She is something, isn’t she? I worry what she might say if I tell her that I’ve given her away without even consulting her.”

The answer was no, Coriolanus realized. Nothing he did would be good enough for this man. “Sir, with all due respect, I will come here every week and ask for her hand. There is nothing in this land I want more. Your daughter is…Everything to me. And I would give her everything just to make her smile. So, please, just tell me what I must do for you to give her away.”

Your father stared for a long, silent moment. “Court her. Properly. Only then will I say yes.”

Coriolanus Snow was four and twenty, still, when he received your hand. 

After a promenade in the square, after a spat where you thought yourself to be little more than a pawn in his game, Coriolanus had come to your father’s office. He could not prove his love to you during this courtship, not when you still thought there was a chance he would change his mind. No, he could only show his love when you knew that he had dedicated everything to marrying you.

Your father stood in front of Coriolanus. He hadn’t even gotten the question out when your father said, “I suppose this will be the last time you come here like this?”

Coriolanus swallowed the proud smirk that dared to cross his face. Finally. Finally a yes. “You can rest assured that she will want for nothing.”

“I don’t doubt it with a man as persistent as you.”

Coriolanus Snow was four and twenty, still yet, as he stood at the altar, watching your father leading you down the altar.

You were a vision in white. Tigris had adorned you in a beautiful gown, white roses embroidered on the skirts and your lacy long sleeves. A veil obscured your face from him, but he was sure you looked like a proper Queen. The sort of woman that would send the proudest of men to their knees. And he would gladly kneel before you. 

You stepped up to the altar alone, your father taking a seat beside your mother. Coriolanus reached for your hand and didn’t let go as you stood in front of him. 

“You look beautiful,” he said. 

“Thank you, Coryo.”

He hoped you were smiling behind the veil. He hoped you were as happy as him. And he was sure you were when you whispered, “Do you think the officiant should faint if you kissed me now?”

Coriolanus laughed so hard that he considered kissing you right then and there before whisking you away to his private chambers, the rest of the ceremony be damned. “You are wicked, petal, for teasing me like this.”

“You take pleasure in it.”

And, oh, how he did. 

Coriolanus never despised events more than when the ton celebrated his marriage while he bided his time to love you the way you deserved. He was tired of entertaining people. It was a beautiful ceremony and even more beautiful reception, to be sure, but Coriolanus could not stand the amount of people approaching him to offer their congratulations. Not, at least, when he was trying to kiss you and dance with you and tell you how he loved you. 

You patted his hand as his knuckles turned white, clutching the arm of his chair, when yet another person came up to speak to him. “You need to relax. The ton is going to think that something is wrong if you keep acting like this.”

“Something is wrong,” he muttered. “I can’t even enjoy my time with my wife because everyone thinks they’re more worthy of my time. Worse yet, not a single one of them has so much as acknowledged you.”

How frustrating that was. Did the ton only think of you of some pretty little thing to hang off the King’s arm? Of course they would be so simple-minded. They did not realize you were the most brilliant person in the room. Perhaps more brilliant than him. They did not realize that you were his Queen and you were worthy of their respect. Oh, how they would learn when you would demand it—because he knew you would.

“And you can make that known later. Coryo, this is a day of celebration. Let them be frivolous today. Remind them of who you are and what that means later.”

Coriolanus released his grip on the chair. He took your hand in his own and rubbed his thumb over your fingers. “Who we are,” he corrected.

“Who we are,” you amended. 

A smile tugged at his lips. “They’ll learn to bow before you.”

“I don’t want anyone to bow before me.”

“What do you want? I would give you anything. All you need do is ask.”

You said nothing. That is, until a new song began to play. You rose from your chair, and Coriolanus followed after you. “I would like to dance.”

Coriolanus led you to the middle of the floor, trying his best to mask his displeasure. He knew you better than to know you want nothing. Your family was well-to-do, but everyone had to be conscious of their spending as the Capital rebuilt itself. It was not lost on Coriolanus that your mother carefully rotated your wardrobe, ensuring that enough time had passed between one time you wore a gown and the next, less the ton realize that your family could not afford to constantly buy new dresses. Tigris had told him how you would come in to have your dresses tailored, how you could always eye the new fabrics she bought. How sometimes you would stay long after the tailoring to watch her design gowns. With him as your husband, Coriolanus would buy you as many gowns as you wanted. He would buy every book you were interested. Hell, he would adopt every cat in Panem and allow you to name them Coriolanus the III, IV, V, and VI and so on if it meant you were satisfied. You might never ask for it, but he would give you the world. 

The ton watched as Coriolanus held onto your hand, the other falling to your waist. The music began to pick up as he spun you ‘round and ‘round and ‘round the floor. All Coriolanus could focus on was you. The rest of the room seemed to melt away. He pulled you closer, your body flush against his. Oh, how he loved you being this close to him. How he could hold you like this and no one could tell him any different.

You didn’t seem to be as captivated as him. With every turn, you would glance over at the crowd, displeasure fighting its way onto your face. 

“Ignore them. They are not worthy of your attention,” Coriolanus murmured. 

“They’re like vultures, waiting to see me, us, trip,” you said.

“Prove them wrong, then.”

“Why should they care about what I say and do? They only view me as an extension of the King now,” you say, your nose wrinkling. 

Coriolanus spared a glance at the crowd. Yes, he supposed they probably did. People in the ton so rarely appreciated true wit. Now that you were his wife, anything remarkable you did would be attributed to him. He leaned in, his lips ghosting over the shell of your ear. “Then make then listen. Make them see. Show them the woman I fell in love with.”

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t—”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence, petal,” Coriolanus said, his voice a near growl. “You matter to me, and so you shall matter to them.”

You said nothing, much to his ire.

He let out a breath, careful to not lose his temper with you. You didn’t deserve that, not when you were being vulnerable with him. Not when you were finally showing him the parts of you, you kept so artfully hidden. “Tell me, what’s going on in that brilliant mind of yours?”

You tore your eyes from the crowd and looked up at Coriolanus. Your mouth opened and, for a second, he thought you might tell him the truth. Instead, you only said, “It doesn’t matter.”

Oh, petal, when would you realize that you were all that mattered?

[sleepy-gee]

💫stardust - coriolanus/sejanus

the boy was rotten, a recipe for trouble. he knew that. he stained everything he touched, darkened it, corrupted it beyond repair. he stained everything he touched with sin. and yet, sejanus never let go.

💫 trigger warnings/tags: no tw's, just some intimacy :] this is my snowjanus president husband's au where the jabberjay that would've condemned sej died on its way back to the capitol so the two were able to return home and be happy together lolol,,

💫a/n: i don't know what this is. found it in my ao3 drafts, polished it, and here we are!!

Pylades: I’ll take care of you. Orestes: It’s rotten work. Pylades: Not to me. Not if it’s you. -Anne Carson, Euripides

coriolanus snow may have looked like an angel, golden curls framing his face similar to that of a halo, pale plush lips mimicking the heavens clouds, and eyes so deep it's impossible not to get lost in them, but he certainly wasn't one by any means. at least, that's what he thought himself. lucifer was the fairest of them all before he fell.

the boy was rotten, a recipe for trouble. he knew that. he stained everything he touched, darkened it, corrupted it beyond repair. he stained everything he touched with sin.

and yet, sejanus never let go.

it baffled him. why would sejanus want to touch him? after all he had done? after all he planned to do? coriolanus had stolen, lied, killed, and so much more. all for the sake of himself and himself only. he knew he was a bad person, never pitying himself for it though.

yet, sejanus still married him. still kissed him and made love to him. even after having been on the forefront of it all. he would be dead if it weren't for the damn bird dying on it's way back to the capitol. he probably wouldn't have if he knew about that.

sometimes he'd let himself forget. he'd let go each worry in his mind with each kiss that landed against his sternum, blond locks splayed across the pillow beneath him.

"you're so pretty.. i can't believe you're all mine.." coriolanus' breath hitched when sejanus moved back up over him, kissing him again deeply. the way he licked his way into his mouth so effortlessly was enough to make his heart stop right then and there. 

"i don't deserve it." coriolanus said when they parted for breath, running his hands down his lovers tanned back. "i–"

"don't be silly.. of course you do. you deserve every damn thing you get, coryo." sejanus wouldn't let him finish, already pressing another kiss to his lips. it's not like he could complain.

maybe he didn't deserve it, but he sure needed it. in bed with this man, he got his purity back.. how ironic is that?

sejanus was everything good in the world, everything he wanted to be. it took him some time to wake up, but eventually, he was able to open his eyes and see how much control he did have. how much good he could do. and being married to the president of panem definitely helped with that. the games were abolished, economy stabilized, and famine wasn't as big of an issue as it used to be. panem was finally as great as it used to boast about being.

and sejanus was to thank for all of that.

".. what would i do without you?" the president asked, moving his hands down to sejanus' hips.

".. you don't need me as much as you say you do."

"yes.. i do. i do, sejanus. you're the only thing keeping me from going insane–" he kissed him again, sitting up. "you're the only thing good about this broken world."

"this world isn't broken anymore, coryo.. i wish you'd see that." sejanus kissed the tip of his nose. "we fixed it. you fixed it. we made it a better place.."

"you're the only reason it's not a mess, though.. without you, i don't know what would've happened.."

".. i think we can say that about a lot of things." sejanus took his hand and kissed his fingertips one by one.

"i'm serious, sej. you–" he swallowed thickly. "you saved me."

sejanus tilted his head to the side. ".. what do you mean by that?"

"i mean.. oh, what's the point? i can't put it into words.." the guilt was creeping up his throat like nausea. a happy accident had saved his country from so much heartache.

"well.. i won't force you to say anything you don't want to. or can't, for that matter." sejanus kissed his cheek, then the corner of his mouth. "but for now.. why don't you lay back down for me? i'm not done with you quite yet."

i don't deserve it, coriolanus wanted to say. he let himself fall back anyways. ".. i love you."

".. i love you too. always and forever."

[pinkflufflybunny7]

Believe it, you deserve it

Hello, well this is my first post on tumblr. And my first one shot in English, it is not my first language but I promise that I have tried to review it as much as I could. I wanted to make something of Sejanus, give him some love. He deserves it.🥺 I still don't get over it. 😭🥲 att. Fluffybunny🐰 ____________________________________________________

He still couldn't believe that he had escaped death, two years had already passed since he was about to be hanged. From time to time in his nightmares he could even feel the friction of the rope on his neck causing him to wake up startled and scared. But you were there for him, to calm his anxieties. To remind him that everything was okay. On that dramatic afternoon, all the effort the boy had made to help those the district people had had an effect, his kindness, and need to do the right thing had awakened the duty to help him. They couldn't let him die, not after exposing himself so much for them, and also because you were in the middle. You were very loved in the district twelve along with the Covey and this would definitely break your heart.

That's how chaos arose that day seconds before they pulled the lever so that the floor under those who would be executed would disappear beneath them and the rope would do the rest. But it didn't happen, and he had lived to tell it, to have the chance to escape. To be happy for once in his life, to feel loved and like in family. Although evidently the only one his heart still missed was his Ma. The only person who had always truly loved him before you appeared in his life. If only there was a way to bring her with him, he would do it. At one point he even had the crazy idea of kidnapping her, but it was very risky. In the Capitol everyone believed that he was dead, that they had managed to shoot him down while they were fleeing in the forest. Because of course they hid the reality of there incompetence in having let the rebels escape. If he could just let her know that he was alive, that might ease his mother's pain at losing him.

On the other hand, he didn't even want to think about Coriolanus. Yes, because Coryo died the day he handed him over after swearing that he was his brother, that nothing bad would happen. It was a wound that still hurt him, even so he did not wish him harm. He hoped that he was being happy and that he had found what he desperately sought. The irony of the matter was that now a little boy with golden curls, who could barely speak, called him Uncle Sej. He had become the little boy's father figure, he didn't mind helping Lucy as much as he could with him. Although his little face reminded him at every moment of his father, the boy was the living portrait of Coriolanus, except for the brown eyes of his mother.

But now he would experience what it would be like to be a father firsthand, and although he was excited, he was also terrified. When he found out you were pregnant he almost fainted from excitement. Then he started to get a little hysterical every time he heard you complain to yourself even it just was that you stuck your finger with a needle while you were knitting blankets for the baby. If you wanted something, he ran to look for it and got frustrated if he didn't find it. The week went by, and he kept asking for forgiveness for not getting it. Even when you told him nothing was wrong, that it was okay. He was afraid of dropping the baby. It almost happened once when he held Lucy's baby, he was so small and restless that he thought he was going to slip out of his arms. Luckily he managed to hold it well in time before it fell. Maude Ivory knew how to carry them better than him, even though she was only a child.

—Aren't you coming to bed? — You murmured with somewhat sleepy eyes, as you watched him from behind in front of the small window of the room. —I'm going right now… just…— he didn't say anything else, he just let out a sigh. So you carefully got out of bed. A task that at this point was not so simple, your belly was huge and round, but that would not prevent you from reaching Sejanus when you knew well that something was troubled in his mind. As you approach him you take his arm, wrapping his arm in a hug. — Is something wrong baby? Something is bothering you? — You asked while placing a kiss on his shoulder. The boy turned to look at you and tried to give you a smile before letting out another sigh. — I'm not so sure. I guess I'm a little scared. — He said while he directed one of his hands to your round belly and began to caress it gently. — Do you think I'll be a good dad? — he questioned, it was inevitable that you raised an eyebrow surprised by the question. Because for you the answer was more than clear. It was a resounding yes, the best of all. Sejanus was kind, careful at least if he took care of others although perhaps not so much of himself. He was also gentle, humanitarian, always fighting for what was right. So full of love even when he lacked so much it. Besides, you had already seen how he was with Lucy Gray's little boy, and even with Maude Ivory. You were very young couple, yes, but you knew well that he would take care of both of you with his life.

— The best ever. Don't worry, children don't come with a manual. You learn as you go. Also… Will you take care of us? Will you love us? Will you always see the best for us? — You questioned as you caressed his cheek. — Of course I do, with my life. With my life. It's just that my nerves are getting on me. I never imagined myself in this position. I didn't think I could find happiness until you appeared in my life. And then, everything almost disappeared from my hands. I thought I was dying and the only thing that existed in my mind at that time was that I didn't want to die because I didn't want you or Ma to suffer. I still miss her. I'm afraid that for some reason the peacekeepers will catch up with us and finish what they started, and I will no longer be with you. — You could notice how his eyes were filled with tears so you took his face in your hands and brought him closer to yours, pressing your foreheads together. — Everything is fine now. Sej, nothing bad is going to happen to you. The only valid way that you will no longer be with us will be when you die as an old man. Even so I hope it will be when you are very old, and it will be too long until you are an old man. — You assured him. — Believe what is happening to you, you deserve it. You deserve to be happy, enjoy the stages of life. To be loved, to have your own family. I love you so much. — You assured him as you wiped the tears from his beautiful brown eyes with your thumb. — Maybe one day, there will be a way to get in touch with your mom, or at least let her know that you're okay. Do not lose hope. —

A small smile, now more genuine than before, spread across Sejanus's face. — Okay, and I love you too, until the end of the world. — He said, giggling before leaning down to kiss your lips in a sweet and tender kiss. — Come on, let's go to bed now. Those little eyes tell me that you are tired and sleepy. — You took his hand and led him back to bed. Once there, Sejanus laid his head on your shoulder and hugged you, leaving his hand on your belly as he continued caressing it. He still left small kisses on your chin. While you caressed his curls that had grown back. They were so soft, that your favorite pastime had become playing with them while he fell asleep from the contact.

— Oh… — It wasn't even a moan. It was more of a surprise, but even so you couldn't stop the brunette from quickly jumping to ask if you were okay. — All good? Does something hurt you? —You just giggled while you denied. — Didn't you feel it? She kicked. — you questioned. — How is it possible? If I haven't removed my hand from your belly. — he said, frowning. — Because it was on the opposite side to where you had your hand. — you clarified. — Hey, don't cheat on your dad. Do it again… please. — Sejanus began to talk to the baby in your belly and to the surprise of both of you he received a response. A small footprint was seen forming on the side of your belly. Giving the boy time to pass his hand over it, feeling the shape of his baby's little foot. — She is lovely. — he smiled at you as he placed a kiss on your lips again and wiped away a tear of emotion that had run down his cheek. A little piece of him and yours. The fruit of the love they had for each other. The Plinth line had not disappeared, it was still there. With that baby, with Sejanus and with all the others they could have. Because since he was calmer he knew that he would like to give her little siblings. The rest of the night was peaceful, no nightmares, no worries. His future looked to be a beautiful and happy one.

[evansbby]

“this book is so good and the themes are so apt and the author is a genius and I don’t know how to explain this so it is overwhelming me” type of feeling//

You’re literally reading my mind rn because this is exactly how i felt!! Like I remember after reading tbosas again a few months ago, I just sat there on my bed staring at the wall for like 10 minutes because I didn’t know what to do with myself😭😭 I wish I could go back and read it for the first time tbh. But I absolutely LOVED Lucy, and I felt so bad for her, you have no idea😭 My baby deserved better. I legitimately cried when I was nearing the end of the book because I was also so delusional, telling myself that Snow and Lucy would have a happy ending together when I KNEW that Snow never deserved her and that he was so toxic. I do think Snow loved Lucy at some point but he thought he was weak for loving her, and that BROKE me😭

And don’t get me started on Sejanus because I’ll start crying again if I think about him. I literally cried for like 10/15 minutes bc I felt so bad! Shit was so intense I could feel it in my chest. I still don’t know how Snow could betray him like that just for power, especially after making Sejanus believe they were best friends since they were kids. Props to Suzanne Collins on how she described their relationship because I bawled my eyes out reading about his death, and especially his last words💔💔💔

I have to stop myself otherwise, I’ll start ranting and then I’m going to cry thinking about the last 100 pages or something😭😭 But do you also just feel this pang of hurt in your chest everytime you think about Lucy or Sejanus because my heart hurts for them. And just this overwhelming feeling of betrayal. I can’t😭😭😭

(Also thank you🩷🩷 Exams are stressing the shit out of me but thank god it’s done now🥲 I legit almost started crying when I was walking to the lecture hall)

-🌺

No please now I’m getting emotionally invested all over again 😭😭

Sejanus WAS Snow’s best friend, whether Snow wants to admit that or not. Snow always inwardly hated him but based on his behaviour towards Sejanus, he was literally the only one who acted like a friend to him (up until the end… when you really think the two of them have bonded low-key despite Snow inwardly still scorning him… you still think they’re sort of bffs now… and then the betrayal is so awful and hits so hard 😭😭🥲🥲)

I’m literally the same as you! After I finished tbosas I just started at my wall and my heart hurt so much 😭😭 bc how could a person be SO CRUEL??! To the girl he loved no less??? The whole third act is so cute like when Snow and Lucy reunite in the meadow??? The same Katniss and Peeta meadow??? 😭😭😭😭 I thought it was so cute and ugh!!! The parts of Lucy and Snow in district 12 is my fav part of the whole book!

But also… it’s crazy how possessive Snow was in his narration. Always calling her “his girl” and just AHHHH I really thought she could change him 😭😭😭😭😭 and their first kiss 🥲🥲🥲 BUT IT WAS NEVER REALLY LOVE FROM HIS END, JUST A NEED TO POSSESS HER AND I HATE THAT! Bc I low-key think a part of him truly loved her and he squashed that out bc he thought it made him weak 😭😭😭

And yes I do feel the pang of hurt when I think about those two. That whole book’s last part makes me feel sick.

I URGE ANYONE WHO HASNT READ TBOSAS TO PLEASE READ IT!!!

[martvota]

Reading “The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes” by Suzanne Collins [1]

✴ The switch of perspectives, an utterly rotten setting, the return of various symbols, something about proper character crafting and should we even like Coriolanus Snow? ✴

The first thing I’ve noticed was that people worried Collins might try and give Snow a redemption arc or use the new book as an excuse for his latter actions but I wouldn’t fret – doing so would only invalidate the universe she has built, would make one of the most important characters inconsistent. No proper writer wants that.

If anything, the way I see it, the book is intended to give us more insight on the beginnings of the system and state we (along with Katniss and Peeta, and all the rest) already know. Which is somewhat fascinating, as all well-crafted universes are.

We are given some more information on the civil war/First Rebellion that has spawned the Treaty of Treason but it (mostly?) doesn’t come in form of a history class; it flows quite freely with the main character’s thoughts and other characters’ conversations. There is no excessive detail or raw facts. Instead, we are presented with broken memories and broken homes, traumas, political and economical outcomes – and none of it is impersonal. Susanne Collins has successfully portrayed a society that has just experienced war. The streets that remain ruined years after “peace” has been achieved, the fierce… nationalism, I’d say? Though Panem is technically one state. What I meant was the approach of Coriolanus’ grandmother, almost teary-eyed over Capitol’s completely false glory, extremely hostile while speaking about the Districts. The “us versus them” mentality, the extremely protective kind of patriotism (post-war patriotism, I’d say). The state is trying to lift itself up, the old money families are attempting to regain their riches, and they are choosing the most cruel tactics to achieve that. 

We got to know the situation in the Districts thanks to the previously published books – but this time we are taking a look at the Capitol at its least glorious (and if the Capitol hungers, then it’s easy to say the rest of the country is dying of starvation).

That being said, I think it is crucial to remember whose perspective we are adopting for the sake of the novel. In this case, it is young Snow’s so – a ruined upper class family’s heir, raised to believe that he deserves what is the best solely due to his surname. Yes, he is to become the cold-blooded tyrant and killer of millions. No past excuses those crimes, ever.

But we have to keep in mind his upbringing, his origin – he has never been taught to empathise, only pity or detest; he has never been taught to respect people from the Districts unless that brings him gain (and even then, such respect should be faked – think of his beginnings with Lucy Gray).

So of course he was not crafted for us to enjoy. In fact, painting him as an obviously likeable, misunderstood boy would make for a redemption arc or an excuse, wouldn’t it? Instead, we are given a young representative of an extremely corrupt system, by no means its victim but rather product. He might not be a straight-out villain just yet but this book is our chance to observe him grow into one, all the while remaining not entirely bad nor good – he is remarkable at many things and it shines through the pages; he is remarkable at playing the protagonist. He is not one, he was never supposed to be one, and a great feature of this book is that the narrative tricks the readers into forgetting that fact.

If we are looking for a just and compassionate lead, this novel is not the right place for our search. Few of the characters are outrightly bad, as in, even the ones we’d expect to have no remorse whatsoever show some of it every now and then (and I am mostly talking about the Capitol’s citizens). Which is good – I’d say it prompts the reader to question, why would they do that? ( ← I might touch upon that in another post or add examples in reblogs. )

The only actually good characters I am seeing so far are Sejanus and Lucy Gray, but I believe that might have been the author’s intention.

Speaking of which, I have seen someone accuse Collins of (perhaps unknowingly) attempting to lessen the value of a compassionate and vulnerable stance (such as the one displayed by Sejanus) in the eyes of the reader, due to the way the lead character views it as. I disagree – the reader should not agree with any of the ideology Coriolanus follows from the very beginning of the book. Him being the main character doesn’t mean that the author agrees with his views. And if the reader falls for that narrative for a moment, then that is completely okay – the way I see it, it mainly shows that the character has been written properly (he does with the real life audience the same thing he does with the fictional people around him, tricking them into looking at things from his perspective).

Besides, there is plenty of wake-up calls (though once you get lured in by the narrative they may become less striking), such as the bizarre scene where teenagers are brainstorming how to make a mass execution more interesting. Under a teacher’s guidance, in class, just freely exchanging ideas that will later take a toll on the lives of thousands. That’s terrifying.

Or the entire concept of the monkey cage, the message it conveys; they are locked up in a rundown zoo, out in the open for other human beings to view and mock – as if they themselves weren’t human, as if they were humanoid. Similar, but not developed enough, not bright enough, clever but not intelligent and never equal. And then the privileged masses that put them there dare to act afraid.

That’s disgusting. That’s cruel and absolutely outrageous, and I love how Suzanne Collins has not given up on her expert usage of symbols (another example: the names, but I could go on and on about that), even if I do think some of those metaphors could have been disguised better and not just served on a platter.

( I’m aware this review might come off as void of criticism but it was completely unplanned— my first impression, if you will. )

I though I would wait with voicing my opinion until I finish the book but now I’d rather update this post as I go, as not to forget anything.

I found out about this prequel by pure chance, just because I had been meaning to give the HG trilogy another read after a long break (so chances are I wasn’t and won’t be able to pinpoint all the allusions to the saga).

[annikasafternoonread]

So. That’s The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Thoughts. I have them. This is going to be a long one, folks, so buckle in.

I guess my overall report would be... better than expected. That might sound like faint praise, but I had serious reservations coming into this book. I think a lot of people were concerned when it was first announced. And I certainly think those reactions were warranted and valid and I don’t regret them -- this book could have been a mess. 

It wasn’t. It didn’t try to rehabilitate Snow, didn’t try to make him relatable or sympathetic or misunderstood or a victim. It didn’t do any of that. Snow was a privileged, bigoted, ignorant, self-centered asshole with a superiority complex the size of a planet. Collins got that much right at least. We can see some of the forces that conspired to make him that way, but they don’t make him any less of a terrible person who did terrible things for terrible reasons.

But. That kind of character... is not the most fun to read, honestly. I don’t love spending this much time reading a book that just makes me angry. I don’t love spending this much time with a person I hate. I think I’m glad I read it, to know more what it was and to gain some interesting context about the world, but I don’t think I’d read it again. And I don’t know that I’d recommend it. If I did, it would come with some heavy caveats on there. 

So that’s my overall impression: better than expected, worth reading once and no more. On to some more specific hot takes.

So first off, Lucy Gray. I love her in a lot of ways, but she also confused me and I was a little disappointed by other aspects. She’s fun and talented and sweet, but girl what the fuck do you see in Snow he’s a shithead I mean less of a shithead to you, at least compared to the rest of the Capitol, and he did sort of save her life so like Florence Nightingale Syndrome or whatever, but ugh. Gross. I really really really wanted her to be playing him. And I’m not entirely sure she’s not.

As she says when talking about Billy Taupe being a possessive jealous asshole, flirting with people is part of the job description when you’re a performer and entertainer. It’s what she does. It’s what she’s always done. It’s what’s kept her alive for years, being charming and sweet and desirable and making people love her. And now in the Games, she’s relying on Snow to keep her alive. So the more he wants to keep her alive, the better. And if he’s in love with her, and thinks that she’s in love with him, then he’ll be very invested in keeping her alive. As Snow notes at the end, she killed quite a few people, in ways that could have been self-preservation or happenstance or mercy, but could also have been calculated as fuck. It’s hard to say.

I can’t tell you how much I hoped that she’d be cool towards him after the Games, that it would have been all for show and Snow would run back to the barracks with his tail between his legs. She didn’t, which is a big part of why I don’t think she was playing him. Her joy, her kisses, her invitations to spend time together, her song, it doesn’t seem like a lie. But on the other hand, maybe thumbing her nose at a Peacekeeper and Capitol high muckity-muck wouldn’t have been a smart move. Maybe having a Peacekeeper on your side, and someone with Capitol connections, would have been very handy. After all, he kept bringing them ice and baked goods and such. If they could keep him close, he might stand up for them if the Peacekeepers wanted to ban them (which they eventually did a few months later, so the Covey probably knew it was a possibility). He might or warn them if something bad was coming. 

The thing that swung me back to “maybe” is how fast she went from “let’s run away to the woods together and be free” to “I’m gonna sic a snake on this motherfucker.” Like, yes he deserved that, but he always deserved it. That’s a hell of a swing for a few hours. Was it just realizing he might have sold out Sejanus that swung her opinion? Was there something else instead or as well? Did that push her to make new connections, or finally tip over the pile of reservations she’d been ignoring? Maybe. But it just seems... like it might have been more than that. Like maybe she was planning to ditch him anyways, though I can’t imagine why. Idk, the theory doesn’t hold together terribly well, but neither does Lucy Gray’s infatuation with another shitty possessive abusive man. Or maybe that’s just patterns. 

The question of what happened to Lucy Gray honestly doesn’t interest me that much. I’m sure there’s plenty of speculation and opinions and headcanons about whether she returned to District 12 or escaped to the wilds or died there in the woods, but frankly I don’t care. Oh, I hope she lived, but it’s not relevant. There isn’t an answer, so I’m not terribly interested in figuring it out. 

What I do find interesting is Dean Highbottom. He’s a very ironic character, in my opinion. He tells us at the end that he thought up the Hunger Games in a class assignment “to create a punishment for one’s enemies so extreme that they would never be allowed to forget how they had wronged you.” He didn’t actually want the Hunger Games to be real or think they ever could be, and he felt terrible about even submitting the assignment (against his will). He turned to drugs when the proposal was brought forward and became real, because he was so horrified. He didn’t believe in that kind of vengeance, didn’t want to keep that hatred alive. He didn’t think that was what humanity was or should be. 

And yet. His response to Papa Snow’s betrayal in submitting an assignment about punishing innocent children for a crime they didn’t commit was to punish Snow for a crime he didn’t commit. So maybe he’s wrong about humans, or at least about himself. 

I don’t think Dr. Gaul is right about human nature being inherently evil and violent and selfish, though. Put us in the right circumstances and maybe, sure, but we don’t have to be in those circumstances. She’s so caught up in the eternal war, and obviously you can’t stop a war if you believe it’s still going. And maybe eventually if you’re not hardass there’ll be another one, but maybe there won’t! And goodness knows being hardass didn’t stop the next war! It’s impossible to say for sure that if the Capitol/all of Panem had been more fair and just and kind, the next war wouldn’t have been sooner, but it’s also impossible to say that it wouldn’t have been later, or never. That seems worth fighting for. Dr. Gaul terrifies me, obviously, but she also kind of just makes me sad. What a depressing worldview. She doesn’t see it that way, I’m sure, just sees it as a challenge and a game, but it is sad. 

The rest of my thoughts are less expansive, so let’s just bullet point them:

Propaganda works terrifyingly well. Be careful of your internalized biases and the messaging being fed to you.

The effects of pride and honour and position are wild. Snow was simultaneously crushed and elevated by them, as was Sejanus. 

Speaking of Sejanus, he deserved better. I love my son. 

The fuck was up with Clemensia? They never really resolved that. Is she actually okay? Did her skin grow back? How the hell did that happen? Could she have turned into a snake? Why was she so cutting and mean and unlike herself? Was Gaul controlling her somehow? Why did they refuse to tell her parents anything? But also how could she manage to escape from her room to sneak in on Snow? What the fuck? 

I love the full circle of a Mockingjay bringing Snow up, as Lucy Gray’s voice and fame helped him to rise and bloom, to gain Dr. Gaul’s favor and the Plinths’ money, pulling him out of his , and then a Mockingjay tearing him down, when he crossed Katniss and put her family in danger and she decided he had to die. 

This was a fucking essay, which I feel a little bad about, but I had a lot of thoughts and feelings okay? XD For anyone who actually read this whole thing, you are a saint, you deserve several cookies, I don’t have a way to give you any so here is instead a picture of my kitten using TBOSAS as a pillow.

Have a good day! See you soon for Mockingjay Part 2.