The Hunger Games Series Book 0
This book tells the story of 18 year old Coriolanus Snow who is to become the mentor of one of the tributes in the Hunger Games. To his dismay, he is assigned Lucy Gray Baird, the colorful female tribute from the impoverished District 12.
Coriolanus quickly realizes Lucy Gray is a natural performer after she captivates the Capitol audience with a song during her reaping. Working alongside her, he introduces the concept of making the tributes a televised spectacle to gain public sympathy. He smuggles her food and gradually develops genuine romantic feelings for her. When a bomb explodes in the arena during a tour, killing several mentors and tributes, Coriolanus saves the life of his idealistic classmate, Sejanus Plinth.
Before the Games begin, Head Gamemaker Dr Volumnia Gaul introduces deadly, genetically engineered snakes to the arena. Coriolanus drops a handkerchief with Lucy’s scent into the snake tank so they would recognise her, and not attack her and accept her.
Unfortunately, Coriolanus gets caught after Lucy wins the games and they make an example of him. He is forced to enlist as a Peacekeeper and is sent to District 12. In District 12, Coriolanus reunites with Lucy Gray, and the two begin a secret romance while she performs with her musical group, the Covey. He is joined by Sejanus Plinth, who has also been sent away as a Peacekeeper. Eventually Lucy Gray vanishes, her ultimate fate left completely unknown.
Coriolanus returns to the Capitol and eventually becomes that horrible man we meet in the original Hunger Games Trilogy.
Coriolanus Snow is the character I hated most in the original trilogy. However, Collins has redeemed him a little in this novel. A must read for Hunger Games fans in my opinion (unless you want to keep hating Snow).
Read for the Read Between the Lines Reading Challenge 2026
Prompt 19: A Prequel
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
