I just started the Ballad of Songbird and Snakes. I haven’t read any other books so I wanted to like write down my impressions as I read them and see how it changes as I progress throughout the book (yes Tom Blyth made me buy it). Tiktok did give me the main gist of it so I know what happens. Something that really struck me was how the influence of class can affect the way an individual copes with their situation. You have Snow who grew up in poverty, while still maintaining the illusion that they were wealthy; vs those in the districts who had nothing at all. I remember someone saying that the book was never meant to be a love story. It’s supposed to show that yes people have a bad upbringing but you don’t have to turn into Snow, and you essentially have a choice to be a good person. While this is true to a certain extent, I feel like it doesn’t factor class into it and the effect it has on an individual. The upper class in the book is so used to dehumanising those below them, it doesn’t really seem engrained in them to show compassion towards them. Then when members of the same class come into play, in a society that is based on wealth and status, resentment will brew. We get to see that contrast between who Snow interacts with, especially Sejanus. As someone who rose to status and power from living in a lower class, we can see such as vast difference between the characters. So far, I get the sense that it’s not that Snow has the option to be good and simply makes the choice to be bad, I just don��t think he’s capable of being good. The way he’s thoughts are voiced in the book show a lack of humanity. He knows he shouldn’t be thinking like that, but every action is so entwined with status and wealth, he isn’t capable of seeing people as nothing more than a tool to elevate him. Everything he does is calculated. Almost as if status and power is a game. Anyway, I haven’t read a lot of the book yet but I really wanted to see how my perception of the character changed throughout the book because I love overanalysing things lol
you are meant to fall for young coriolanus in TBOSAS because that is what makes him gain power is his ability to be charismatic and manipulative. he’s devious and conniving but his attractiveness and charm is what makes you over look how cunning and calculated he truly is. everything he does is wily and to benefit himself more than anyone else. so yes, by all means don’t fall for the man for what he later does to finnick and peeta and literally hundreds of other. just maybe realize that’s the whole point of coriolanus snow, and how he rose to power.
not to mention that tom blyth absolutely ate this role up for how well he portrayed the manic transition of coryo to snow