This News About The 'Hunger Games' Prequel Book Has Twitter... Conflicted

The Hunger Games fans are very familiar with President Coriolanus Snow, and therefore probably aren't huge advocates for the dystopian ruler. He essentially made life terrible for Katniss Everdeen (and basically everyone else) by perpetuating the Hunger Games and forcing people like her to fight for their lives against one another. So, while fans are pumped for more Panem content, the revelation that The Hunger Games' prequel book is about President Snow left people with mixed emotions.

In June 2019, it was announced that famed The Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins was adding to her series' storyline by writing a prequel book titled The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The book is expected to launch on May 19, 2020, and is set 64 years before the original Hunger Games novel. The backward time-jump means readers will get to see the events that led up to Katniss Everdeen's reality, and the forces that took part in developing her world's leaders.

Although many fans are hesitant to hear President Snow is going to be at the forefront of the new novel, they might be pleased to see a different side of the murderous leader. EW released an excerpt of the upcoming novel, and from what it seems, the future president had a much different upbringing than readers might guess.

While it might be hard for fans to imagine a world in which President Snow isn't a completely evil character, Songbirds and Snakes will provide some insight into why he developed into the grim leader he did. Although there's definitely no excuse for forcing people to participate in the Hunger Games, an explanation for how he turned from "a teenager born to privilege but searching for something more," into the horrid man he becomes will likely be a satisfying storyline for fans.

The snippet from EW includes a scene in which "Snow [is] preparing to mentor a Hunger Games participant in order to make the annual event more palatable to the people of Panem." Ironically, his mentee is from District 12, which is the same district Katniss represents over 60 years later.

Of course, fans on social media have a lot to say about all this. After all, YA Twitter is arguably one of the most opinionated fandoms out there.

But not every single fan is pissed about this new development, so there's that.

The Hunger Games' prequel novel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is out May 19, 2020.