TBOSAS Part 3 & The Epilogue

Okay, so I just finished reading the book (Wednesday midafternoon), and I’m still trying to figure out how I feel about the ending and the book as a whole. It’s certainly not the same way I do after reading the original trilogy or other series that have left me in tears and grieving my departure back into my reality. I just sort of feel like meh. I don’t know if it’s the fact that it’s a prequel coupled with Snow’s backstory, so you inevitably know the book won’t end on an inspiring and hopeful note. Or if it’s the general theme of the book talking about how our worldview and thus view of human nature determines what type of government we think we should have (at least in the West). Or if it’s because I’m acquainted with people who conduct their lives similarly to Snow . 🫢🙈😅 All I know is that now I’m VERY motivated to vigilantly stay on the straight and narrow, not get caught up in overthinking every little thing, and making sure I have the confidence that I can handle whatever tomorrow may bring in it’s time. Because I really don’t want to be like any of these characters.

Anyway, there’s so much that happens in the last two chapters and epilogue alone that they’ve sort of leave me in this weird limbo and all I can think to do is flush some of my thoughts out here. So here we go.

And I’m going to start with my own fan theory/tie to the trilogy! Fast forwarding to Catching Fire, when Snow is having that conversation with Katniss where he instructs her to prove to him that she loves Peeta. I almost immediately thought of this conversation when I read Snow’s overthought, guilt-ridden desperation plan to escape the gallows and leave his glorious future behind to follow Lucy Gray beyond the borders of Panem. Why it gave me pause was because Snow has always had this horrible habit of projecting himself onto everyone around him. So it got me wondering if he was willing to do almost anything to escape his crime, what was he implying? That Katniss should run away with Peeta? I mean he did the same thing in the “name of love” did he not? And besides Katniss “mysteriously disappearing” it would kill two birds with one stone for him. (No pun intended there. 😅) One, like Lucy Gray, this little rebel would be gone and the Hunger Games could continue on, another mishap could be “erased” from Panem history, status quo maintained. And two, in Snow’s eyes, it was basically a death sentence since he genuinely believes no one can survive without the Capitol. So in actuality, Katniss could’ve just run away like she was planning to the whole time. And while I love my theory, I’m kind of glad it didn’t happen. 🙃

Moving along to another mystery: Lucy Grey Baird’s final act. Much like the end of Inception, with the top falling or not falling, I don’t really know what I think happened to Lucy Gray at the lake. And to be honest it’s mostly because I don’t care. 🙃 (Nor do I really care about any of the characters in Ballad, save for Dean Highbottom. 😏)

However, on that note, I do want to clarify that don’t think she’s vengeful. (In response to some other theories I’ve seen flying around on the internet). Because I think she was about as attached to Snow as he was to her, which was hardly at all. I’m saying all this her credit, because I think she’s more clever than she presents herself to be. And since I’m here I feel like she just led him out to the lake to test how far he’d really go for her. Not kill him, but to ultimately set out on her own.

And here’s why. She already mentioned doing it anyway, even with all the second guessing she mutters on about with Snow. She dismissively comments about the dry stack of wood in the lake house. And then the murder weapons just happened to be there?! Seems more to me like someone else had been there very recently. And like they were still there, hiding out back.

And even if she did make Sejanus’ death connection that Snow is silently accusing her of, why not confront him about it? She’s been pushy about basically everything else, why stop here? It just seems uncharacteristic of her up to this point. This ultimately leads me to my final point, the verse of the Hanging Treethat are her final words to Snow. “Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me?” Or in other words, are you willing to die with me whenever and wherever that may be? And I think the answer from the beginning was always no, for both of them.

So is she alive or dead??? 🤷🏻‍♀️ But hey if the point was to keep you talking about the book, Collins made a major accomplishment there. 😉

As to the Covey’s connection to Katniss’ family floating around out there, I don’t think Lucy Gray is Katniss’ direct descendant. I could see an argument made for Maude Ivory. But honestly, knowing a little more about the people of District 12 of yesteryear, despite new leadership and the supposed wariness of them accepting the Covey into their sheepfold, I wouldn’t be surprised if the people just passed on the songs as their own form of rebellion. Particularly those in the Seam. I mean the Covey did perform at other gigs beyond those specifically at the Hob. And Mayor Lipp was eventually replaced by someone more reasonable. Anyway, all that to say, a lot of things can happen over the years. And I have a real hard time imagining Katniss’ father wouldn’t have mentioned any of this to Katniss. Especially while, you know, there out by the same lake! Singing the same songs. With how close they were, I just feel like that would’ve come up at some point.

And I know this goes without saying, but man Snow is a real piece of work! Gah! I almost feel like an idiot trying to defend in the other posts. (Not to dismiss my other points, they’re still valid. 😅) A word of caution to this tale: watch out for your ego. It’s the most blinding thing in the world.

Oh but I have to digress here, because Snow misses something utterly important due to this. Dean Highbottom mutters a remark after Snow says that our essential nature is violent, as we see proven by what happens to children, the most innocent among us, in an arena. He retorts with “self-destructive.” And I don’t think he could’ve articulated it any better. Like “moths to a flame” I feel like we are so drawn to all the things that ultimately destroy us. They may look pleasant and be warm and comforting, but it disguises the pain and burn that will shortly follow. And gosh I hate it soooo much that Snow poisons him!! Such a waste.

Anyway, I decided to scrap all the other “questions” (except for the one below) because it just made this whole process so much more like homework for me, and I wasn’t feeling it.

A. Lysistrata

B. Jessup

C. “People aren’t so bad, really.”

D. The bakery. 😏

I hope you all enjoyed my rantings about The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. It’s quite the book and at the moment not sure if I will be rereading it again anytime soon. At least not in English. 😏 I have plenty to keep my mind occupied for a while. However, if you did enjoy this little series I did, you may be interested in reading my Hunger Games analysis thing that I’ve got on my back burner. I’ll keep you posted on when it’s up.

Have a good day and I always remember: there are much worse games to play.