The much-anticipated Hunger Games prequel by Suzanne Collins, which is called The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, reportedly sold more 500,000 copies last week.

Per THR, this is surprising especially since many of the bookstores in the U.S. were closed or offering limited service because of the coronavirus pandemic. The total sales include print, e-books and audiobooks, according to Collins’ publisher, Scholastic.

And in this prequel, the author reintroduces readers to the world of Panem and the villainous tyrant President Coriolanus Snow. Only this time, instead of following Katniss Everdeen’s journey to take down Snow and the Capitol rule, readers get into the mind of Snow himself. Throughout the 517-page novel, readers are taken on a journey of Snow’s former life before he became the feared President of Panem.

THR adds:

The opening for Songbirds and Snakes was slightly higher than the numbers reported for Mockingjay in 2010, when Scholastic announced first week sales of more than 450,000. Collins’ novels, which also include The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide and are the basis for a billion dollar movie franchise.

Like her trilogy, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will get the adaptation treatment from Lionsgate, with Collins set to executive produce. “Lionsgate has always been the cinematic home of The Hunger Games, and I’m delighted to be returning to them with this new book,” she said in her own statement.

Source: https://www.informationng.com/