Suzanne Collins reads from "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes"

Count us among the readers who are prepared to ignore the outside chaos and dive into dystopian fiction, when said fiction is a prequel to an incredible series.

The Guardian has an exclusive recording of Suzanne Collins reading from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, her prequel to the smash hit Hunger Games trilogy.

Begin your countdown to May 19, the official worldwide release date, by listening to the first chapter here.

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