Sunrise On The Reaping Review
My thoughts on the latest Hunger Games novel
I had other plans for my substack post this month but I had to put all of those on hold and give myself the space and the platform to share my thoughts about this book. When I was in college, I used to write reviews for tv shows and movies in a local newspaper. I haven’t done something like this in several years and I will be following a much less formal writing style in this review, but I’m excited to share my thoughts nonetheless. This review will not contain spoilers as I don’t want to risk ruining anyone’s experience of reading this book, as it was such a good experience for me.
When Sunrise On The Reaping was first announced, I was cautiously optimistic about the contents of this book. I generally trust Suzanne Collins to deliver a compelling and thought-provoking story, being familiar with her work both through the previous Hunger Games novels as well as outside of them. I don’t view Collins as a money-hungry writer who is just adding installments to her series for the sake of greed. She has said on multiple occasions that she only writes when she believes she has something to say, and it was clear from the marketing of this novel that it was going to be a critique about the role of propaganda within the media and how it warps the general public’s view of the government and co occurring current events. I thought this was an interesting topic for a Hunger Games novel, but was Haymitch’s story really the right one to deliver this message?
I’m aware that the desire for Haymitch’s Hunger Games was rampant within the fandom for years before the announcement of this book, but I never felt compelled to hear more of his story. Sure, Haymitch is one of my favorite characters from the original trilogy, but I believed that his story was already told. We got the details of his Games in the pages of Catching Fire, when Katniss and Peeta watch his tapes and even discuss with him the aftermath of his games and how he lost everything and everyone he loved. It was a good addition to the original trilogy, showcasing the cruelty of President Snow and how he has tormented Victors other than Katniss and Peeta, but did it really warrant its own prequel? Oh how foolish I was.
Despite my reservations about how much we could really get out of a story we have already been told, I was excited for the release of this book. After all, I had my doubts about hearing Coriolanus Snow’s point of view in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, but I inevitably enjoyed that book and felt as though it was a good addition to the series overall. I woke up extra early on March 18th to get my copy before work and shirked off the rest of my duties for the day because I was so engrossed in this book. I told myself that it would take a while for me to finish, but ended up reading the whole thing in a matter of 24 hours.
I am happy to admit that I was wrong about this retelling of Haymitch’s story. Instead of feeling redundant, it feels as though it is a necessary element of the series that greatly adds to the value of all five books overall. It feels fulfilling to have knowledge of all four District 12 Victors and how their stories all contribute to the eventual takedown of the brutal system that is the Hunger Games. Haymitch’s perspective adds to the lore of the Capitol and District 12 as well as the overall formation of the rebellion throughout the nation of Panem. Best of all, his story challenges the “chosen one” trope that is often seen in Young Adult fiction, showcasing that Katniss was not the lone force in the Capitol’s fall, but a culmination of the fight that many have contributed to before her.
The Haymitch Abernathy that we meet in the original trilogy is a pessimistic alcoholic who wants nothing to do with anyone who can’t provide him with his next fix. As we move through his relationship with Katniss, we learn that there is more to him like his desperation to end President Snow's regime and his compassion for the tributes he mentors through the Games. He is also frequently compared to Katniss’s character, showcasing the parallels between their stories and their motivations throughout the series. Sunrise On The Reaping’s Haymitch Abernathy is consistent with this portrayal, mirroring Katniss in the way he cares for the people in his life as well as those he meets through the Games. However, throughout the novel we see the development of the snarky attitude and the rage we see in Haymitch’s portrayal in the original trilogy.
There are plenty of other new and familiar faces to supplement Haymitch’s story. I won’t spoil any of the cameos we receive in this book, but let’s just say that we get plenty of background knowledge behind characters from the original trilogy. The new characters are where I believe this novel really shines, from Haymitch’s fellow tributes in the Games to his loved ones back in District 12.
We know the end of Haymitch’s story before the novel even begins. That’s the point of a prequel. We know that he wins his Games and loses his loved ones in the process. Yet Haymitch’s hope in this novel is infectious, and there are moments where you are lulled into a false sense of security for the characters we grow to love in this book or the hope that perhaps Haymitch’s attempts to defy the Capitol will work. But for the original trilogy to happen, it’s imperative that Haymitch should fail. I was reminded of a quote from the musical Hadestown: “It’s a sad song, but we sing it anyway.”
There’s a lot to learn from this book, and I’m not just talking about Hunger Games lore. Suzanne Collins showcases her extensive knowledge of politics, philosophy, and poetry in this novel. I’ve always wondered why The Hunger Games was ever classified as a Young Adult novel given the brutality of its subject matter, but ultimately I have decided that it is the right fit for the YA classification because of the way Collins expertly depicts an Authoritarian government in a manner by which young audiences can grasp its impact. Not only does Collins lay out the implications of war in a manner that is easily digestable, but she also includes philosophical questions into her books, challenging young adults to ask themselves about human nature in a variety of ways. That’s why both prequels include quotes from famous philosophers in their forewords.
As for the main theme of this book, the use of propaganda in the media, I think Suzanne Collins can be a little heavy-handed with the integration of motifs in her stories, and Sunrise On The Reaping is no exception. However, I don’t necessarily consider this to be a bad thing given that her audience mostly consists of young teenagers and those who feel nostalgic for their teenage years. However, I would argue that this theme, despite being the centerpiece of the novel, is not its strongest argument. Like the original trilogy and the prequel that came before it, Sunrise On The Reaping’s most compelling motif is that of utilizing compassion as a strategy for survival.
What is there left to live for when you have lost everything dear to you? This is a question that Katniss addresses several times in the original trilogy, and one that many victims of mass violence have had to address in their lives. The Hunger Games feels like a fictional, simplified retelling of the themes of Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search For Meaning in the sense that it showcases how resilient humanity can be in the face of unimaginable adversity. Various characters demonstrate how they survive the horrors of the oppressive government they have endured, but they all culminate in the same thematic foundation: refusing to lose one’s sense of empathy in a world that seeks to destroy it.
It’s not really a spoiler to say that in Sunrise On The Reaping, Haymitch loses everything and everyone in his life that he loves. However, a question that this novel asks that I haven’t seen addressed in the original trilogy is why did he continue on after the events and results of his games? I won’t spoil the conclusion that Haymitch comes to in this book as it is a key element of the plot, but I will say that it ties back into the theme of persistent empathy.
Something unique that this book does is connect its storyline to that of the famous Edgar Allen Poe poem, “The Raven.” Readers can hint at the fate of Haymitch’s lover based on her name, Lenore Dove, but the last chapter of Sunrise On The Reaping is structured around the actual poem itself. I didn’t realize going into this book just how connected it would be thematically to Poe’s most famous poem, but Collins is able to execute the integration of this poem into her work flawlessly.
Do I dare say that I think this book is the best out of the entire Hunger Games saga? I do. Is this just because of recency bias? I don’t think so. I think Suzanne Collins is showcasing how she continuously improves as a writer with each installation of this series, with both her development of each character and the world as a whole. The emotional connections I made with each character in this book are unparalleled to any YA novel I’ve ever read. The whole book was such a ride to read but the last two chapters (+ the epilogue) absolutely ruined me. This is a rare five star book in my eyes.
I could say so much more about this book and my reactions to it but I think I’ll leave it here out of fear of spoiling it further for those who genuinely want to read it. I’m genuinely shocked I was able to compose myself enough to write this review since even thinking about this book leaves me in a puddle of tears. Ultimately I can’t wait for the movie to come out next year and I’ll be eagerly awaiting further updates about it. Thank you for allowing me the space to write about my latest hyperfixation, I will likely continue to not shut up about it. And to my readers: I love you like all-fire. ;)
