“Sunrise on the Reaping” exceeded my expectations
The highly anticipated “Hunger Games” prequel, “Sunrise on the Reaping” by Suzanne Collins blew me out of the water. Similar to other “Hunger Games” books, the novel started out slow but soon picked up with new characters and insane plot twists. This novel dives deeper into the familiar character Haymitch, illustrating his origin story. “Sunrise on the Reaping” was an emotional rollercoaster, and it is safe to say I was in tears multiple times. By the end of the book my soul was crushed.
“Sunrise On the Reaping” covers the second Quarter Quell, or the fiftieth annual Hunger Games. This novel takes place in between “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” and the original “Hunger Games” novel. For each Quarter Quell, a twist is added to the games to remind the districts of their loyalty to the Capitol. In the first Quarter Quell or the twenty-fifth annual Hunger Games, the districts were forced to vote in their tributes instead of participating in a random draw. In the 75th Hunger Games, which takes place in “Catching Fire,” the tributes are reaped from the existing victors. In this Quarter Quell, double the victors are reaped from each district: two girls and two boys, creating a total of 48 tributes. Katniss and Peeta’s mentor, Haymitch, is a tribute from District 12 in these games.
A certain aspect of this book that makes it so captivating is its clarification. Throughout the entire book, we are re-introduced to characters that we have met before. Many of the prominent characters in “Catching Fire” and “Mockingjay” play important roles in Haymitch’s story. All of these personal connections create a huge amount of depth and meaning in different scenes in “Catching Fire” and “Mockingjay.” Seeing so many characters young, we learn why and how they came to be in later books.
Although I highly recommend reading this book, be prepared to cry. Collins is fantastic at making her readers feel a deep connection to all of her characters. Throughout the story, the reader gets closer and closer to Haymitch, and as tragic events happen, you cannot help but feel his pain. From previous books, we know how much trauma the Capitol can inflict on its people, but “Sunrise on the Reaping” took it to a whole new level. The cruelty and pain that the characters endure is truly heart-wrenching.
The oppression shown in “Sunrise on the Reaping” reveals just how little humanity the antagonist President Snow has. In the “Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” we learn more about Coriolanus Snow, showing his origins and vulnerability. As a result of his charming character in the book and attractive movie character played by Tom Blythe, many people began to romanticize Snow. People made several edits of him and it seemed like they almost forgot all of the atrocities he has inflicted on our beloved characters. In this book, Collins fully commits to Snow’s cruelty and lack of humanity. All the romanticizing of Snow has completely disappeared and we truly see how barbaric he can be.
One of the reasons we learn why President Snow is the way he is is because of his previous relationship with Lucy Gray and the Covey, who are known for their music performances in Panem. Even though Lucy Gray is only included in one of the “Hunger Games” books, she haunts the narrative all along. Everything that Snow sees is a reminder of her and this motivates so many of his actions. Even in the earliest published books, you can see the massive influence that Lucy Gray has had on this story.
With the “Hunger Games” universe continuing to expand, I think fans have much to look forward to. The “Sunrise on the Reaping” movie is set to come out on Nov. 20 2026. I have very high expectations, especially considering the director and high budget, since Francis Lawrence, who directed the first two movies, has been hired to direct “Sunrise on the Reaping.”
Many people have been debating who should play each character on the internet. Most of these fan-created casts include well-known older actors. I hope the casting directors go in the complete opposite direction. Because of “Sunrise on the Reaping’s” unique story, I think lesser-known actors would create more of an impact for each character. I also think it is super essential to cast semi-accurate actors. The point of the “Hunger Games” is that innocent children are being sent to their deaths, so when older actors are cast it lessens the dramatic impact. I would love to see some new and upcoming actors get the chance to shine in a brand-new story.
Another thing the “Hunger Games” fans can look forward to is the possibility of new books. There are so many different characters in the series that could each have an amazing story. It would be so cool to learn about Finnick, Mags, Wiress, Beetee, Johana and so many other victor’s games. Many fans criticize others for wanting new books, claiming fans act just like the Capitol wanting more Hunger Games to entertain them. Although I partially agree with this strong argument, I think most fans want more books because they truly love the characters and writing. Currently, no new books have been announced, but one important deciding factor is whether Collins wants to comment on something going on in the world.
One of the most important aspects of a dystopian novel is that it imagines a future where there is great injustice. In every dystopian novel, the author attempts to warn readers and remark on current world happenings. Collins has done this with every “Hunger Games” book, including “Sunrise on the Reaping.” She starts the book off with quotes from George Orwell, William Blake and David Hume. These quotes discuss how often governments sell us lies and propaganda to manipulate how we view their regimes. This topic is a huge part of what “Sunrise on the Reaping” communicates to the reader. In many parts of the book, the reader discovers the truth about previous lies we heard before from the previous narrator, Katniss. Katniss is a victim of Capitol propaganda, only remembering and knowing what the Capitol wants her to remember or know. We learn the ugly truths of the history from Haymitch’s perspective, proving lots of Katniss’s thoughts to be manipulated by government lies. Everything that the Capitol does not want its citizens to see is erased creating a brainwashed society. The same thing has been happening for years in our world and is still going on today. Our government and other governments around the world have attempted to cover up lies and scandals so that the public does not rise up. Collins shows the reader just how important it is to know about what is real in our history beyond what the government or society chooses to show us.
If you love the “Hunger Games,” love dystopian novels or need a new good read, this book should definitely be on your “To Be Read” list. “Sunrise on the Reaping” is a terrific, emotional, thought-provoking novel that is definitely worth your time.
