The popular dystopian genre author Suzanne Collins has done it again with her new release Sunrise on the Reaping. Similar to The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which was released in 2020, the novel is a prequel to the popular Hunger Games trilogy. The story follows Haymitch Abernathy, Katniss’s mentor, but the narrative focuses on his adolescence and journey through the 50th Hunger Games. Many fans of The Hunger Games may vaguely know about the tragic outcome of Haymitch’s games; nevertheless, Sunrise on the Reaping is full of twists and turns.
The book was incredibly entertaining and fascinating, and I finished it over the course of a few days. Many familiar elements are included, such as the train ride to the Capitol, the pageantry and entertainment aspect of the games, and the alliances that form between tributes, which eases readers into the world of Panem. Additionally, a pleasant surprise and connection to the previous books was the inclusion of multiple familiar faces. I’ll steer clear of naming specific characters in order to limit spoilers, but I found this to be incredibly enriching, as I got to learn more about the backgrounds and dispositions of prevalent side characters from the trilogy. As always, Collins’ imagery and descriptions helped paint a vibrant picture of the arena, which was lush and sweet for the second Quarter Quell. In the description of the games, there were many gruesome scenes but also heartwarming moments, and there was never a dull moment in the narrative.
While Collins has never been one to steer away from criticizing inequality, entertainment, and oppressive authority, the themes she focused on in Sunrise on the Reaping were particularly powerful and relevant. She weaved concepts of propaganda and censorship into the storyline in a very seamless manner, and I found it to be very thought-provoking and related to society today. In addition, I’ve read all of Collins’ books in the past, watched the movies, and even re-read books in the trilogy series multiple times, so going into the most recent release I was worried the book may be repetitive and that the addition would add to plot inconsistencies. However, I not only thoroughly enjoyed Sunrise on the Reaping but thought it added valuable new perspectives to Panem society and history.
If you’ve read and enjoyed Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, I strongly recommend you pick up this prequel as well! Moreover, if you’ve yet to delve into The Hunger Games trilogy and you enjoy dystopian, action-packed novels, I suggest you give the first book in the trilogy a try!
