Sunrise on the Reaping is Suzanne Collins’ fifth book in the “Hunger Games” series. Suzanne Collins always manages to publish a book right when the world needs a reminder of the dangers of capitalism, oligarchy, and the growing rate of unchecked power. Sunrise on the Reaping is nothing short of a defiant YA novel set to rouse readers and remind us of the power of literature.
Collins states that she was inspired to write “The Hunger Games” after watching the gruesome effects of the Iraq War on television and realizing that many of us had become desensitized to the true horrors of war, death, and unmitigated power.
Collins drew inspiration for her bestselling dystopian series from the Greek myth of “Theseus and the Minotaur,” in which the King of Crete punishes Athens by demanding seven children be sent as tributes to the Minotaur’s cave—where they are ultimately killed and slaughtered in the Minotaur’s maze. It wasn’t until the hero Theseus, aided by Princess Ariadne, defeated the Minotaur and ended the annual reaping. This myth, alongside the blending of war propaganda and the harsh reality of the Iraq War, influenced Collins’ creation of a world where tributes are sent to an arena, reminiscent of the ancient Greek sacrifice.
“The Hunger Games” was an instant hit, grossing nearly $3.3 billion. Collins’ grimly captivating world and the characterization of such complex characters seized the attention of readers worldwide creating a newfound fascination with the underlying themes in Collins’ work.
Sunrise on the Reaping was nothing short of excellence. SOTR follows Haymitch Abernathy—Katniss and Peeta’s District 12 mentor from the original trilogy. Haymitch is reaped for the second Quarter Quell, a Hunger Games that doubles the size of the game with 48 children competing. Four children are chosen from District 12: Wyatt Callow, an odds maker known for his calm but chilling demeanor, Maysilee Donner, the fierce and elegant daughter of a well-off merchant, and Louella McCoy, a young and pure girl whom Haymitch takes under his wing. Initially, the foursome clashes with one another, viewing each other as competitors rather than allies. After experiencing the Capitol’s brutal cruelty, the group unites in their shared hatred for the Capitol and creates one of the most brutally emotional alliances. We also get glimpses of characters from Collin’s second Hunger Games book, Catching Fire, with the appearance of familiar faces like Plutarch Heavensbee, Mags, Beetee, Wiress, and President Snow.
Haymitch is haunted by his love for Lenore Dove, a covey girl from District 12. Collins employs the use of famous 19th-century poet, Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” and Lenore Dove’s namesake poem, “Lenore.” The use of these poems brings an eerie reality to Collins’ story. Lenore Dove acts as the catalyst for much of Haymitch’s decisions. Her namesake being that of Poe’s “Lenore”—the hauntingly beautiful maiden that appears in the much more infamous “The Raven”—casts a dark and familiar shadow on the characters. The connection to Poe is a physical reminder that Collins’ Hunger Games is a world not too far from our own; we share the same history, the same wars, and the same warnings. Poe’s gothic and evocative poetry pulls in themes of remembrance as “The Raven” reminisces over a lost maiden and the mournful memory of her story. Similarly, a Raven, in both bird and poetry, has become a large cultural icon of foreboding—a warning. Sunrise on the Reaping is the prequel to “The Hunger Games,” Haymitch and other characters act as the stimulants of the revolution, they are our Raven; an indication of the future to come.
Aside from Collins’ sly work incorporating pieces of Gothic literature, I found this book to be one of the highlights of 2025. There is a clear evil, but it’s doesn’t stem from the children in the arena. SOTR includes such multidimensional characters that each chapter feels like a gift, more time to spend with such passionate characters. Knowing the fate of the cast creates a feeling of uneasiness, which makes each sentence feel so valuable as we ultimately know the fate of the characters from Collins’ previous work.
Collins has never been scared of exploring the dark and desperate side of human nature. Sunrise on the Reaping is another stark reminder of the importance of literature and the power of revolution.