This article contains spoilers for Sunrise on the Reaping.
On March 18, Suzanne Collins returned with her newest edition to The Hunger Games series, Sunrise on the Reaping. The prequel follows Haymitch, Katniss’s mentor in the original trilogy, through his time as a tribute in the 50th Hunger Games.
The story picks up on Reaping Day and Haymitch’s 16th birthday, where he is chosen to be a tribute in the Quarter Quell. The games have a twist for their 50th anniversary, pulling double the amount of tributes from each district to fight to the death in the Capitol’s arena.
Haymitch’s story is coated in rebellion from the moment he is chosen at the reaping, showing that he’s still the somewhat reckless yet courageous character that we met in the original trilogy. This devastating backstory gives readers more of an understanding of how Haymitch became the character we first got to know when The Hunger Games was released.
Similar to the original trilogy, Collins incorporates themes of rebellion, censorship, governmental control, and propaganda in this edition of her dystopian series. Her message is clear from the very beginning of the novel, as she begins with four epigraphs quoting George Orwell, William Blake, and David Hume, all of which highlight the effects of propaganda and government control that force people into submission.
Collins’s writing beautifully encapsulates the powerlessness that Haymitch and his fellow tributes feel at the hands of the authoritarian government, creating a riveting story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end.
One of my biggest worries going into this novel was how Collins would keep the readers engaged, as readers of the original series are aware that Haymitch becomes the victor of the games. Collins, however, was able to craft an incredible story full of twists that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entirety of the novel despite knowing the ending, when Haymitch walks on thin ice trying to defy the Capitol without putting those he loves in danger.
Throughout the novel, there are quite a few allusions to the original trilogy that Hunger Games fans will be happy to read. Early in the book, Collins reveals that Haymitch is friends with Katniss’s parents, Burdock and Asterid.
We also see many familiar faces when Haymitch is taken to the Capitol, such as Plutarch Heavensbee and Effie Trinket, who both are at the beginning of their careers. Haymitch is also mentored by Mags and Wiress with some help from Beetee, all who are Katniss’ competitors in Catching Fire.
Collins builds on the idea created in the original trilogy that Katniss and Haymitch are mirrors of each other, showing how he methodically navigates the arena and spends a great deal of his time looking after younger tributes, just as Katniss did. Haymitch also has his own token that serves as a symbol of rebellion in his golden flint striker, a parallel to Katniss’ mockingjay pin, which also makes a brief appearance in Haymitch’s prequel.
Before and during their games, Haymitch and Katniss are both driven by thoughts of their families. Both helped to provide for their families at young ages, with Haymitch selling alcohol on the black market just as Katniss sold her meat in the trilogy. Collins makes it clear why Katniss and Haymitch have such a strong connection when they meet over 20 years after the prequel, as they parallel each other’s lives in so many ways.
Collins also incorporated nods to the series’ other prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, including characters like the rebellious musician Lenore Dove, Haymitch’s girlfriend who is a member of the Covey. She’s also a descendant of Lucy Gray Baird, winner of the 10th Hunger Games, who is suspected to be Lenore Dove’s namesake.
As in the other books in the series, Collins continues to use songbirds and snakes to symbolize the fight between the districts and the Capitol in Sunrise on the Reaping. The two animals face off quite often throughout the story, most notably in the design of Haymitch’s flint striker, which adorns the book’s cover.
The songbirds continue to play an essential role in defying the Capitol, working to promote the image crafted in the previous books. Music also remains prevalent in the story, with Collins quoting Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” in song form to depict Haymitch’s grief after the Capitol takes so much from him.
Sunrise on the Reaping is set to follow in the footsteps of the other books of the series, as a film adaptation will be released in November 2026, where it will likely continue the success seen with the previous movies.
Overall, this haunting novel fits perfectly into The Hunger Games universe. It provides readers with a crushing backstory for one of the series’ most interesting characters and invites them to explore the roles of censorship and complicit submission in modern-day society.
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