Ben & Books

In terms of The Hunger Games fandom, I would be considered to be somewhat of a newcomer. I first picked up the books a year ago, and I was so engrossed in the story and the world created by Suzanne Collins that I read the then four book series in a matter of days. Despite my limited experiences with the series, when a second prequel, this time focusing on a younger Haymitch Abernathy, was announced, I was so excited to read his story that I accidentally bought myself two copies of the book! After reading Sunrise on the Reaping in a similar timespan as the other books, I can confirm that the latest story from Panem is as enthralling and emotionally devastating as all four books that came before it.

Although returning fans of the series may already know the identity of the winner of the second Quarter Quell, the build up to, and the event of the games, is filled with intrigue, propaganda, and mind-breaking twists. Where Sunrise on the Reaping excels most is through the characters involved, both new and returning. As the Second Quarter Quell doubles the number of tributes to 48, from the usual 24, Haymitch is faced with not only more potential allies, but more potential enemies, and the gradual building of alliances and feuds brilliantly sets the stage for what is to come in the games themselves. Haymitch also finds new and unexpected allies and enemies outside of the games, as he becomes enshrouded in the ever-twisting politics of the Capitol, whilst being ever haunted in the shadows from the threats of the villainous President Snow.

Ever since the story of Katniss reached its conclusion in 2010, fans have clamoured to see the backstory for her mentor, Haymitch. And the story does not disappoint, as not only does it provide the audience with important context to his actions in the events of The Hunger games, but it also provides the audience with information and context about the actions of several important characters in the series, who will go unnamed in this review to keep them a surprise for anyone who has not read the book yet.

After taking a break from the typical first-person narration in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, it comes back in great form in Sunrise on the Reaping. And it is absolutely the correct decision. Although the narrative of the first prequel is perfectly placed to enhance the feeling of separation between the residents of the Capitol through Snow, and the tributes, people of the districts and Lucy Gray, the return to first-person allows the story to excellently show the change in Haymitch as he reacts to, and evolves with, the horrific events he encounters.

As with the other books in the series, Sunrise on the Reaping is laced heavily with the running themes of power and compliance. The power of the Capitol is not only shown through the vast disparity in wealth and technology between them and the districts, but also through the actions of the villains in charge of the hunger games. The ever-scheming villains target their ever-oblivious targets viewing the events of the book with a coordinated array of propaganda, fake news, and deepfakes that can’t help but feel eerily similar to certain elements of real-world politics. Although compliance is woven into the world through the actions of the citizens of Panem, as the tributes reluctantly all take part in the brutality of the games, whilst the rest watch, either gleefully or reluctantly, the signs of the resistance seen in the Hunger Games trilogy are clear to see. Through small acts of resistance to the background scheming of dissenting politicians, the seeds of revolution are excellently planted here.

A single spark can cause a raging inferno, and a single injustice, a single voice speaking out, can cause a revolution. Sunrise on the Reaping is not only a masterpiece of a dystopian tragedy, wrapped in poetry and pain, but also a powerfully relevant message of hope in a time of division, disinformation, and deepfakes. As unlikely as it can seem, the bad times don’t last forever, even the reigns of the cruellest dictators come to an end, one way or another. In Sunrise On The Reaping, Suzanne Collins has delivered an excellent prequel, which not only gives the fans the story they have desperately wanted since the end of her original trilogy but also provides valuable new context to the actions of multiple important characters in the series. I don’t know whether any more books or stories are planned in the Hunger Games series, but I certainly hope we will get to see many more tales from Panem in the future.