Logan Harrison

Lily Schoeler, junior

When I first heard Suzanne Collins was releasing another prequel to “The Hunger Games” last summer, I was ecstatic. Not only was one of my favorite series being expanded upon, but it was centered around one of my favorite characters from the trilogy: Haymitch Abernathy. I had high hopes for this book, and fortunately, after 10 long months of anticipation, I was not disappointed.

“Sunrise on the Reaping” follows Haymitch Abernathy, beloved District 12 mentor and Capitol rebel, as he navigates his own Hunger Games 24 years before the original trilogy takes place. True to its name, the novel begins as the sun rises on reaping day for the 50th annual Hunger Games. It is the second Quarter Quell, and each district is required to provide four tributes instead of two, which is only one of the many twists in these Games.

After the Reaping goes haywire, Haymitch’s life is upended. He is sent to the Capitol with stuck-up Maysilee Donner, mysterious Wyatt Callow and Louella McCoy, who is like a younger sister to him. However, this was not the perfect punishment the Capitol wanted it to be. There were many trials and hardships along the way both for the tributes and for the Capitol, and these twists and challenges helped keep the story interesting and unique, as well as emotional.

Another unique part of this book in comparison to the others was the way the Games were played out. Alliances can be seen in all the books in this series, but they were especially important in this one. The division of the tributes into two main groups was intriguing and added an interesting element to the story. Furthermore, Haymitch’s rebelliousness and his ultimate goal to take down the Capitol also made the story more engaging. Instead of just trying to survive, he had something he was working towards.

One of the things I loved about this book was how it served as a great connection between “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” and “The Hunger Games.” While “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” was an incredible book, it was set too far before the original trilogy to create many connections, with very few of the original characters found in the prequel. However, “Sunrise on the Reaping” perfectly bridged the gap. 

We meet a young Effie Trinket and watch as she becomes a significant part of District 12’s Hunger Games. Mags and Wiress, important allies to Katniss in the 75th Hunger Games, act as mentors to Haymitch and his district partners as they prepare. Even the mockingjay pin, a symbol of rebellion and revolution in the later books, is mentioned in “Sunrise on the Reaping.” These are only a few of the endless links between this book and the other books in the series, and while there were a lot of them, I thought Collins did well fitting them in believably, and they made the story even more fun to read.

This book did a great job of sharing Haymitch’s backstory and expanding on his character. Instead of the careless alcoholic that we are first introduced to in “The Hunger Games,” we see an intelligent and rebellious teenager who tries to protect the people he cares about but also refuses to be beaten down by an oppressive society, even when he is set up to fail.

Overall, this book was an amazing addition to the series. Collins has written a story full of intense emotion, gripping twists and countless connections to the rest of the series, fully exceeding my expectations for this novel. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoyed “The Hunger Games.”