A deep dive back into The Hunger Games arena

By: Olivia Morris, Contributing Writer

Suzanne Collins has done it again.

Sunrise on the Reaping was not just another prequel to the original trilogy. It was a breathtaking, gut-wrenching masterpiece that answered so many of the questions fans had. 

The second prequel and fifth book of The Hunger Games trilogy, Sunrise on the Reaping, takes us twenty-four years before the events of the first Hunger Games book and about forty years after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Sunrise on the Reaping kicks off, with sixteen year old Haymitch Abernathy, a well loved character from the original trilogy, waking up on Reaping Day. Every year on Reaping Day, two tributes, ages twelve and eighteen, get chosen from each district to compete in the Hunger Games. Haymitch gets chosen to compete in the 50th Hunger Games, a Quarter Quell year. For each Quarter Quell, new rules are put in place. For the second Quarter Quell, double the amount of tributes will get reaped for the Hunger Games. So, instead of competing against 24 bloodthirsty children, Haymitch will now have to compete against 48 tributes. Not only did his chance of winning shrink, he was forced to leave behind his friends and family. 

From the first page, I was hooked. I knew it would be a hard book to read, since we already knew that Haymitch won his games from his appearances in the original trilogy. The characters were impossible not to love, making their deaths unforgettable and absolutely devastating. Unfortunately, knowing the general rules and fate of those who compete in the Hunger Games still didn’t prepare me for the heartbreak these lovable characters caused. The characters and their struggles felt so real by the end of the novel that I was emotionally wrecked. 

Collins included countless surprises along the way that included many familiar faces and names that fans will immediately recognize. Each reveal added another layer of depth to the characters and to the trilogy, letting me piece together more pieces of the puzzle. After reading Sunrise on the Reaping, so many characters and ideas that are in The Hunger Games make more sense now, leaving me more attached to them than before. This all made the novel even more rewarding. 

Sunrise on the Reaping is a must read for both long-time fans of the series, like me and newcomers who just want a riveting book that will break your heart. Haymitch’s story expands the world of Panem leaving the original trilogy feeling more like home. This might just be the best Hunger Games book yet.