Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games)

Sunrise on the Reaping
Suzanne Collins, 2025

Premise: Another Hunger Games prequel, this one following Haymitch when he was a kid sent to the games. Largely about propaganda, power, and the difference between appearances and the truth.

Oh ouch. This was a hard read. 

If you read/watched The Hunger Games, you knew this couldn't end well for Haymitch in order for him to be a bitter, broken drunk by the time he meets Katniss 25 years later. But still... ouch. 

The book, of course, introduced characters who did appear/will appear in other books, but not in a way that felt too much like fanservice. More like: look, here are the forces that make this character who they will be in the future. 

From the start, when Haymitch isn't initially called for the games but forced to sub in after the name ceremony is disrupted, there's a strong theme about appearances. The Capitol spends a lot of energy appearing faultless - in video, dress, coordination, everything. And that pays off for them, because most people seem to assume that there are no cracks to exploit behind the perfect facade.

Having recently read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, it was interesting to see what had changed and what hadn't in the culture and the Games in 40 years. What things about the state of Panem, which was still new in BSS, now feel stable to the inhabitants, as though this is the way it's always been and the way it always will be. 

But there are characters in every era who try to make things better. Who try to break the system or try to take a stand. 

This is a book about people who try to take a stand and get crushed for it. For whatever reasons (we only follow Haymitch and he doesn't know what might be going on behind the scenes), the people standing up to the repressive government aren't able to get enough momentum to make enough of a difference. Then, they are unable to protect their agents from the fallout. 

The ending is so heartbreaking, y'all. 

There's a short epilogue that takes place after Mockingjay that gives a little closure, but it's still a rough read. 

Exciting, compelling, and very sad. Another absolute page-turner, like the rest of the series.

4 Stars - A Very Good Book

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