The Hunger Games series has been a cultural phenomenon since the early 2000s. In 2020, when Susan Collins released The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes, which focuses on President Snow’s origin story, many fans were hoping that this would mean she would continue the series and write about Haymitch’s games. With Sunrise on the Reaping being released a few weeks ago, fans got their wish. 

Sunrise on the Reaping is a phenomenal reinvention of the 2nd quarter quell as we know it, adds a depth to Haymitch as a character, and also gives clarity to the readers about why certain victors sided with district 13, in the original trilogy. If you have not read the original trilogy and Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, or have not watched all of the movies, you will not be able to understand.

Sunrise was a really cool book in that it built and focused on relationships that were either unknown throughout the original trilogy or brought in new information about characters. In the beginning, we learn that Haymitch’s birthday is reaping day, his best friend is Burdock Everdeen, and his girlfriend, Lenore Dove, is a descendant of the covey. While it is mentioned that Lenore Dove’s last name is Baird, it has yet to be confirmed what her relation to Lucy Gray is. We also get confirmation that Katniss is a descendant of the covey as Lenore Dove and Burdock refer to each other as cousins. We also learn that Burdock and Astrid March (Ms. Everdeen) romance started all the way back when they were kids. At the reaping we also meet Otto Mallark who is Peeta’s father. In fact at the reaping when Woodbine was shot and then peacekeepers started to shoot at people in twelve to try and regain control of the reaping, Burdock saved Otto by getting him out of the way of the line of fire. It was cool to finally know the names of Mr. and Mrs. Everdeen, as well as have the little connection between Mr. Everdeen and Mr. Mallark knowing what their kids go through in the future. We also see some parts of the original Covey alive and well including Tam Amber and Clark Carmain (CC). 

After his reaping Haymitch meets Plutarch Hevansbeee for the first time, it was interesting to meet one of the starting members of the revolution when he was quite young. As throughout the book Plutarch teeters on the edge of being aware of something bigger going on and being a good capital citizen.
We also meet Mags and Wiress, since district twelve does not have a living mentor, both Mags and Wiress were drawn to help them. Wiress had just won her hunger games the year previous and Mags volunteered. We also get to meet Beetee, who is mentoring district three with his son as a tribute. We learn that Beetee is someone who is always down to cause a little trouble, as right before the quarter quell, Beetee tried to damage the technology in the Capital and he got caught, and since he was too valuable to kill, Snow put his son Ampert into the arena as punishment.

This helps to give insight into why the people who joined the alliance for the 75th hunger games, did in the first place. It also allows the readers to see that the rebellion never stopped; it was an undercurrent during all the years the districts spent under capital rule. 

One of the best appearances has to be Effie Trinket. Effie came to help her sister who was on Haymitch’s prep teams, so she didn’t fail her assignment. While I enjoyed Effie’s introduction and seeing how far back their friendship goes, I did feel like her character was a fan service, but it was one I enjoyed all the same. 

It was interesting to see how edited the games could be. For what we see in Catching Fire is only a capital variant of what actually occurred in the arena. It was very entertaining to see the undercurrent of rebellion be so open so early on in the series then we were led to believe. 

To the surprise of no one, Snow is still hung up on Lucy Gray and her ghost haunts both the hunger games, and district twelve. This book also puts Snow back into a villainous light. As the movie portrayal of Snow made many people forgive his actions based on him being attractive, this book reminds readers that pretty things are not only dangerous but just because their pretty doesn’t mean their actions are forgivable.

There is so much that goes on in this book that helps tie everything throughout the trilogy and the prequel together. It was a great addition to the Hunger Games universe, and I can’t wait for the movie next year.