In September of 2008, Suzanne Collins released the first volume of The Hunger Games series, a chilling set of novels that grasped the attention of both young adult and older readers around the world. Almost two decades later, on March 18th, 2025, Collins has delivered the highly anticipated prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping, which occurs almost 25 years before the original tale.
The primary trilogy centers on Katniss Everdeen, a determined and resilient teenage girl who is forced to fight for her life in Panem’s annual Hunger Games. With the guidance of her mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, she ultimately rises to fight against the government throughout her series. Sunrise on the Reaping travels back in time, recounting the events of Haymitch’s own participation in the Games.
The story begins on the dawn of the fiftieth annual Hunger Games – the second quarter quell – and the districts know that the rules will be even more brutal for the occasion. When Haymitch’s name
is called, he is torn from everyone he loves and brought to the Capitol with three other district 12 children. He knows the Capitol has set him up to fail, but Haymitch is determined to make them pay.
One thing is for certain: Collins has not lost her flare. Sunrise on the Reaping is a thrilling look into Haymitch’s past, and a much needed one for his complicated character. Although Collins has written four other Hunger Games novels, this newest installation is far from repetitive – terrifying settings, brutal situations, and complex characters, with a plethora of twists and turns make this book impossible to put down. And for seasoned Hunger Games fans, known and loved characters from the original trilogy appear to make the novel even more special.
Although this book is a young adult novel, it doesn’t quite feel like it. Collin’s writing is both complex enough for adult readers to find entertaining, while simple enough to create an entertaining read. Additionally, Collins adds a more mature flare to this novel, incorporating references to poetry such as William Blake’s, “Ah! Sun-flower,” and Edgar Allan Poe’s, “The Raven.”
Overall, Sunrise on the Reaping was a beautifully tragic telling of a beloved character’s long-awaited story. The novel pieces together unresolved ideas from past Hunger Games novels in a fluid way that showcases Suzanne Collins’ masterful storytelling abilities. With a heart wrenching plot and vividly emotional characters, this novel has earned a rating of 4.5/5 stars.
