The Verdict
With the movie coming to theaters in November, today I’m giving you my honest take on Sunrise on the Reaping, by Suzanne Collins, the story of Haymitch’s Hunger Games.
My verdict: read it, especially if you love the original trilogy. It’s the angriest, most heartbreaking book in the series, and it changes how you see Haymitch forever. But it leans hard on references, and it’s not the place to start. I give it four and a half out of five, with no big spoilers.
The Setup
It’s twenty four years before Katniss. Haymitch Abernathy lives in District Twelve with his mother and his little brother, Sid, and his girlfriend, Lenore Dove, a fierce, funny girl who sings.
It’s the fiftieth Hunger Games, the second Quarter Quell. This year, every district must send twice as many tributes. Four from each district. Forty eight kids in one arena.
The Reaping
And it’s Haymitch’s sixteenth birthday. On reaping day.
I won’t say exactly how it happens, but his name isn’t the one that’s drawn. What happens in the town square that day is one of the most shocking scenes Collins has ever written.
The Other Tributes
Haymitch goes to the Capitol with three other kids from Twelve. There’s Louella, a spunky thirteen year old who lives down his street. Maysilee Donner, a proud town girl from a merchant family. And Wyatt, who’s almost too old for the reaping.
Fans of the trilogy will recognize some names, and some of the people they meet in the Capitol.
The Rebellion
What makes this book different is that Haymitch isn’t just trying to survive. Some of the adults around him have a plan to hit back at the Capitol, and they think Haymitch can help.
So the arena becomes a battle on two levels: against the other tributes, and against the Gamemakers themselves.
What Works
First, Haymitch. We only knew him as a cynical drunk. Here he’s a cocky, loving, funny teenager, and the book shows exactly what broke him.
Second, the propaganda theme. Collins is obsessed with how the Capitol edits reality, and this book makes it the whole point.
Third, the emotion. The last fifty pages are some of the most devastating in young adult fiction.
What Doesn’t
Now the honest part. First, the references. There are so many nods to the other books, the songs, the names, the places, that it sometimes feels like a checklist.
Second, the middle drags. There’s a long stretch of planning and training before the arena.
Third, if you haven’t read the trilogy, a lot of the payoff won’t land.
Content Notes
This is the darkest book in the series. There’s graphic violence against children, torture, grief, and the death of family members.
The Scorecard
My scores. Haymitch, five out of five. Emotional impact, five. Themes, five. Pacing, three and a half. Originality, four. That averages to four and a half.
Who It’s For
Read it if you’ve read the original trilogy, if Haymitch was your favorite character, or if you loved The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Skip it, for now, if you’re new to Panem. Start with The Hunger Games first.
Where To Go Next
I’ve also made an ending explained, a guide to every connection to the original trilogy, and everything we know about the movie. They’re linked below. Tell me in the comments: did this book break your heart?
