I love you, like all-fire.
The Hunger Games is my favorite dystopian series of all time. The trailer for Sunrise on the Reaping, a prequel, was just released and I cannot wait to watch it in November. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a mix of adventure, fear, thrill, love and survival. It follows Katniss Everdeen, a teenager who volunteers as tribute in the Hunger Games to save her sister but soon finds herself in the middle of a much larger conflict. Since the trailer for Sunrise on the Reaping was released, a lot of people’s interest in the Hunger Games has revived and a lot of them are also discovering the franchise now. So, here is a guide on how to read the Hunger Games books:
I suggest reading the books in their publication order is the best way to experience the depth of the story and its emotional impact. This way, you can also spot any Easter Eggs and foreshadowing. In this order, the first book would be The Hunger Games. This book introduces the readers to the world of Panem and the major characters such as Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Prim etc. This book follows the events of the first Hunger Games. The second book is Catching Fire which follows the events of the 75th Hunger Games, also known as the third quarter quell. The story is more intense and the stakes are higher. The plot twists keep the reader engaged throughout.
The third book is Mockingjay which provides an intense, emotional and compelling end to the Hunger Games trilogy. It is a powerful but bittersweet finale which lingers in the mind of the reader for a long time. The next two books in the series are prequels. The first is The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which tells the story of a young Coriolanus Snow and his rise to power. He is a complex character and seeing him before he became a heartless man helps readers understand his story in becoming the way he was in the original trilogy. This book follows the events of the tenth Hunger Games. The final and the last book is Sunrise on the Reaping, which is the story of Haymitch Abernathy, the winner of the 50th Hunger Games. Haymitch is seen as Peeta and Katniss’s mentor in the original trilogy. His character is a drunkard man who does not care about anyone. Reading Sunrise on the Reaping helps the readers understand why he is the way he is.
The movie adaptation for Sunrise on the Reaping seems very promising because the casting couldn’t be more perfect. They nailed the casting for Haymitch, Joseph Zada is perfect as young Haymitch. Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket was a genius idea and Mckenna Grace seems to be exactly the way I had imagined her while reading the book. The actors for young Ceaser Flcikerman and young Plutarch Heavensbee are ideal matches. Although I love the entire Hunger Games series, Sunrise on the Reaping is my favourite of them all and I am beyond excited with the way glimpses of the movie look so far. I cannot wait for November 20th and I am ready to bawl my eyes out in the theatre.
