I’ve been a fan of Suzanne Collins’ work for over a decade now, so when Sunrise on the Reaping was announced as the story of Haymitch’s Games, I was thrilled. When The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was announced, I was skeptical; how could Snow’s story possibly contribute anything to the original trilogy? But Suzanne Collins somehow managed to expand and deepen what was already a perfectly built world. Given the success of the first prequel, I had no doubt that Collins would publish something just as good for Haymitch Abernathy. Just as a disclaimer, I will be writing on specific spoilers of the book in this review, so if you haven’t read it yet, come back once you have!
Though I really enjoyed this book overall, it did end up as my least favorite in the series. Haymitch’s voice felt much more immature than both Katniss’ and Snow’s, even though the three characters have endured similar hardships. This isn’t necessarily a flaw in the work, as I’m sure there’s meaningful intent behind it, but it lessened my enjoyment a bit while reading it. The trauma of the latter two characters is evident in the way that they see and process the world and the events of their stories, whereas Haymitch’s inner monologue feels really disconnected from him as a character.Â
I also couldn’t help but feel that a lot of emotionally impactful moments were a bit rushed. The deaths of Louella, Lou Lou, and Maysilee all felt like they deserved longer chunks of Haymitch’s inner monologue. Clearly these are all devastating to him in their own ways, and it seemed like they were briefly described with very little detail of Haymitch’s internal processing.Â
On the bright side, though, I felt that the story as a whole was a great addition to the universe of Panem. Seeing Haymitch piece together his public persona, which is what we’re introduced to in the original trilogy, was really compelling. Suzanne Collins has a way of writing a plot that appears to be complete, but could actually be enhanced in a way you never anticipated. For example, I never questioned how exactly Haymitch came to be a part of the revolution against the Capitol. His relationships with Plutarch Heavensbee, Mags, Wiress, and Beetee, were all firmly developed in Catching Fire to the point where I wasn’t even questioning how they came to be. But Sunrise on the Reaping showcases the origins of their relationships in a way that suddenly feels integral to the overarching plot of the revolution.Â
Finally, Sunrise on the Reaping does a great job of exceeding the expectations of its readers regarding its plot. In Catching Fire, while preparing for the 3rd Quarter Quell, Katniss and Peeta decide to watch a recording of Haymitch’s Games. They don’t know much about his personal background (other than the fact that Snow targeted his family and loved ones after his victory) or his strategy for winning. After reading Sunrise on the Reaping, you learn that the Games they watched were heavily edited, and that the death of Haymitch’s loved ones were far more tragic than we were led to believe.Â
The more I sit with this book, the more that I appreciate it! Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, not only as a stand alone novel, but for how it now functions as an integral part of the series as well.