Suzanne Collins’ latest “The Hunger Games” prequel may be her best work yet.
Spoilers ahead
As a lifelong “The Hunger Games” fan and someone that has read the series multiple times, I had been anxiously anticipating the release for months. Previously, Suzanne Collins has stated that she only writes when she has something to say and considering today’s political climate, I knew this was going to be packed with political commentary.
Whilst promoting the book, Collins stated she wanted to focus on propaganda and implicit submission with this novel, and she did just that. I knew as soon as I read the opening quote from George Orwell that this book was going to be incredible. And luckily, I wasn’t disappointed.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” is set during the 50th Hunger Games, 24 years before the original series and 40 years after the first prequel, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.”
The book is written in first person from Haymitch’s perspective and the similarities between him and Katniss are immediately apparent. Like Katniss, Haymitch also lost his dad in a mining incident and was forced to help take care of his family, including a younger sibling that he is fiercely protective of. He even frequently disobeys the capital by escaping into the woods with his friends.
However, unlike Katniss, he starts the book in love with a Covey girl named Lenore Dove, who has striking similarities to Lucy Gray from the last prequel. Readers are not the only ones to point out these similarities, with Snow asking Haymitch about his love and revealing just how much he knows about the Covey and District 12. Lucy Gray still haunts Snow even 40 years later.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” starts on Reaping Day where it becomes evident that what fans thought they knew about Haymitch’s story was false. Firstly, Haymitch’s name was never called in the Reaping, but rather a young boy named Woodbine Chance who attempted to run from the square and was subsequently executed by Peacekeepers.
Of course, Capital officials, including Plutarch were quick to cover up the mishap and removed it from airing. Immediately, I realized that Katniss and readers of the original trilogy had fallen victim to Capital propaganda about the games as well.
As the story progresses, we learn more about Haymitch’s character and how he evolved into what we see in the original trilogy. We also got to know some new characters that we had previously heard little about. Potentially one of my favorite “Hunger Games” characters to date is Haymitch’s tribute partner Maysilee. Her sassy commentary and fierce hatred of the Capital made her an immediate favorite. Her story arc from a young snarky rich girl to a fierce competitor and a trusted ally to Haymitch was incredibly written.
In “Sunrise on the Reaping,” we also find out more about Haymitch’s relationship with Katniss and why their bond is so strong. Haymitch’s best friend before the games was Katniss’s father. He knew of Katniss long before she was reaped in the games and immediately felt a connection to her. Not just because of his connection to her father, but also because she reminded him of his district partner, Louella, who he nicknamed “Sweetheart.” This new piece of information brings new layers to Katniss and Haymitch’s relationship throughout the original trilogy.
We also learn that Haymitch was much more rebellious than previously thought. From stealing Snow’s milk to being snarky with the Gamemakers during his evaluation, Haymitch made it immediately clear he was not going to play by the rules. In a shocking turn of events, Haymitch attempts to use his flint striker to blow up the arena from underground, with the help of some familiar faces.
Unfortunately his attempt was unsuccessful and he was punished severely in the games by losing almost all of his allies to tragic deaths. Not only that, but the Capital cut out almost all of Haymitch’s interactions with allies from coverage of his games which made him appear to the audience as a violent monster instead of a kid just trying to survive.
It also shows readers just how much control the capital maintains over the narrative, and leads us to question what we’ve been told in previous novels. Not only that but it taps into some of the original themes of the series and shows readers that facism fears community. Helping one another is an act of rebellion in a world intended to isolate.
Snow’s punishment didn’t stop in the games. He also killed Haymitch’s entire family and his beloved girlfriend, Lenore Dove, which sent Haymitch into the alcohol fueled depression he’s in during the first novel. One of the saddest pieces of Haymitch’s story is that not only did Snow take away everything he loved, but he made Haymitch scared to love ever again. He pushed everyone away to protect them from Snow’s wrath. While this is heartbreaking new information, it makes Haymitch and Katniss’s bond even more special.
However, probably one of the most heartbreaking scenes from the entire series was Haymitch’s last conversation with Lenore Dove as she dies in his arms. He made a promise to her that he would stop the sun from rising on the Reaping. While he was unsuccessful in stopping his games, because of Katniss, the sun did stop rising on the Reaping and he finally fulfilled his promise to Lenore Dove.
While this was probably the most heart-wrenching book in the series, it sent an important message. Rebellions don’t start overnight. It takes years of work, courage, and determination and sometimes it may fail. But like Haymitch’s flint striker, all you need is a spark to create a fire. And Katniss was the spark that was needed to end the games for good.