When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?
As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.
Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.
When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight … and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.
I’ve loved all the Hunger Games books so far, and Sunrise on the Reaping was no exception.
In fact, this prequel might be one of my favorites, not because of any twist or grand reveal, but because of the journey. I don’t read for the shocking reveal, and often enjoy a reread even more than the first read.
Books like this, I read for character, for emotional depth, for the slow unfolding of who someone is and how they got there. And this book delivered that in spades.
Knowing where Haymitch ends up didn’t lessen the tension for me at all. If anything, it made his story even more gripping. I was already emotionally connected to him from the original trilogy, so stepping into his past felt immediate and personal. Watching how he’s shaped by trauma, survival, and defiance deepened my appreciation for who he becomes, and broke my heart a little along the way.
The writing carries the same sharpness and emotional punch I’ve come to expect from Collins. There’s a mix of brutality and humanity that continues to define this world, and Haymitch’s voice adds a new, compelling angle to it. The book stands strong as both a continuation for longtime fans and a possible entry point for new readers, though I think knowing the full arc makes the experience even richer.
This is a worthy addition to the Hunger Games universe, and I devoured it just as eagerly as the rest. Gritty, thoughtful, and addictive from start to finish.
