Book Review: ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ by Suzanne Collins
Sunrise on the Reaping has been one of the most talked-about prequels of the year. Suzanne Collins has been a master of her craft, and the dystopian series has always reflected the current socio-political climate. Out of all the novels in The Hunger Games, this was the one everyone was waiting for because of the protagonist.
Haymitch Abernathy has been one of the most influential and beloved book characters since the first Hunger Games novel. It was always rumoured that Collins had another Quarter Quell up her sleeve; she just needed the proper narrative to fit.
This novel is on the same wavelength as Catching Fire, and that’s why diehard fans were ecstatic about it. It was stated in previous books that Haymitch encountered the worst Hunger Games, but was also the most defiant out of the other tributes.
Our Discord has a channel for The Hunger Games, where the MBC community has lively discussions. Come join our live book chat on Twitch so we can all gush about this series together.
Check out my review below of Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. Let me know in the comments below what you thought about the book!
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
Synopsis:
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.
***SPOILERS BELOW***
Sunrise on the REAPING Quotes
“I love you like all-fire.”
“And that’s part of our trouble. Thinking things are inevitable. Not believing change is possible.”
“They will not use our tears for their entertainment.”
“The moment our hearts shattered? It belongs to us.”
“The snow may fall, but the sun also rises.”
“Nothing you can take from me was ever worth keeping.”
“I will pay for it with my death and with the broken hearts and lives of everyone who loves me.”
“I don’t want to beg. Or plead for my life. I want to go out with my head.”
“Don’t let them paint their posters with your blood. Not if you can help it.”
Themes
political manipulation
propaganda
societal control
the impact of violence within a dystopian
desensitization
survival
sacrifice
power dynamics
identity and rebellion
Sunrise on the reaping
Characters
Haymitch Abernathy - One of the tributes chosen to represent District 12 in the 50th Hunger Games (Quarter Quell) and the protagonist of the novel. Haymitch is illegally reaped as the second male tribute from his district. He spends the majority of the book working to undermine the Capitol by destroying the arena.
Maysilee Donner - One of District 12’s female tributes. She’s snarky and defiant. She resents the Capitol for its dehumanizing treatment of people from the districts, and she uses her platform as a tribute to fight back. Haymitch sees her as a little sister in the arena.
Louella McCoy - One of District 12’s female tributes. She’s a spunky thirteen-year-old who is killed before stepping into the arena. She is then replaced with a robot figure named Lou Lou, hoping the audience doesn’t find a crack in the system during the games.
Lenore Dove - Haymitch Abernathy’s girlfriend, who is part Covey.
President Coriolanus Snow - The cruel and tyrannical leader of Panem.
Plutarch Heavensbee - The cameraman assigned to District 12. He collects footage of the District 12 tributes and is a secret rebel. He remains in the shadows but has plenty of information.
Wyatt Callow - One of the male tributes from District 12. He is an oddsmaker, which he uses to his advantage throughout the arena to predict outcomes for the other tributes.
Wiress - The other mentor for the District 12 tributes.
Effie Trinkett - Proserpina’s sister, who arrives with clothes for the interviews in Magno’s absence.
Burdock Everdeen - Haymitch’s friend and Katniss Everdeen’s father.
Asterid March - Burdock’s girlfriend and Katniss Everdeen’s mother.
Magno Stift - The District 12 stylist.
Sid Abernathy - Haymitch’s ten-year-old brother.
Ampert - One of District 3s male tributes, who starts an alliance to counter the Careers. He is Beetee’s youngest son, and he helps Haymitch the best he can in the arena.
Lou Lou - Louella’s replacement after her death.
Beetee Latier - Ampert’s father, who comes up with the plan to break the arena.
Mags - One of the mentors for the District 12 tributes. Mags is the one who often sends parachutes to Haymitch during the games.
Drusilla Sickle - The escort for the District 12 tributes, who is very combative and unfairly treats her tributes.
Review
Is Sunrise on the Reaping the best Hunger Games novel?
As diehard fans of the original trilogy, it’s hard to rank the novels by Suzanne Collins. However, even in the original trilogy, Catching Fire had always been the book to stand out because of the Quarter Quell. The 75th Hunger Games were even more intense than the 74th. With the double tributes from the districts, it became more disheartening to realize that more children would be sacrificed. The character dynamics in the sequel made for an engaging and thrilling read for so many fans.
Similar to Sunrise on the Reaping, the Quarter Quell dynamic challenges the Capitol by bringing in more personalities to see what they do under pressure. People like Haymitch and the Newcomer crew wanted to make a change and rebel against the Capitol while in the arena. Both books involve the Quarter Quell, and the characters feed off rage and loss to fuel their hatred of the Capitol and the overthrow of a corrupt system.
If fans loved Catching Fire, then Sunrise on the Reaping is a close second based on similarities. Haymitch and Katniss have this fire within them that sets them apart from other protagonists. They both suffered great loss, especially in the Quarter Quell. What Haymitch goes through is unmatched within the Hunger Games universe, and the way Collins progresses his story is a natural order of cause and effect. Nothing seems too far-fetched or a step too far. For some reason, everything that happens to him fits his narrative, and it’s heartbreaking.
How does Suzanne Collins address the current political climate?
What Suzanne Collins does in Sunrise on the Reaping is different than the original Hunger Games trilogy. The reason it’s different is that this time, when writing, she could directly address how the media is the most destructive tactic used against the general public. The media can be manipulated and used for authoritarian rule. She directly addresses Plutarch’s footage throughout the Games and how that influences everyone’s perception of the tributes. Inevitably making the Capitol look superior and just.
However, it gets interesting once they are in the arena and Haymitch begins to foil plans. He goes against the grain of what’s expected of the tributes, and that’s when the Capitol steps in. It’s a fixed narrative that needs to be shown so the viewers don’t lose confidence in the regime. The Games have been about wealth inequality and classism in the real world, being reflected in a death arena. There are advantages and disadvantages based on which district you reside in.
Collins emphasizes the strength a narrative holds in shaping one’s character. The perception of Haymitch Abernathy is tested throughout the Games because the Capitol needs to maintain authority. Collins reflects on people challenging the narrative of the current American government by showing the strength of the tributes defying what’s being said about the individuals in the arena.
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