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Imagine waking up on your birthday, a day that is supposed to be joyous and fun, but is instead overshadowed by the fact that you have been chosen to likely die in a game of combat.
This is the premise for the novel “Sunrise on the Reaping” written by author Suzanne Collins.
“The Hunger Games” book franchise has recently been expanded with the new inclusion of the prequel “Sunrise on the Reaping.” This book follows the main character Haymitch Abernathy being selected to compete in the 50th annual Hunger Games. The book shows the readers Abernathy’s experience before the games start, his trials in the games and the aftermath of his actions following the games.
When I first started this book, I wasn’t expecting to be surprised at all. I already knew Haymitch’s story of how he won because his victory is briefly explained in “Catching Fire.” However, I was thoroughly astonished by how much new and unexpected content was put into this book. From finding out the reaping was on Haymitch’s birthday, to the rebellion we see in the games, all the way to the ending, I found myself being genuinely surprised multiple times in the book.
However, being amazed by the unexpected is not the only thing I enjoyed about this book. Another aspect of the book that I really liked was the characters. I have always found it impressive how Collins makes you emotionally invested and care about so many characters in her books, and this was no different. I also enjoyed the inclusion of other characters from the original trilogy, such as Snow and Beetee. I found that I loved so many characters, and even the villains I appreciated reading about because they are written so well.
With many great qualities, there were bound to be some aspects of this book that I did not like. The main problem I had with the book was some of the motives of the characters, Haymitch especially. During the games, we see Abernathy commit several acts of rebellion against the Capitol.
I don’t think Abernathy being rebellious in these games makes a lot of sense, due to the fact that it seems the only thing he cares about is ensuring the safety of his family and girlfriend. All of these acts of rebellion will bring harm to those who he loves, but he commits them anyway. In my opinion, this didn’t make sense for Abernathy’s character and made those scenes less enjoyable to me.
As I was reading this book and writing this review, one question was stuck in my head throughout the entire process: Is “Sunrise on the Reaping” just a quick money grab, or was it a good inclusion to this book series? After some careful thought, I have decided that this was not just a quick money grab and has a lot of amazing qualities that really add to the franchise.
This book adds a lot of context and information to all four of its predecessors, such as appearances of old characters, and makes me want to read the older books in a new perspective. I think this book does a great job of adding to the overall message of the franchise.
Overall, I would give “Sunrise on the Reaping” a solid 9/10. This book has many great qualities and I had a great time reading it. If you have not read this book yet, I highly encourage you to go and read it.
