Book Review: Sunrise on the Reaping

It’s probably not a surprise given my recent review for Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes that Sunrise on the Reaping will follow in its wake as another 5-star read from the world of Panem. I completely devoured this book in spite of how much it wrenched my heart, and like most of my reviews, I’ll try to keep this one as spoiler free as possible!

First and foremost, Haymitch Abernathy is a fantastic main character. Dynamic with a twist of tragedy, Haymitch’s narration is probably one of my favorite perspectives in the series. Don’t get me wrong, I love Katniss’s POV but something about Haymitch’s was refreshing and almost lighthearted despite the overall doom and gloom of the narrative. Not to mention the hints and “sneak peeks” we saw of things any The Hunger Games fan would be familiar with that shook me to the core. Anytime something I knew was featured prominently in the original trilogy popped up, I had to walk away and put the book down. And I think that’s the hardest part of reading prequels. When you already know how the story ends, it can be emotional difficult to read the beginning. Sort of like my hopes that Snow wouldn’t become the awful tyrant he was in The Hunger Games trilogy and of course, in Sunrise on the Reaping despite the fact that I knew there wouldn’t be snowball’s chance in hell he’d be redeemed or ever could be.

Unlike the corruption arc Collins gave us in Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Haymitch’s story was a rollercoaster of hope and desperation. And let me just say HOW COULD SHE?!

If you had any question about how authoritarian societies remain intact, Sunrise on the Reaping reinforces the environment of fear, paranoia, and gross social hierarchies that has consumed Panem in the wake of the district’s failed rebellion that led to the creation of the Hunger Games. Despite Haymitch’s courage and loyalty, it wasn’t enough to save him from his fate. Quite literally doomed by the narrative, Haymitch Abernathy is a tragic but beyond worthy main character and I find some comfort in what I remember of Mockingjay’s ending (I think it’s time for a reread 😅).

Even with the heart -ache and -break throughout the novel, Sunrise on the Reaping was a fast-paced, well-fleshed out narrative that I couldn’t put down. I wasn’t sure what to expect from it, especially since we didn’t get much of Haymitch’s backstory in the original trilogy, so the preconceived notions I had were completely wrong, leaving me pleasantly surprised but also sat in stunned silence with tears in my eyes by the end of the novel. Beautiful but cruel, readers should probably read the OG trilogy so they can experience the same chills I did while devouring Sunrise on the Reaping.