Sunrise On The Reaping - Suzanne Collins (Book Review)

4.75 stars on StoryGraph

What is likely the world’s most anticipated book of the year, Sunrise On The Reaping is the fifth entry into Suzanne Collin’s The Hunger Games series. Set during the 50th Hunger Games, the Second Quarter Quell, Sunrise On The Reaping follows Haymitch Abernathy, finally revealing the beloved character’s story to readers.

This book is a whole lot of revelations. There’s small ones like the names of Katniss’ parents and Peeta’s father. There’s confirmation of some long time fan theories around certain aspects of the games. But there are revelations that completely change the perspectives of what goes on in the original trilogy. Nicknames seen to make people seem condescending get turned into a sad, but meaningful human connection. That many of things that happen in the original trilogy have happened before, just not with the same levels of success.

I think that’s a part of Sunrise On The Reaping is saying - that a revolution isn’t about one person, and that revolutions don’t come from nowhere. Haymitch is approached by Ampert, Beetee’s son, to help him kill the arena. It’s revealed that the whole reason that Ampert was reaped was because Beetee had tried to hack the Capital and this was Beetee’s punishment. Between this, the events that Haymitch goes through in the arena, and the events of the original trilogy, you could infer that between the 50th and 75th Hunger Games there could have been several more attempts at starting a rebellion. Katniss’ Mockingjay moments couldn’t have happened without everything that came before her - Haymitch’s own rebellious actions, the actions of Mags, Beetee, and Wiress, and likely the actions of countless of others. And this happens in real life too. The rise of the USSR over the Imperial Tsarist regime was not a one and done revolution. The earlier February 1917 revolution overthrew the Imperial government. But things weren’t settled. A second revolution in October that same year was the one that put the Bolsheviks in power. And that’s not even including the even earlier 1905 revolution! Big, nation changing moments don’t come out of nowhere. There are events that build it up. There are failed attempts. And these all come together that end with the change people seek.

There is a lot of speculation about if there will be a third Hunger Games prequel. After all, The Hunger Games was originally a trilogy and Suzanne Collins is a film and tv writer used to working in three acts. I’m on the team that there will be a third prequel. If it were up to me, I would be writing a prequel that centres on Plutarch. There is no more District 12 Victors for the stories to follow. But Plutarch does blend the themes of Power from A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Propaganda from Sunrise on the Reaping. He has power because he is a member of the Capitol, and not only that, he’s in charge of media and The Games for a few decades meaning that he is responsible for a lot of the entertainment that comes out of The Games. And because of that, he has a lot of control of the propaganda that comes out. This of course directly contrasts with his role within the rebellion. I would love to see how Plutarch balances this. And, if it was me, I would follow Plutarch as his career progresses through several failed attempts at the rebellion. Start with Plutarch seeing Haymitch for the first time since the end of the 50th game cycle and see how the failure impacted one boy so badly he lost everything and turned to alcohol to sooth the pain, especially now that that boy must mentor others. Maybe we see a few other games - Enobaria, Joanna, Finnick, Annie are all Victors whom people want to know more about but also have that same connection to the original trilogy that Beetee, Wiress, and Mags do. And then we get to the 74th Games. We see Plutarch realise the missteps that Senaca Crane took that led both Katniss and Peeta to winning The Games. And as Plutarch continues to watch, he sees that there is a new chance for a rebellion that hinges on Katniss. This would tie a lot into the idea that a rebellion doesn’t come from nowhere and it would be a lot more overt.

I think that it could give hope. Suzanne Collins only writes when she thinks it’s necessary to add to the conversation and the universe. In this increasingly harsh world, more and more people are joining any sort of movement that sparks change in politics. I’m thinking of the Hīkoi that went across Aotearoa New Zealand late last year in order to protest the now dead Treaty Principals Bill. I’m thinking of the Hands Off protests that have been popping up across the US recently against the current Trump Administration. The students protesting genocide. The Pride Parades. There’s talk of General Strikes and/or a movement to avoid economic action on certain days against certain brands. Economic boycotts. When things do change, I hope to be able to look back and say: ‘this didn’t happen over night. this happened because of a lot of hard work and a lot of time and a lot of good people who held onto hope’.