The brutal dystopia of Panem returned on March 18 with Suzanne Collins’s latest release in her Hunger Games series: Sunrise on the Reaping. This time, however, it’s the 50th Hunger Games, and this year’s tribute is the beloved Haymitch Abernathy.
After the release of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in 2020 and its 2023 film adaptation, fans were ecstatic when Collins announced in 2024 that she would be releasing a fifth book in 2025.
This book is a prequel to the original The Hunger Games trilogy, but takes place over 40 years after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. This new story follows 16-year-old Haymitch, chronicling his journey leading up to and within the arena as he wins the 50th annual Hunger Games.
Set in the country of Panem, the Capitol, a brutal government, controls 12 districts. Each year, as punishment for the districts’ failed rebellion and to prevent future uprisings, the Capitol hosts the Hunger Games, where two individuals from each district (one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18) are randomly selected to fight in an arena to the death.
This year’s Games mark the second Quarter Quell, a special edition of the Hunger Games that alters the selection of tributes in a unique twist. For this reaping ceremony, each district must send twice the number of tributes, so it appears the odds are not in Haymitch’s favor in both the reaping and the Games themselves.
Though we enjoyed returning to The Hunger Games world, the story falls short in many areas. In Collins’s other novel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, her writing is compelling and vivid. Unfortunately, that style does not carry over to Sunrise on the Reaping. The writing here is more simple with shorter sentences, weak imagery and dull dialogue.
Additionally, much of the book centers around Haymitch’s preparation for the Games, contributing to an extremely slow start. The first 15 chapters are a fight to get through as readers eagerly wait for the action of the Games to unfold.
The main appeal of the novel is that it taps into readers’ nostalgia for The Hunger Games series, presenting key characters — with some new faces — in a fresh light. As Haymitch’s backstory unfolds, we see him as a young man just as resourceful and manipulative as the mentor we know him to be for Katniss and Peeta.
Through carefully woven details, Collins incorporates exciting references to characters readers know little about. For example, Haymitch is best friends with Burdock Everdeen, who will later become Katniss’ father. Haymitch also dates Lenore Dove Baird, a distant relative of Lucy Gray from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. One of our favorite references is Collins’s mysterious mention of Lucy Gray, who is described as a victor from District 12 who “no one seems to know anything about.” Fan favorites such as the extravagant Effie Trinket and the wise Mags Flanagan also make appearances as part of Haymitch’s prep team.
For dedicated fans of The Hunger Games series, Sunrise on the Reaping is a must-read. Despite its flaws, the book earns its place in the series, allowing readers to further immerse themselves in the history of the Games and have fun making connections to the beloved trilogy and recent prequel.
An upcoming film adaptation of Sunrise on the Reaping begins production on June 6 and is set for release on Nov. 20, 2026. With more Hunger Games content on the way, it seems the odds may ever be in our favor.