Sunrise on the Reaping

Over spring break, I bought the newest Hunger Games book, Sunrise on the Reaping. Once I had finished, I decided to reread it multiple times because I liked it so much. In my opinion, this was one of the best (and saddest) books in the Hunger Games series, and I liked it more than the other prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Sunrise on the Reaping focuses on Haymitch's Hunger Games, the 50th Hunger Games. When I got this book, I already knew that Haymitch would become an alcoholic by the 75th Hunger Games because of his experience in the 50th Hunger Games, but Suzanne Collins made this book even sadder than I thought it would be.

(SPOILERS)

Sunrise on the Reaping starts on Haymitch's 16th birthday, reaping day for the 50th Hunger Games, where twice as many tributes will go to the Games. Before the reaping, he meets up with his girlfriend, Lenore Dove. She is part of the Covey, like Lucy Gray from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. However, she is more rebellious and judgmental of the Capital. Within the first few chapters, there is an unexpected plot twist: At the reaping, one of the boys who is reaped runs away, and is killed by a Peacekeeper. Haymitch, trying to protect Lenore Dove from the Peacekeeper, is chosen to go to the Games instead as a replacement. This is one of the many things that went wrong during the Games that the Capital hides. Haymitch decides that he isn't going to give the Capital the entertainment that they want and decides to try and sabotage the Games.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the new characters. I specifically liked the District 12 tributes. For example, Maysillee Donner was mentioned a few times in the main series, and she was the owner of Katniss's Mockingjay pin. In the main series, she isn't shown very often, and it seems that she is just another death caused by the Games. However, in Sunrise on the Reaping, she has more character development. She is shown at first to be spoiled, as one of the richest people in District 12. But on her way to the games, she stands up for the youngest District 12 tribute after the people from the Capital make fun of her astonishment at the rich Capital food. Maysillee also helps the tributes with their district tokens instead of training to help herself. She also doesn't like her life at the candy shop as the richest in town and feels trapped. She is a more complex character than she is shown as at first.

Another part that I liked was how they emphasized that the version of the 50th Games that most people saw was a lie, and that the Capital erased what actually happened in the arena. It shows how Haymitch was alone, being the only survivor of the Games (obviously) and the only one who knew about what happened in the arena, from the anti-career alliance to his trying to rebel against the Capital. 

I really liked this book. I feel like it is a good prequel, and although I already knew what would happen to Haymitch, I was surprised by all the plot twists and what parts of the Games weren't shown in the main series. I would recommend it! And I swear my next blog post won't be on the Hunger Games.

Juni