Sunrise on the Reaping (A Hunger Games Novel)
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4.8 • 3.7K Ratings
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- $18.99
Publisher Description
The phenomenal fifth book in the Hunger Games series!
When you've been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?
As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.
Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.
When Haymitch's name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He's torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who's nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he's been set up to fail. But there's something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Prepare to dive headfirst once again into the dystopian nation of Panem for this profound prequel to the Hunger Games series. The novel takes us back to the 50th Hunger Games competition, where we meet Katniss and Peeta’s mentor, Haymitch Abernathy. He’s just a young man from District 12 when he’s pulled into the games on his 16th birthday, changing his life forever. Suzanne Collins brilliantly uses this novel’s placement in the series to explore the true impact of the tragic events that follow. After all, we already know that Haymitch will win—and that it will cost him absolutely everything. That preordained aspect of the tale fills each twist with brutally profound meaning, not to mention tension and dread. And the series’ themes of censorship and propaganda become especially strong as key events unfold that we realize were erased from Panem’s history. We were completely immersed in this grim, gorgeously rendered world.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Set 40 years after the events of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, this heart-wrenching novel from Collins centers a 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy and his role in the climactic 50th Hunger Games. Though readers will know him as Katniss and Peeta's ill-tempered, alcohol-dependent mentor during the 74th games, young Haymitch is a sweet-natured, responsible teen working hard to support his widowed mother and younger brother. In his free time, he attends to his sweetheart, Lenore Dove, a singer with a rebellious streak, who is one of the Covey, a group of formerly itinerant musicians. Then Haymitch is selected to compete in the second-ever Quarter Quell. His mother's parting words—"Don't let them paint their posters with your blood"—become his North Star as he balances the necessity of performing for the Games with maintaining his integrity and morality. As the Quarter Quell commences, Collins utilizes searing, precise language to vividly depict what each party—the tributes, the Capitol, and the districts at large—stands to lose and how these Games' aftermath will come to shape the events of the original trilogy. Excerpts from Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven"—peppered throughout Haymitch's first-person narration—heighten the story's emotional resonance. It's a brutal tale of compassion and rage, and a frank examination of propaganda and tragedy, that will satisfy longtime series fans and newcomers alike. Ages 12–up. Correction: The text of this review has been updated for clarity.
Customer Reviews
Riveting
Incredible portrayal of Haymitch’s story. I was not only moved but felt deeply involved as if I was by him the whole time in his narration. Suzanne did it again with this series.
Best of the series
Couldn’t put it down, loved the interweaving of Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven into the story. Huge fan.
A Movie Fan’s Leap into Panem: Worth the Price of Admission
TL;DR: Movie fan thinks it’s worth the $20 price of admission.
I’ve recently gotten into the habit of reading. Sunrise on the Reaping marks my second book of the year—and my first dive into Suzanne Collins’ work. A weird jumping-on point for her series, I know, especially since I’m usually an “I’ll check out the movie” kind of guy. But after hearing all the buzz following The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, I found myself eagerly awaiting this release. That movie was so phenomenal, it made me rethink my feelings on the world Collins built—Panem.
I’ve always loved world-building and dystopian futures. While I was a little disappointed that the book didn’t dive deeper into the other districts or give us a broader view of Capitol life, I still found myself glued to the atmosphere. It’s immersive, and I couldn't put it down.
Minor spoilers ahead: A few characters from the original trilogy return—and for me, it was a bit hit or miss. Some fit naturally into the story. Others felt shoehorned in with a “Hey, remember this character?” energy. As someone who comes from the movie side of the fandom, I mostly shrugged those off. But I suspect longtime book fans will welcome them back like old friends—nostalgic, even if a little unexpected.
The action is well-written and easy to follow while maintaining an “anti-violence” tone. I really appreciated that. It’s hard to strike a balance between depicting action and making it feel like tragedy rather than spectacle. Collins nails it—chef’s kiss. She stays on-message where many don’t.
I’m giving it 4 out of 5 stars. It’s a good story with a clear theme. I did feel like I lost track of Haymitch, our main character and narrator, toward the end. That said, it’s impressive how Collins captures years of self-destructive behavior and still makes it feel believable. I just wish the pacing had slowed down a bit near the end, especially to show more of how Haymitch coaches his tributes—how he schemes, strategizes, and subtly resists the Capitol as a mentor. Look at me, asking for more. That’s a good sign.
As a movie fan, this $20 “ticket” was absolutely worth the price of admission.