On March 18, 2025, the book all Hunger Games fans were waiting for was released; Sunrise on the Reaping is the second prequel, following Haymitch Abernathy and his Hunger Games win. It is set during the second Quarter Quell, fifty years after the first Hunger Games, and twenty-five years before Katniss Everdeen’s Quarter Quell depicted in Catching Fire. There are twice the number of tributes, and Haymitch must decide whether he wants to try and win, rebel against the Capitol, or betray his unlikely District 12 allies. I would give this book five out of five stars because it gives you insight into Haymitch’s character and explains his actions in the other books. Additionally, it is written in the same style as the other books, perfectly connecting previous characters and events in the rest of the series.
To start off, the story stood out to me because it gives more information on Haymitch. In the Hunger Games trilogy, Haymitch is an important figure in Katniss’s journey, but his character is underdeveloped, and we don’t really know his motivations. In Sunrise on the Reaping, we learn about his District 12 family, friends, and girlfriend, and how they have an impact on who he is over two decades later. We learn who he was as a teenager and how his actions shaped him in the future. For example, Haymitch starts to rebel against the Capitol from a young age. This shapes who he is in the main books of the series because he helps Katniss with her rebellion and isn’t concerned about it. This gives us more information on Haymitch and his earlier life.
Another aspect that caught my attention is that it is written in the same style as the other books in the series. The book follows a similar pattern to The Hunger Games and Catching Fire in that it starts with the reaping day, follows the main character’s journey through the process of getting ready for the Hunger Games, and then follows them through the Games shortly after. I like that it is set up that way because it connects to the previous books in a familiar, easy-to-follow way.
Ultimately, what set this book apart for me was that it connects to all the previous characters and events. There are so many different connections, but I will just name a few. We learn that Mags, Beetee, and Wiress, who helped Katniss during her Quarter Quell, were also involved in Haymitch’s Hunger Games journey. We find out what Effie Trinket was doing when she was just a recent University graduate. The readers discover what Plutarch Heavensbee did before being the Gamemaker for Katniss Everdeen’s Quarter Quell. The last example is Haymitch’s girlfriend, who has a connection to Lucy Gray, President Snow’s romantic interest when he was younger. I really liked these small details that tied all the books together. It was fun to find out all of these characters’ previous lives and to build on the information that was presented in the other books.
Some people may not like this book if they haven’t read the other Hunger Games books. It would be okay by itself, but you wouldn’t pick up on all of the links to the other books, and if you weren’t planning on reading the rest of the books, you wouldn’t be able to learn more about the characters. Another reason people may not like this book is because they feel it is just a way to make more money off the series and franchise, or it seems more like a way to quickly name-drop original characters rather than a stand-alone prequel.
I really liked the book, but I would definitely recommend reading at least the first prequel, Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes first, then Sunrise on the Reaping, then going on to the main trilogy, or going in the order the books were published. Either way, you will enjoy and appreciate it more if you have the background knowledge. I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of the Hunger Games and want to prepare yourself for the movie version, which will be released in 2026.
