“They will not use my tears for their entertainment.” Suzanne Collins released this snippet on social media to promote the upcoming release of her new book. This quote gained lots of attention, largely because of who said it. Haymitch Abernathy was a supporting character in the original Hunger Games trilogy series. On March 18, 2025, that forever changed. Suzanne Collins recently published a new Hunger Games book centered on Haymitch’s story, Sunrise on the Reaping. It focuses on the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the second Quarter Quell, and chronologically takes place after the prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and before the first book, The Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games series is a set of books by Suzanne Collins that follows a dystopian future where survival competitions, the Hunger Games—also the name of the series and the first book—are played annually. These games involve twenty-four randomly selected people between the ages of twelve and eighteen. These twenty-four tributes are forced to fight to the death in an arena until only one survivor is left, the victor. Sunrise on the Reaping is the series’ newest addition, having just been published on March 18, 2025. The book was positively received by many fans. Although there are a few things that could have been improved on, overall, it was well done. It answers questions that were left unanswered in previous editions, while also incorporating new material into the dystopian world.
The main character, Haymitch Abernathy, is selected to be a tribute for the 50th Hunger Games, which drives the plot of Sunrise on the Reaping. In honor of it being the second Quarter Quell game, Haymitch goes against forty-seven tributes, instead of the normal twenty-four tributes. The arena is completely different each year, meaning he is also unfamiliar with his setting. To win the game, Haymitch Abernathy has to team up with others and use metis over bie. Using metis(wisdom) rather than bie(force) allows Haymitch to navigate across the arena’s challenges and other players strategically, which is what allows him to win. Although Haymitch was known to have won, as he is present in later books, there are new parts to Haymitch’s story that were never told before.
It’s well known that Suzanne Collins’ books critique totalitarian governments. It symbolizes the importance of rights and the jeopardy of propaganda and unchecked powers. In the Hunger Games series, a tiny portion of rich people live luxurious lives, while most of the population struggles to survive and bring food to the table. The head of this society, President Snow, is an evil character with brutal intentions. Sunrise on the Reaping further shows Snow’s brutality and how censorship shaped the Hunger Games world. Rather than focusing on the game itself, it pays more attention to the government of the dystopian society, and how most characters are helpless to it. The book also showcases new people Haymitch once knew, his family, and incorporates old characters in new ways. To give the book further credit, it also answered questions that were originally unanswered.
Sunrise on the Reaping answered and confirmed many fan theories that had arisen from previous books. A famous lingering question that was finally answered was the origin of the mockingjay pin. The main character of the first book, Katniss Everdeen, wears a pin, which becomes a symbol of her rebellion. Now, fans know both the original owner of the pin and where it came from. Another question that was finally answered was Lucy Gray Baird’s fate. She was a significant character in a previous book, and Sunrise on the Reaping finally puts her character to rest, finishing her story and explaining her importance to Katniss Everdeen.
To Suzanne Collins’ credit, it’s impressive that she has managed to write five books in the same universe that all share the same creative aspects and stories. However, while the book is intriguing and worthwhile, there are still a few problems with it. The book was rather predictable, which made it easy to know which characters died and how they were killed, leaving little room for suspense. The book also faced a plotline regarding a rebellious act that didn’t come through, and seemed to fall rather flat. All in all, there were things that Sunrise on the Reaping definitely could have done better, but the book did bring about serious topics and likable characters that many fans adored.
Few expected Haymitch Abernathy to have his own story officially written. Originally, he was a side character who was only there to push Katniss Everdeen’s story further forward. Sunrise on the Reaping finally gave his character a voice, while also speaking out on political topics. Overall, it was a good read and definitely worth people’s time. Although there isn’t much suspense, the book makes up for it with its characters, storyline, and answers to questions previously left unanswered. To reach audiences that are not just readers, Lionsgate is already in the works for a movie adaptation. It’s planned to be released on November 20, 2026, and most of the actors who will be in it have been revealed already. Regardless of whether they watch it on the screen or read the book, Sunrise on the Reaping is a story that anyone should check out if interested.
