Longtime fans of the Hunger Games books, including myself, were overjoyed when Suzanne Collins announced the release of her newest book, Sunrise on the Reaping. This excitement doubled as fans realized that this story would be from Haymitch’s perspective during his own game, a story fans have been dying to learn about. On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, the book was released. I was fortunate enough to get the book that night due to pre-ordering it a few months prior, and I started reading it immediately.
One of the first things I noticed was the introduction of a few familiar characters that we met in the original trilogy, and while not by name, we also get a plethora of references to Lucy Gray Baird. It was always fun to be reading and then get surprised by seeing a character from the original trilogy in the past.
On that note, there is also a certain character that gets referenced early on that has a very close relationship with the original main character of the Hunger Games trilogy. I won’t say the name so you can find out for yourself.
The book’s first few chapters felt like a punch to my gut. To refrain from spoiling anything, the events leading to Haymitch entering the arena are heart-wrenching. We meet Lenore Dove, who Haymitch always refers to as his girl. In the chapters before The Reaping, Haymitch talks about her very often…it’s adorable if I’m being honest. The actual reaping itself was, as always, a sad event. However, it was honestly worse in this book for reasons I cannot disclose due to spoilers.
Before the release of this book, there were many rumors surrounding Lenore Dove. One of these rumors was that she was part of the Covey, just like Lucy Gray. This rumor is indeed confirmed in the book early on. A key factor of Lenore Dove is her part in the Covey, and her fierce personality. She is, in a way, parallel with Katniss Everdeen.
Speaking of Katniss, there are many parallels and comparisons between her and Haymitch. Those who have read the original trilogy can spot these similarities instantly. Suzanne Collins writes them beautifully and masterfully, giving the reader an “oh my god!” reaction to each reveal and easter egg she plants.
Overall, I think that Sunrise on the Reaping was an amazing book and captured Haymitch’s story beautifully, as always when Collins is the one telling it. I highly recommend this book to all Hunger Games fans, and to any newcomers, I would absolutely recommend reading the trilogy and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes first. I hope that we will see other character’s backstories in the future as well, and I hope they are all as enjoyable as this one!
