Suzanne Collins’ new prequel “Sunrise on the Reaping” welcomes readers back into the world of Panem, this time through the eyes of infamous mentor Haymitch Abernathy. Collins dives into his origin story, revealing Haymitch’s evolution from an innocent and loving sixteen year-old into the cynical alcoholic that readers are familiar with.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” takes place during the second Quarter Quell, which occurs once every 25 years and adds a sickening twist to the already cruel games. This year’s twist: the games have double the tributes. The long-awaited prequel finds Haymitch as one of four tributes from District 12 tossed into the arena to fight to the death.
Having already known that Haymitch wins the games, Collins faced the challenge of crafting a story that would engage readers despite many already knowing the ending. Although many “Hunger Games” fans were eager to re-enter the world of Panem through a fresh perspective, some argue that the prequel was a cash grab, following the same tired story of a successful District 12 underdog.
Although I have never been picky about the “Hunger Games” content I consume — even reading Gale and Katniss Wattpad stories as a middle-schooler — I can objectively say that “Sunrise on the Reaping” thoughtfully fits into the series. In this installation, Collins forces readers to look beyond who wins and who loses and into the underlying mechanisms of power and authoritarian rule.
Collins has used her two prequels, “Sunrise on the Reaping” and “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” to share more of Panem than she could during the original “Hunger Games” trilogy. Specifically, “Sunrise on the Reaping” plants the seeds of rebellion that blossomed 25 years after the novel’s events, with the emergence of Katniss as the Mockingjay. In fact, when speaking to The New York Times about the trilogy, Collins revealed that she’d already developed entire histories about the characters and how they connected to one another.
Although in the original trilogy readers see Haymitch working within the confines of the Capital system, schmoozing citizens for sponsors and encouraging Katniss to “play the game,” readers see him taking on a more defiant role in this prequel. From Haymitch refusing to let the Capital turn his suffering into a spectacle, to his District 12 lover, Lenore Dove, burning the Panem flag under the reaping stage, Collins reminds readers that wherever there is oppression, resistance is always stirring.
The motif of rebellion that Collins relies on throughout all five books is song — it is what links the fierce and cunning District 12 heroines, Lucy Gray Baird, Lenore Dove and Katniss Everdeen. Each uses their voice in defiance, singing songs rich with rebellious meanings that have secretly echoed through District 12 for generations.
Although “Sunrise on the Reaping” focuses on Haymitch’s early life, Collins manages to sprinkle in the backstories of beloved characters such as past victors Wiress and Betee (affectionately known as Nutts and Volts) as well as the iconic District 12 handler Effie Trinket — offering fresh insights into their younger lives.
Early on, Collins deepens the emotional weight Haymitch carries as a mentor, as it is revealed that Haymitch was close childhood friends with Katniss’s father Burdock Everdeen and knew Peeta’s dad, Otho Mellark. As the lone victor from District 12, Haymitch was forced to mentor many children of the people he grew up with, standing by as they met gruesome deaths. This suggests his turn to alcohol as an escape from the trauma of the enduring games.
