6th November 2023
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This article contains major spoilers for the Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins, please proceed with caution!!
The hotly anticipated 5th instalment of the Hunger Games series was published on the 18th of March. It depicts the 50th Hunger Games, and the story of District 12’s second victor Haymitch Abernathy. These games are the 2nd Quarter Quell and contain double the number of Tributes. Collins continues to meet the standards she has set for herself, and produces yet another fantastic Hunger Games Novel.
Fans have been waiting to hear Haymitch’s story ever since the original Hunger Games novel. This put Collins in a tricky position, as there already so much fan made content which depicts the 2nd Quarter Quell. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was more of an unknown for fans, as President Snow’s origins were far more mysterious. Collins does not write her own fan fiction, and produces a knockout story in the process.
Much like reading narration from young Snow, reading young Haymitch’s words feels slightly uncanny at first. We know his ultimate fate, but not how he gets there. This gives the novel far greater sadness than any of the series other books, particularly in the optimism of the early chapters. The novel does balance the light and the dark where it can, but the tone is up there with Mockingjay. The murder starts at the Reaping instead of waiting for the arena, and is more emotionally charged than the incidents in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes as Collins created deep connections with characters like Louella.
While children performing violent acts has always been the series’ niche, certain events stand out. Wellie’s decapitation by Silka is an image so harrowing I doubt it can be shown in next year’s film adaptation. Ampert’s death by squirrels is another particularly brutal moment. Fundamentally, the deaths of twice as many children at the hands of the Capitol hit hard.
One of Collins’ greatest strengths is her characterisation. The Hunger Games series has a plethora of different characters, and they remain memorable through Collins’ ability to create distinct identities without bombarding us with information.
Out of the new characters written for the novel, Lenora Dove is a stand out. The energy of Lucy Gray Baird is strong, but she still has her own identity. The love between her and Haymitch is so beautifully real, and watching this get taken away is genuinely heartbreaking.
We also see the return of many fan favourites, like Mags and Beetee. It is lovely to see them before Catching Fire, but Collins is clearly reluctant to tell all just yet. I’m excited to see what, if anything, Collins does next with her ample group characters.
This may not be a popular opinion, but I don’t think the novel would lose anything without the inclusion of Effie. I was interested to learn how she came to be involved in the games, but her reveal felt a little groan-worthy to me. My only real criticism of the novel is that Collins did indulge in references to her own books. One or two illusions to the original trilogy and the actual story would have felt a little lost. I can appreciate the ability to connect the Hunger Games novels together, but I did find myself thinking are there only 6 families in District Twelve at one point.
Overall, Collins continues has once again produced an excellent addition to the Hunger Games Series. The storytelling and characterisation create a compelling read that I could not put down.
I am really looking forward to the film, and whatever Suzanne Collins does next.
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