Editor’s Note: SPOILER WARNING for “The Hunger Games” trilogy and “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” This article will be spoiler-free for Sunrise on the Reaping, and will not have any names dropped unless they are detailed in the original trilogy or prequel.
Suzanne Collins, well-known for writing “The Hunger Games,” has done it yet again with another prequel to her original trilogy. “Sunrise on the Reaping” follows a 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy, providing a much anticipated perspective of his Games.
In the trilogy, Abernathy is the only District 12 mentor available for the main character, Katniss Everdeen, and her partner, Peeta Mellark. When he is introduced, he is drunk and haggard, described as stumbling across the stage as Everdeen makes her way up after volunteering in place of her sister. He claims she has ‘spunk,’ then dives off stage and has to be carried away. The next few times he is seen, he is dismissive and when asked for advice, he merely says to “stay alive” before laughing in Mellark and Everdeen’s faces, according to The Hunger Games Wiki. When Everdeen manages to impress him with her willingness to fight for the win, he begins to take them more seriously and helps them throughout the Games with sponsorship gifts and advice on publicity.
In the main trilogy, the reason for Abernathy’s nonchalance in relation to the tribute’s lives is never fully revealed, however, a recap of his game is revealed in “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” while Everdeen and Mellark are reviewing old footage. The recap reveals that he won by utilizing the force field on the outside of the arena, and when an axe is thrown at his head, he manages to dodge it and allow the axe to be bounced back into the other tribute’s head; this action secures his victory. It is still not fully revealed why he is always so drunk and morbid, however, it is implied that his usage of the arena could have been a possible reason to punish him after his homecoming.
The “Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” does not follow any of the main characters from the trilogy, as it takes place around the tenth Games. It is told from the perspective of Coriolanus Snow, also known as President Snow, and gives us almost a villain origin story. However, this book is still very relevant to Sunrise on the Reaping, as it gives background on the culture of District 12 and the groups that lie within it, most importantly, the Covey. The Covey is a previously travelling singing group that treat each other as family. Snow comes into contact and develops a romantic relationship with one of the members, Lucy Gray Baird, as he mentors her in the Games that she won. Their relationship bloomed and then withered, causing a lasting resentment in Snow towards the Covey, with all the inside knowledge of their customs and cultures. This resentment is vital to his actions in “Sunrise on the Reaping,” and also allows the reader their own background on the Covey to use when reading.
In “Sunrise on the Reaping”, the full truth of Abernathy’s Games is revealed. The Games are the typical “last one alive wins” situation, however, due to the Games being a Quarter Quell, also known as the fiftieth Games, there are special rules applied to the reaping. The extra rule is revealed to be including double the amount of tributes in the arena. The character in the prequel is almost the exact opposite of the original; he’s caring, hardworking, and thoughtful. We are introduced to his family, friends, lover, and life before the Games. Throughout the book, there are multiple allusions to big characters in the trilogy and in the prequel, so make sure to look out for familiar names!
This book is packed with emotion and beautiful imagery, not leaving anything to the imagination from Abernathy’s perspective. This rollercoaster of a book adds so many more dimensions to his character, and makes the primary trilogy read in a way never thought possible. From the poison paradise arena, to the alliance between Abernathy and one of his district partners, Maysilee Donner, the book really rips the reader in half by the end of it. The parallels of Abernathy’s and Everdeen’s Games also become apparent, giving another dimension to the way their relationship developed in the trilogy.
The movie for “Sunrise on the Reaping” is set to release in Nov. 2026. Variety had an exclusive interview with the producer for the movie, Nina Jacobson, who also produced all the other films for this franchise. Jacobson revealed that before the release of the book, she and the director Francis Lawrence were invited by Collins to come read the book, and report back to see if it would translate well into a movie. The whole thing had to be kept very secret, only between Lawrence, Jacobson, Collins, and Collins’ agent. When asked about the progress of the film, Jacobson states that “we’re much further along than we would ever have been otherwise, without having this jump, because we went to work right away,…we have a great draft that we’re still doing work on. We’ve established our locations.” For the casting of Abernathy, she says they want someone “who very credibly feels like they could be a young version of this character, before the trauma and grief and rage that the fallout of the Games create.”
Overall, this book adds so much to this already fantastic series, and shows the growth of Abernathy’s character as he endures the traumas of “The Hunger Games.” I definitely would recommend giving this one a read as soon as possible, because spoilers might become impossible to avoid!
