I got nothing. This was really not a good book. It was not necessary to tell at all. It added nothing. It took to more than halfway through the book before you even get to the start of the Games. And then it just floundered worst than the first half. There’s an ending that some fans will love since we get to hear about some beloved characters, but frankly it’s not worth your time. Maybe if this had been a novella with some flashbacks to Haymitch’s past with a focus on things that happened after he won the games it could have worked better. Or even his thoughts after Katniss and Peeta won their Games and the secret rebellion he was part of. That would have been more interesting.
Sunrise on the Reaping is the second prequel we get from the Hunger Games series. We follow Haymitch Abernathy and find out how he came to win the 50th Hunger Games. This book takes place 40 years after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and I got to say, that book was lackluster in my POV too. Since this is the 50th Games, the Capitol is requiring that each district provides 4 tributes, two girls and two boys. I again wonder how no one murdered Snow and others before Katniss, but I digress. We get barebones backstory of Haymitch, and the love of his life, Lenore Dove. We also find out more about the other three District 12 tributes, Louella McCoy, Maysilee Donner, and Wyatt Callow.
I can’t really say much except no one was really developed. Haymitch was definitely not. He just felt/read like a lovesick boy who didn’t have what it took to win the Games. We just find out that he got really lucky. And even though we don’t get the sense from him he’s rebellious, he goes to the Capitol, rebels, and catches the notice of Snow. And Snow then brings him up to talk/threaten him? It just felt bonkers. I think Collins was trying to draw parallels between him and Katniss, but it just didn’t ring true at all. And then we find out there’s some grand conspiracy to bring down the Games and people said, let’s get Haymitch involved?
We also barely get much more backstory of the other three district 12 tributes. I have to say that Maysilee was my favorite and I wish that Collins had delved into her more than she did.
I also noted there are some weird continuity errors in this one. I recall from the Hunger Games original trilogy that Haymitch didn’t know Mags. But she’s in this one and someone she and another victor are mentors of District 12? I don’t even know what to do with that whole thing. It was just weird.
If you read the original trilogy you know how this ends, but we just follow a really messy ending for Haymitch’s family and friends and it just again has me wondering why this book was really needed.
I bought this one, but really wish I had just waited to borrow it from the library.
