Sunrise on the Reaping

A Prequel to the Hunger Games Trilogy By Suzanne Collins

Summary Provided by Author

When you've been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch's name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He's torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who's nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he's been set up to fail. But there's something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.

Review & Thoughts

Trigger warnings: genocide, child murder, suicide

“The upside of being born on reaping day is that you can sleep late on your birthday. It’s pretty much downhill from there.”
You think you know Haymitch from the original trilogy? THINK AGAIN.

Heart shattering. Soul wrenching.

Suzanne Collins wrote yet again another masterpiece. I rewatched the original Hunger Games last night and this book put SUCH a new perspective on Haymitch’s character. Ballard of the Songbird and Snakes & Sunrise on the Reaping have both been so pivotal to the storyline, and truly amazingly written.

See below for a detailed overview & my thoughts throughout the book - SPOILERS INDEED AHEAD

My Summary & Thought
spoilers ahead (for all books in the series)….

Unlike the beginning of Katniss’s and President Snow’s journey, Haymitch actually has a pretty great life going for him prior to the reaping. It’s truly tragic to see his journey as a boy who makes white liquor (essentially moonshine), but self admittingly isn’t a drink- turn into a man who has to completely drown out his sorrows and is known for his dependence on alcohol. I feel like this book truly emphasizes (even more so than Ballard of the Songbird & Snakes) the level of illegal reaping’s. We are introduced to Haymitch’s love, Lenore Dove, who is part of the Covey (similar to Lucy!!). We also meet several characters who play main roles in the 50th Hunger Games, Louella, Wyatt, Maysilee, And Ampert, as well as some characters making a repeat appearance such as Plutarch, Beetee, Wiress, Mags, Clerk Carmine AND Burdock Everdeen- Katniss’s Father. In the 50th Hunger games, Plutarch makes an appearance as the camera man assigned to District 12. While it has been hinted at him being a rebel far before his appearance as head Gamemaker, seeing his activity in the 50th Hunger Games shows just how long the rebellion was stirring for. Imagine, 25 entire years- 25 sets of hunger games before they’re able to put a stop to them. Beetee is Ampert’s father, and confides in Haymitch that Ampert’s reaping is due to Beetee’s rebellion involvement, and that his punishment is a front row ticket to watch his son die. Louella dies quickly in a chariot accident during their parade, and in a fit of despair, Haymitch drops off her body under President Snow’s balcony as an evident show of who her death is caused by. Snow, of course, doesn’t love this, and invites Haymitch to Plutarch’s residence. There he notices his necklace- which the more I consider the design of the flint striker- it REALLY reminds me of the Ballard of the Songbirds & Snakes - It’s a literal snake and bird, I mean come on- this has to be intentionally designed right?? When President Snow see’s it, just as he saw Katniss’s Mockingjay pin- it is evident that he will be making sure they pay for the pain Lucy Baird caused him. Of course, he saw this after he decided the punishment for Haymitch- which is bringing a literal LOOK ALIKE of Louella so that they can pretend “nothing happened.” This is another look into how the Capitol “programs” children to do their bidding, like they did with Peeta in Mockingjay. Based on Haymitch and Plutarch’s observations, they have likely drugged a girl who is a child of traitors and implanted a device in her chest that pumps drugs into her, and something in her ear to coach her what to say and do. This device causes severe pain when the user disobeys.

Haymitch scores literally the lowest possible score of 1, potentially a new record- after pissing off the Gamemakers by calling them out, very directly- “From where I’m standing, looks like I came up with thirty-one people who’ve promised to defend me, but maybe that strategy is a little too subtle for you.” “Her mouth tightens. “And you’re willing to let them die?” “Why not lady? You are.”
While Haymitch circles on how terrible this will be for him, his mentors decide this is the perfect time to spin the story, let it be distinctive and memorable. To spare any blow back, they decide he should take on the persona of a knuckle head/ rascal boy during his interview with Caesar Flickerman where he touts about making moonshine and selling it to the Peacekeepers in District 12. Shortly after the interviews, Plutarch tries to get Haymitch to trust him by letting him talk to Lenore Dove, who was arrested for singing The Hanging Tree (so many book overlaps!!)

And then the games begin… Despite having the alliance with the Newcomers, Haymitch goes alone and runs away from the Cornucopia (advice we see down the line as well) to follow through with his plans arranged with Beetee & Plutarch to flood the arena. After the initial bloodbath, twenty of the forty eight tributes are dead, including Wyatt, who died protecting Lou Lou, “the way no one had ever protected him” :((( Lou Lou finds him shortly after, repeating the command from Wyatt “Find Haymitch.” Unfortunately, Lou Lou dies shortly after from exposure to a poisonous plant, disguised as a plant that reminded her of home. Lou Lou’s story overall is so tragic, and while SO MANY tragic things happen, this one really sticks with me. She was just a little girl, never meant to be in the games, yet she dies such a horrible death. And on that note, Ampert finds Haymitch, and they begin to swap status updates of the newcomers, and secretly prepare to blow a hole in the water tank. While he’s able to blow a hole in the tank, POOR AMPERT IS BEING EATTEN ALIVE BY LIL ASSHOLE SQUIRRELS. HE ALSO DIES A HORRIFIC DEATH AND IS ONLY HERE IN THE GAMES BECAUSE SNOW WANTED TO PUNISH BEETEE.

Despite his rage and grief, he is brought back when he thinks the arena is being destroyed- but WRONG, there’s a generator. Maysilee saves Haymitch from an almost imminent death from one of the careers, Panache. Maysilee and Haymitch talk about home and their siblings. When they hear the screams of two males, they know they that they’re Newcomers & run to help, only to find a massive, murderous porcupine that likes to quill people to death with poisonous spikes, that render both tributes dead. Day 6 of the games, they find literal Gamemakers in the arena with them, that Maritte. a Career, immediately murders, much to Silka’s (her ally, another career) dismay. Later on that day, the finally reach the end of the arena where they find the generator underneath a force field. Given the dwindling number of contests, they propose splitting up again so that they don’t need to kill each other, however decide to stick together. In a grim sense of humor, that’s apparently a great time TO KILL HER OFF JUST LIKE AMPERT, this time with murderous little swans.

Wellie catches up to Haymitch, and is on the brink of starvation. While he tries to feed her and get her back to health, they hear crying under the tree- and he realizes it’s the lone Career, Silka crying. “I become intensely aware of the three of us, huddled around this tree, the last trio of human heartbeats in the arena. Sad, desperate, but also a rare moment of district unity in the games.” As a gift & to share the moment of humanity, he sends down chocolate to her. Wellie awakes, and begs Haymitch not to leave her alone again, over and over. He convinces her to hide away while he gathers wood. I nan incredibly sad, sad turn of events, SILKA MURDERED HER, AND FREAKING DECAPITATED HER. They get into a brutal, bloody match and he finally is able to deliver his “poetic justice” by letting the force field drive the ax into her head. He takes this moment to remember his loved ones, and then blows up the area.

The winner of the 50th Hunger Games… Welp, Haymitch survived (which is obvious if you’ve read the original trilogy). After healing in a hospital (?) style bay, Effie dresses him for his post Game interview, which is mind boggling as he watches how they editted the clips to erase his poster and show of defiance. Afterwards, Snow crowns Haymitch and tells him “Enjoy your homecoming.”

From here, things get REALLY dark. He gets off the train back at his home station in District 12 and smells something burning. He quickly realizes it’s HIS HOUSE WITH HIS MOM AND LITTLE 10 YEAR OLD BROTHER INSIDE. They die before he can get them out. They are buried together, holding one another, just as they passed. As they burry his mom and brother, he realizes that Wyatt’s dad killed himself as well over the shame. After the funerals for all tributes, his family and Wyatt’s dad, he goes to the meadow Lenore often frequents knowing that when she is released, she’ll go to feed her geese. He finds her there is is overcome with emotion that they are reunited, in this world. He pops one of the gumdrops into her mouth after their passionate reunion, only to realize too late they aren’t the ones he bought her all that time ago. He tries to get her to spit it out, but she’s already swallowed it and dies quickly from poisoning. I totally thought they were going to hang her, HOWEVER it is so much more cruel to let him imagine that he will at least have a life with her, that she got out of trouble- only to watch her die over something she initially thought HEEE gifted her.

The rest of the book is Haymitch’s horrific spiraling of trauma, pushing away ANYONE who gets near because he knows they’ll die just like everyone else. The epilogue talks about when Katniss was born, reminding him of Louella, and that once she volunteered for the games, he found that the walls of his heart are not impregnable.

Afterthoughts:

Why is Plutarch part of the rebellion? What’s HIS backstory??

Quotes

“The moment our hearts shattered? It belongs to us.”

“I love you like all-fire.”

“If you let them treat you like an animal, they will. So don’t let them.”

”Don’t let them paint their posters with your blood.”

“I can’t really imagine the sun not rising tomorrow. A crease forms between her eyebrows as she puzzles out a response. “Can you imagine in rising on a world without a reaping?”

“Who will sing your songs now, Louella?”

“Just what odds do you think your pa’s giving on you winning, Wyatt? Shame creeps across his face, but he only says, “About forty to one.”

“Lenore Dove says my dreams are like windows into my mind, too clear to need interpretation.”

“I don’t want people who bet on my death being drawn out to make money on it”

“Why do you submit to it all?”

“It’s part of the punishement. Watching what are almost certainly the last hours of my son’s life”

“I could have killed myself, and Ampert would be safe at home.”

“That’s not sleeping in my room”

“We will be together always,’ I say with conviction. I don’t know how, and I don’t know where, I don’t know anything, but I feel that in my heart. You and me, we will find each other, as many times as it takes.”

“You should know that, despite appearances, a desire for freedom is not limited to the districts”

“Wyatt. Wyatt Callow who’s luck just run out”

“How’s the betting going, Mr. Callow? You make some money on your boy today?”

“Ampert’s been swallowed up by the Capitol, and his coffin will hold only these pearly white bones. A cannon fires. Somewhere, Beetee’s heart breaks into fragments so small it can never be repaired”

“One of us paints the posters.”

“I think about cleaning her up, but this is her final poster, and I won’t tidy it up to make it easier for those Monsters in the Capitol to sleep tonight.”

”See that?...”what the sun?” Don’t you…let it…rise…on the reaping.” “Promise.”

“Full of surprises. Full of secrets, even from me. But Maysilee had put it together. Orange paint on her fingernails. This was Lenore Dove’s work. Her sign. Her message to me now. Her reminder that I must prevent another sunrise on the reaping. And it says “You promised me.” With that, she condemns me for life.”

“I have nothing to live for.” I say this without even a note of self-pity. I am simply stating a fact. “Then you have nothing to lose. That puts you in a position of power.”

“I’m nobody’s hero, Haymitch. But at least I’m still in the game.”