Review

17-year old Haymitch lives in poverty-stricken District 12. He goes to school; he works for the local (illegal) white liquor brewer; and, whenever he can, he spends time with his girlfriend, Lenore Dove. That all changes when he’s reaped for the Quarter Quell. What’s more important to him: suriving, protecting his loved ones, or bringing down the Capitol? What power does he have against the might and propaganda of an authoritarian government?

*

Obviously this is another prequel to The Hunger Games, a series I love, and a lot of it is set during Haymitch’s ‘game’: a familiar situation to most readers, in which alliances are formed and children kill each other while the gamemakers ratchet up the stakes for all participants and for the televisual pleasure of the Capitol. Suffice it to say that Haymitch’s later alcoholism is well explained. I nearly cried at the end of the book. One of my students said that it destroyed her. It didn’t destroy me… I was anticipating a particular plot point that is my personal bête noire – won’t reveal what that is because spoilers – but it didn’t happen. But I agree with one of my colleagues who said that the original trilogy is far more hopeful. It is, because the original trilogy leads to freedom, whereas the prequels just show us how awful things were.

It’s well written by Collins again: she’s a pro. Fans will appreciate this Haymitch origin story, with also great early glimpses of Mags, Wireless, Beetee, Plutarch Heavensbee and the fabulous Effie Trinket. Special mention to new character and fellow tribute Maysilee, whose acidic commentary is an absolute treat. It’s also really interesting to see another stage in the evolution of the glitzy original trilogy games: a step up from the very early version in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, but not at the smooth glamour that Katniss encounters. (We also catch a glimpse of baby Katniss.) The Capitol’s propaganda and resistance are clear themes, foregrounded by the epigraphs, very timely given the current US situation (see excellent New York Times review – gift article link; no pay wall). There is also significant intertextual connection with Edgar Allan Poe’s poem ‘The Raven’.

This installment seems to be more popular with students than Ballad. It also looks somewhat shorter (382 pages) which no doubt helps. I loved Ballad, but it was a bit of an intimidating housebrick.

Highly recommend for all Hunger Games fans.

> Click here for content info – spoiler alert! Proceed at your own risk!

Lots of death, as expected, plenty of it inventive and violent, although not *graphic*; tragic deaths; mentions of drug addiction and alcoholism; poverty and general social injustice. The epilogue evens things out a bit after a real downer of an ending. Romance is mlw.

*

Collins, S. (2025). Sunrise on the reaping. Scholastic Australia.

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