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adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I feel like there is no other phrase I can use to describe Sunrise on the Reaping (hereafter abbreviated to Sunrise) but "shaken to the core". That's why, in spite of its flaws (and there were a few), I'm awarding Sunrise five stars out of five. Only a novel that provokes such a strong emotional response in me can earn that rating.
I will try and be as coherent as I can, because I want to get my thoughts out while I still remember them, but this review will probably contain a lot of rambling. It may also contain swear words. I'm putting it all under a spoiler tag to be safe - if you want to read it and still haven't, click away now.
*SPOILER*
*SPOILER*
*SPOILER"
There was a finality to the epilogue of Sunrise. I get the strong feeling that this will be the last book Suzanne Collins writes that will be set in the world of Panem.
This book delivered on just about anything a Hunger Games fan could want from a prequel(although maybe not the most extreme of die-hards).
At last, we got the first names of Katniss and Peeta's parents (although not Peeta's mother, I notice) - Asterid March, who we know later married Burdock Everdeen, and Otho Mellark, Peeta's father. Lots of cameos from characters we know and love (and hate, in the case of President Snow) from the original series, as well as a few nods to the cast of President Snow's origin story, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. I have no doubt this latest instalment will spawn many theories and headcanons (I have at least one, myself).
It's got genius, heartstopping plot twists that change the story's direction in an instant. Even those who remember Katniss viewing Haymitch's Games in Catching Fire still have surprises in store for them, for the theme that is evident throughout Sunrise is propaganda (but more on that later). Numerous action scenes (they felt fairly episodic to me, although maybe that was my fault for reading too fast), and shocking moments that will stick in my brain for a long time to come (there are some VERY gory and bloody scenes). This will definitely be a book that I will reread at some point, maybe when I reread the series as a whole.
The one thing I really felt throughout this novel was the cruelty of the Capitol. Parents forced to witness their children's deaths. Torture - both emotional and physical - for those who show even the slightest defiance towards them and their rule. Cruelty, to force children into a fight to the death to punish them for the sins of their ancestors. Cruelty, to indoctrinate their own citizens into believing that the Hunger Games are justified.
There are many more things I would like to say, but I have to stop for now. I'll try and get back to this if I remember.
All of the above (including the non-spoilery opening paragraphs) was written on March 21st, 2025. I am continuing this review on March 23rd, two days later. Spoilers under the tag to follow.
*SPOILER*
*SPOILER*
*SPOILER"
Two days is a long time to wait to continue a review of a highly-anticipated book like Sunrise. In the intervening time, have read much of what other fans have thought of it, both positive and negative. Time has also tempered the initial feelings I had immediately after finishing it, although I still plan to leave my previous review as it is.
I would like to revise my initial phrasing of the appearance of characters from previous instalments in this one, as I have come to realise that the word "cameos" doesn't really do their appearances justice - they are all there because they play vital parts not only in Haymitch's story, but in Katniss' story as well. They are not merely "fan service" as some readers have put it (although it was nice to see them!). They also serve to emphasise that a revolution does not happen overnight and that often they are years in the planning, and initial attempts may not always succeed, as they don't here. Haymitch may have been one of those who lit the fuse, but Katniss set it aflame.
The other strong impression I got whilst reading was how similar Katniss and Haymitch were, it felt almost visceral at times - however, an opinion I read on Tumblr only today has made me recalibrate my viewpoint somewhat. While Katniss and Haymitch may be similar in terms of personality and instinct, from a tactical point of view, Haymitch is more like Peeta. Peeta almost immediately sees the Hunger Games for what they are, and adapts his tactics to best fit his circumstances (the "baby bomb" in Catching Fire being a prime example of this), and Haymitch is the same.
Propaganda is an important theme in Sunrise, and again and again Suzanne Collins drives the point home that we cannot always trust what we see, which brings me back to another important point I've seen raised on Tumblr - how many generations does it take for the viewpoint of an event to take root in society, obscuring the real truth of that event? That has parallels with the real world, too, especially when it comes to events like the Holocaust of WWII, which I will not elaborate here.
A powerful, thought-provoking novel that I definitely plan to do a reread of in the near future - if only because the world Suzanne Collins wrote about draws ever closer to becoming a reality.
I will try and be as coherent as I can, because I want to get my thoughts out while I still remember them, but this review will probably contain a lot of rambling. It may also contain swear words. I'm putting it all under a spoiler tag to be safe - if you want to read it and still haven't, click away now.
*SPOILER*
*SPOILER*
*SPOILER"
This book delivered on just about anything a Hunger Games fan could want from a prequel(although maybe not the most extreme of die-hards).
At last, we got the first names of Katniss and Peeta's parents (although not Peeta's mother, I notice) - Asterid March, who we know later married Burdock Everdeen, and Otho Mellark, Peeta's father. Lots of cameos from characters we know and love (and hate, in the case of President Snow) from the original series, as well as a few nods to the cast of President Snow's origin story, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. I have no doubt this latest instalment will spawn many theories and headcanons (I have at least one, myself).
It's got genius, heartstopping plot twists that change the story's direction in an instant. Even those who remember Katniss viewing Haymitch's Games in Catching Fire still have surprises in store for them, for the theme that is evident throughout Sunrise is propaganda (but more on that later). Numerous action scenes (they felt fairly episodic to me, although maybe that was my fault for reading too fast), and shocking moments that will stick in my brain for a long time to come (there are some VERY gory and bloody scenes). This will definitely be a book that I will reread at some point, maybe when I reread the series as a whole.
The one thing I really felt throughout this novel was the cruelty of the Capitol. Parents forced to witness their children's deaths. Torture - both emotional and physical - for those who show even the slightest defiance towards them and their rule. Cruelty, to force children into a fight to the death to punish them for the sins of their ancestors. Cruelty, to indoctrinate their own citizens into believing that the Hunger Games are justified.
There are many more things I would like to say, but I have to stop for now. I'll try and get back to this if I remember.
All of the above (including the non-spoilery opening paragraphs) was written on March 21st, 2025. I am continuing this review on March 23rd, two days later. Spoilers under the tag to follow.
*SPOILER*
*SPOILER*
*SPOILER"
I would like to revise my initial phrasing of the appearance of characters from previous instalments in this one, as I have come to realise that the word "cameos" doesn't really do their appearances justice - they are all there because they play vital parts not only in Haymitch's story, but in Katniss' story as well. They are not merely "fan service" as some readers have put it (although it was nice to see them!). They also serve to emphasise that a revolution does not happen overnight and that often they are years in the planning, and initial attempts may not always succeed, as they don't here. Haymitch may have been one of those who lit the fuse, but Katniss set it aflame.
The other strong impression I got whilst reading was how similar Katniss and Haymitch were, it felt almost visceral at times - however, an opinion I read on Tumblr only today has made me recalibrate my viewpoint somewhat. While Katniss and Haymitch may be similar in terms of personality and instinct, from a tactical point of view, Haymitch is more like Peeta. Peeta almost immediately sees the Hunger Games for what they are, and adapts his tactics to best fit his circumstances (the "baby bomb" in Catching Fire being a prime example of this), and Haymitch is the same.
Propaganda is an important theme in Sunrise, and again and again Suzanne Collins drives the point home that we cannot always trust what we see, which brings me back to another important point I've seen raised on Tumblr - how many generations does it take for the viewpoint of an event to take root in society, obscuring the real truth of that event? That has parallels with the real world, too, especially when it comes to events like the Holocaust of WWII, which I will not elaborate here.
A powerful, thought-provoking novel that I definitely plan to do a reread of in the near future - if only because the world Suzanne Collins wrote about draws ever closer to becoming a reality.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Homophobia, Sexual violence, War
dark
tense
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Confinement, Miscarriage, Suicide, Forced institutionalization
Minor: Animal death, Rape, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury