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Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Grief, War
Moderate: Body horror, Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Confinement
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
making me cry my eyes out even more than any of the original books!!!
LENORE DOVE, I LOVE YOU LIKE ALL FIRE. Maybe Suzanne didn't quite have all of these prequels planned out while writing the original, because after reading this and Ballad, I wish Katniss had been Covey.
This was a great book and a great backstory for Haymitch. Although to be honest, after reading this, I am shocked Haymitch was a functioning alcoholic in the original trilogy... and I am terrified to see all of this on screen because it's gonna break me. 🫠
One of the things I loved most about this book is how it showed that the revolution was decades in the making before Katniss came along. It reminds me of H*rry P*tter and how just because he was The Boy Who Lived and our protagonist, the entire wizarding community was fighting against fascism long before the original series. These worlds are so much bigger than our original protagonists and all of the context and characters are crucial to the original protagonists' stories and heroism. Here, the plans of Plutarch and Beetee and Mags and everyone is incredibly important. Katniss became a great symbol for the revolution, and obviously drove a lot of it herself, but the original trilogy would not have happened without all of this work and building resentment and horrors that came before. Revolutions don't happen overnight and the seeds planted by characters like Plutarch and Beetee are crucial.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Genocide, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Eating disorder, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, Death of parent, Toxic friendship
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Alcohol, War
Minor: Torture
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death
As always, Collins chose to write a new installment in this series for a specific reason. Therefore, this prequel does not feel like the author is milking her successful series but like an important addition to a previously existing story. Few authors would have the ability to discuss subjects as complex as implicit submission and propaganda in a dystopian YA novel as easily as Collins.
However, it seems important to mention how exponentially more violent Sunrise on the Reaping is in comparison to previous installments in the series. You thought the death scenes in the original trilogy were bad? Just you wait... This book destroyed me in the best way possible.
Although not being an inherently completely inappropriate read for a teenager (though I would argue that it is a book for children aged at least 13 and up), the nature of the themes and contents of this novel might mean that this book won't be fully understood by younger readers.
Like Mockingjay and Ballad, while the book can be perfectly enjoyable for younger readers, parts of this story might resonate more with an older audience.
In all cases, this book is a fantastic read and a great extension to this universe, but should be read with caution and after a quick read of potential trigger warnings. Protect your peace and read it only if you are in the right mindset for it!
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Classism
Minor: Child abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Blood