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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 death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Suicide, Torture, Medical content
But there would be no true mockingjay without the clever songbird and the rebel rascal of before, district 12 forever in Snow’s blindside.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Slavery, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Cursing
Graphic: Alcoholism, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Murder
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
sunrise really pulled me back into the world of the Games, which i hadn't touched (aside from the films, okay mostly just the second film) since maybe middle school? there are so many details that i'd forgotten, but what's different about this book, compared to the originals and ballad is that we already know that haymitch is going to be the victor this time. you could argue that narrators don't die and that it was always going to be katniss who won her games, but suzanne could have pulled a veronica roth if she had a mind to. i wouldn't have put it past her.
for probably the first 80% of this book, i was planning on giving it five stars, but the ending did not do the rest of it justice. we all knew that
there were also many many times when haymitch's logical jumps/internal monologue felt stiff and lacked real depth. i liked him as a narrator, but i think suzanne wrote him in a way that swung wildly from uninformed impulsivity to frozen inaction. he makes unintentional mistake after unintentional mistake, and it results in the deaths of an astonishing number of people. it kind of got old by the end?
that said, suzanne's best work is done in the messages and themes of her novels, and boy does she deliver. her creativity in designing the arenas and the history of the Games has always been so impressive to me, but at the end of the day, this book (and the rest) is both a warning and an alarm.
and while i'm saying good things, maysilee donner, the woman that you are. as soon as she said that line "if you let them treat you like an animal, they will" i was so sat. i bet she would have loved johanna mason.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Vomit, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, War, Classism
Minor: Animal death, Kidnapping, Death of parent
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Kidnapping, Alcohol
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Torture, Violence, Grief, Alcohol
Minor: Rape