All “Hunger Games” fans know about the propaganda Panem gives to its citizens, but what we did not know was that the propaganda was seeping right back to us.
I was shocked at how little I knew about Haymitch’s games, and it truly shows how believable the propaganda Katniss and Peeta were subjected to was. We saw a basic synopsis of the second quarter quell in “Catching Fire,” but what “Sunrise on the Reaping” showed us is that Lucy Gray’s game was not the only one Snow kept hidden from Panem.
With every prequel, there is going to be something you already know. This book is like reading about ghosts. Seeing the characters we have only known in the original trilogy, depressed and brainwashed, as younger and more innocent versions of themselves, is nothing short of heartbreaking. It is a hard feeling, finding joy in learning more about a series you love so much, but knowing you are watching the characters before their downfall brings you right back to knowing it is truly devastating.
“The Hunger Games” has always been a sad series; with death after death, it’s impossible not to have a little bit of emotional damage after finishing the original trilogy. Yet, it ends with victory for the districts and lets us have a bit of happiness. “Sunrise on the Reaping,” on the other hand, is nothing but sadness. We know how Haymitch ends up, and this book gives us a deeper perspective on how he used to be a person full of love and dreams, and how after his games, his original outlook on life was crushed until replaced by addiction. That alone makes this book the saddest out of all of “The Hunger Games” series.
If I had to pick one thing about this book to change, I would not be able to. Suzanne Collins brought everything into this book. From Haymitch waking up in District 12 on Reaping Day to the tragic page-turning ending that fans were already aware of, I was captivated. “The Hunger Games” remains one of the best book series ever written, and I am not afraid to admit that “Sunrise on the Reaping” is my favorite of all.
