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A review by laerkefugl
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

5.0

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins had already caught my attention long before its release. In fact, it was one of the main reasons I decided to read the previous four books at this time. Haymitch has always been a standout character to me—even before this book, he already felt like an immensely tragic figure, having lost the people he loved and being forced to endure the horror of sending kids off to their deaths each year. I was beyond excited to see his story expanded upon. And I wasn’t disappointed.

I have to be completely honest—I noticed that nearly every review for this book was a glowing 5-star rating. About halfway through, I started wondering if I just wasn’t seeing what everyone else was seeing. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it, but I wasn’t sure if it was 5-stars good. That was until I reached the conclusion, which completely solidified my own 5-star rating. Suzanne Collins knows exactly what she’s doing, and yet, here I am, still doubting her. This has happened before with the previous books, which at this point just makes me look foolish.

That said, I don’t think there’s much to critique here. The reason I initially hesitated to give it 5 stars was because I had trouble seeing how it would tie into the source material—specifically, the recap of the 50th Hunger Games that Katniss and Peeta watched on the train. (Aka, the Capitol’s propaganda video, which literally reshaped the narrative to fit their agenda.) This is why I look foolish. By the end, everything fell perfectly into place, and I was left feeling a little embarrassed for ever doubting it.

Justice for Haymitch. In my opinion, he is truly the most tragic character in Panem. (Not to make it a competition, but...) He deserved better. He deserved Ma, Sid, and Lenore Dove. The way he always thought of her—it breaks my heart.

5-stars. Plus tears.

|—TL;DR—|

Focus Genre: Sci-Fi/Dystopian
Nostalgia: Disqualified
Personal Enjoyment: 5⭐
Plot: 5⭐
World-Building/Setting: 5⭐
Characters: 5⭐
  • Relationships: 5⭐ (includes friendships, rivalries, etc.)
Writing: 5⭐
Pacing: 5⭐
System/Tech: 5⭐
Social Commentary: 5⭐ | Survival, Propaganda, Rebellion, Personal Sacrifice, and The Few Controlling the Many |
Themes/Philosophy: 5⭐
Ending: 5⭐

=Overall=
5-stars⭐

~30/03/25~
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