The cover of “Sunrise on the Reaping,” the newest addition to the Hunger Games series, is shown. The prequel, taking place during the 50th Hunger Games and told from the perspective of Haymitch Abernathy, offers a new level of engagement that the other books in the series weren’t able to reach. “While this plotline is relatively stagnant throughout the middle of the book, the later portions of the novel come with shocking twists and revelations, adding both emotion and bloodshed,” Digital Editor Lea D’Angelo wrote. Photo fair use of Goodreads
Suzanne Collins’s new novel “Sunrise on the Reaping” brings a storyline of “The Hunger Games” that will engage new and old fans alike.
Reaping Day has come again with young-adult author Suzanne Collins’ newest prequel in “The Hunger Games” series, “Sunrise on the Reaping,” which was released to all major booksellers on March 18. This newest installment provides a perspective and plot that will keep any reader engaged.
The prequel tells a long-anticipated story of the original series: the 50th Quarter Quell from the perspective of District 12 tribute Haymitch Abernathy. The Capitol, the richest and most powerful of Panem, has thrown children from the districts back into the arena as punishment for the rebellion 50 years prior, but the Games in this book include 48 tributes instead of the usual 24: twice the competition, twice the bloodshed.
The plotline is relatively stagnant throughout the middle of the book, however, the later portions come with shocking twists and revelations, adding both emotion and bloodshed.
The novel includes mentions of characters many original fans are familiar with, including Mags, Wiress, Beetee and Plutarch Heavensbee, bringing a sense of familiarity and connection to the original trilogy despite taking place 25 years before Katniss – the protagonist of the original series – and her storyline.
While the novel includes elements that will appeal more to those who have read the series’ other books, it could also be read as a standalone. Collins is successful in providing information necessary for first-time readers to understand the plot without making it too redundant for those already familiar.
Despite the lack of repetition in background information, much of the plot development in the arena is similar to what Katniss and Peeta went through, which might be repetitive even with a different environment and cast of supporting characters.
A graphic of the “Hunger Games” series is shown in the order in which the events in the books take place. Author Suzanne Collins’ newest book in the series, “Sunrise on the Reaping,” was released on March 19 and included a storyline long-anticipated by readers. “This newest installment provides a perspective and plot that will keep any reader engaged,” Digital Editor Lea D’Angelo wrote. “Collins is successful in providing information necessary for first-time readers to understand the plot without making it too redundant for those already familiar.” Graphic by Lea D’Angelo
While the plotline is relatively stagnant throughout the middle of the book, the later portions come with shocking twists and revelations, adding both emotion and bloodshed. The novel contains a high amount of violence and gore that readers should be aware of before embarking on the adventure. Other than this, the book maintains Collins’ streak of keeping the content in the series appropriate for a teenage audience.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” is an engaging read that fits seamlessly into the other books in the series, bringing a new perspective that more than lives up to expectations.
