Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins is one of the most devastating books I have read in a very long time. I was already tearing up less than 10% into the novel, and somehow it only got more heartbreaking from there.
This story follows Haymitch Abernathy during his Hunger Games, showing readers exactly what he endured and how he became the broken man we meet years later. When I tell you this book ruined me, I mean it. We get to witness his reaping, the unfair circumstances surrounding it, his relationships with the other tributes, and the brutal reality of a Quarter Quell that doubles the number of tributes. Instead of the usual twenty-four, there are forty-eight children thrown into the arena.
One of the most heartbreaking aspects of this novel is that we already know how it ends. We know Haymitch survives. That knowledge makes every friendship and every bond he forms even more painful because we know many of these characters aren’t making it home. Suzanne Collins somehow manages to make you deeply invested in people whose fates are already sealed.
Seeing familiar faces throughout the novel was both wonderful and devastating. Characters like Mags, Beetee, Wiress, and Plutarch add so much emotional weight to the story. We get to see who they were before the Games and before years of trauma shaped them into the people we meet later. Wiress’s story especially broke my heart. Watching her intelligence, resilience, and humanity before the damage inflicted by the Capitol made her later fate even more tragic. Learning about the arena she survived was fascinating and horrifying at the same time. The mirror-filled arena she endured showed just how creative and cruel the Capitol could be. It also made me think about how every arena is uniquely designed to torture the tributes both physically and psychologically.
One thing I have always found fascinating about The Hunger Games series is the arenas themselves. Every year the Gamemakers somehow manage to create something more terrifying than the last. After reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, it becomes even more disturbing because we see how much Snow wanted the Games to evolve into a spectacle. The arenas become more elaborate, more dangerous, and more entertaining for the Capitol audience while becoming increasingly horrific for the tributes trapped inside them. Reading about the different arenas survivors like Wiress faced made me realize that the arenas in the original trilogy almost seem tame in comparison.
Mags is every bit as kind, loving, and motherly as fans imagined, while Beetee’s story reveals just how much the Capitol continued to punish victors long after they left the arena. The novel constantly reminds readers that there are no true winners in the Hunger Games—only survivors.
The relationships Haymitch forms with characters like Maysilee, Lou Lou, and the other tributes are incredibly moving. Their courage, loyalty, and determination make their stories unforgettable. Every loss hit harder because these characters felt so real. By the end, I wasn’t just mourning what happened in the arena—I was mourning everything the Capitol stole from them.
And then there’s President Snow.
If you thought Snow was cruel before, this book somehow makes him even more horrifying. The Games themselves are brutal, but what happens after Haymitch returns home is what truly shattered me. The ending explains so much about why Haymitch became the person we meet in The Hunger Games. It doesn’t excuse his drinking—it makes you understand it. The trauma never ended when the Games were over.
One aspect of the book that particularly stood out to me was the treatment of mentors. Survivors are forced to relive their trauma year after year, watching new children enter the arena. Haymitch’s birthday falling on Reaping Day feels especially cruel. Imagine spending every birthday watching children be condemned to the same nightmare that destroyed your own life. The victors survive, but survival itself becomes another form of punishment.
I also loved getting to see Plutarch in this story. Knowing who he eventually becomes makes every scene with him feel significant. Looking back, it feels like he was quietly planting the seeds of rebellion long before anyone else realized what was coming. It was fascinating to see him in a different light and recognize how important he would eventually become to Panem’s future.
Suzanne Collins once again proves why she is such a remarkable writer. This novel explores grief, trauma, survival, and the long-lasting effects of violence in a way that feels both heartbreaking and necessary. It reinforces one of the most important truths of the series: there are no winners in war.
As devastating as this book was, I am so grateful we got Haymitch’s story. It added incredible depth to his character and made me appreciate his journey even more. This was absolutely a five-star read. Honestly, this may be a one-time read for me simply because of how emotionally devastating it was.
If you’re a fan of The Hunger Games, this book is a must-read. It will break your heart, tear you apart emotionally, and leave you thinking about its characters long after you’ve finished the final page. It also makes every appearance from Haymitch, Mags, Beetee, Wiress, and Plutarch in the original trilogy hit so much harder because now you know everything they endured before we ever met them.
And honestly, I would love to see Suzanne Collins continue exploring this world. A novel about Finnick, Johanna, Mags, or any of the other victors would be an instant read for me.
