By Louisa Weinard, Stentorian Staff Writer
On March 18th, 2025, acclaimed author Suzanne Collins published Sunrise On The Reaping, the second prequel to her iconic Hunger Games trilogy. This tale, which follows the thrilling journey of Katniss and Peeta’s mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, was met with great fanfare from the dystopian fantasy world. Collins’ new novel rode the wave of momentum from the popular film adaptation of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and quickly became a worldwide success with more than 1.5 million copies sold, as found by Scholastic. After buying, readers were not disappointed. Sunrise on the Reaping delivers an action-packed retelling of the 50th Hunger Games, with Abernathy presented as an unconventional tribute who creates close connections between familiar faces and newly introduced characters and struggles to survive the cruelties of the corrupt nation of Panem. The fast-paced story earned a 4.65/5 rating on Goodreads with raving reviews, an impressive feat. Even though the ending of Abernathy’s games has already been spoiled in the original trilogy, the character development and intricate plotlines leave readers captivated by the connections between past and present worlds, with many going to popular social media sites to share their thoughts. Popular theories and new insights on the original Hunger Games trilogy are trending all over apps like TikTok and Instagram, and for good reason. Collins is known for using her clever and meaningful writing to reflect pressing real-world issues. In Sunrise on the Reaping, she explores the dangers of propaganda and media manipulation, which are becoming increasingly apparent in the polarizing nature of the United States. At just about four hundred pages, Collins’ new book is sure to zoom by for readers, but its unique perspective is likely to linger. A film adaptation is already in the works, and will be making its way to theaters in August 2026 to bring Haymitch’s story to life!