A New Dawn in Panem: Sunrise on the Reaping Shines Bright

Ashlynn Morgan
Staff Writer
  A new Hunger Games book by Suzanne Collins was released on March 18th, 2025 following the latest book, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The Hunger Games is about a dystopian society whose government, after a devastating war, now controls a nation divided into twelve districts and the Capitol. On July 4th, each district participates in the reaping to choose two kids, a girl and a boy from ages 12-18, to send to the games. There is a movie planned for the book Sunrise on the Reaping. 
  The most recent book in the series tells the story of Haymitch Abernathy when he is forced to participate in the second quarter quell for the Hunger Games. A quarter quell is every 25 years, and the game makers decide to do something special for the occasion, such as adding twice the amount of people competing in the games. After an accident occurs, many consider his reaping unfair and illegal. Ultimately, he wins his games, becomes a mentor for District Twelve, and continues his life as a victor. The victors go on and train the kids for the next years’ games. Before his games, the tribute parade did not go as planned. Haymitch is shown thinking through every decision after realizing his mistake would put himself and his family at District Twelve in danger. (Content Warning) Haymitch faces constant challenges throughout his entire Hunger Games. In the final moments, he faces a tribute from District 1 named Silka. During their fight, he manages to slice her eye, while she strikes him in the abdomen with her axe. Severely injured, Haymitch stumbles toward a cliff and collapses. As Silka throws her axe in a final attempt to finish him, it ricochets off the arena’s force field and flies back at her, embedding itself in her skull. This unexpected twist makes Haymitch the victor of the Fiftieth Hunger Games, also known as the second Quarter Quell. His story highlights how, even in victory, he lost everything to the Capitol.
  The book follows the same pattern as the first Hunger Games book; it begins with the reaping, the tribute parade, the interviews, the games, and the aftermath. However, this book follows a darker plot line compared to the other books, as it explains not only how Haymitch won his games, but the aftermath of him ending up alone and falling to alcoholism to cope. Although some readers may consider the ending a bit melancholy, it leaves the reader with all questions answered.

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