The newest Hunger Games book, “Sunrise on the Reaping” by Suzanne Collins dropped March 18, leaving fans shocked about the life and hunger game of a character who everyone has wanted to know more about.
“I am most excited to read a book where Haymitch is the protagonist,” said ninth grade english teacher Carly Morris. “He was one of my favorite characters in the original trilogy, so I am excited to get a book with his story, finally!”.
The book starts with the words, “Happy Birthday Haymitch”, revealing that the protagonist, Haymitch Abernathy, has a birthday on the notorious “reaping day” which takes place once a year.
On this day a boy and a girl from each district are selected to go into the Hunger Games, where 24 kids fight to the death until one remains.
Haymitch’s year though is quite different. His year is a “Quarter Quell” (which happens every 25 years) and the 50th year of the games which means there are twice as many kids called “tributes” participating. This means he must fight 47 other kids for his life instead of 24.
Throughout the first chapters surprise after surprise graced my eyes and tears poured down my cheeks (I got that emotional). It has been five years since we have gotten a new Hunger Games book, and this new one borders on insane.
In the book, Haymitch is put through a series of events leading up to his hunger game and then even more afterwards. There are things such as his reaping (which is where they call your name out of everyone else to be a tribute), then the parade of tributes into the Capitol, and training for the games last of all.
After that, we reach the Hunger Games, where all the people he has finally started to trust are killed by the “Careers”, a group of kids specifically trained to win the Games.
Many already know the ending of this story due to little bits of information we have been given by Collins over the four previous books. Even so, seeing these things come to life has been a different type of pain.
My Instagram has been full of crying girls (and guys even) holding these books and telling of how crazy it was. I have become one of those crying girls. This book has rocked me to my soul with cameos from characters I never thought I would ever read about again.
The details Collins has put in this book are incredible and true fans see the references throughout.
Many people have opinions about the new book. Claire Farmer, a ninth grade student, feels deeply about the newest book and the details Collins has gracefully written.
“I really appreciated the attention to detail and emotions in this book, which is without a doubt the saddest out of all the hunger games books,” said Farmer.
It is true that emotions like pain and suffering are conveyed throughout the novel, and even the whole series. It is a roller coaster of sadness that makes you want to read on and see what happens to the many characters.
As I come to the end of the many chapters of this book, my heart breaks not only for the final chapters, but for the next steps in the series.
I’m so excited to see what is to come and hoping more characters get their time in the spotlight.
