Clare L. Deming

I know that author Suzanne Collins has written other books outside of the world of Panem, but (probably) like a lot of people, I have only read those in her hit Hunger Games series. I found the original trilogy of books to be a solid read, but nothing earth-shattering. I never reviewed any of them here, but if you need to catch up, you can find purchase links to all of them below. Since then, she has written two prequel novels that can mostly be read as stand-alones, although knowledge of the characters from the main series will add to your enjoyment of the books. The second prequel (Sunrise on the Reaping) was just released this spring and you can find my review of it below (paid links).

• The Hunger Games (#1)
• Catching Fire (#2)
• Mockingjay (#3)
• The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (prequel #1)

Here is the blurb:

When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.

If you know the character of Haymitch from the main Hunger Games series, you will know going into this book that this isn’t a happy story. But are any of these books, really?

This novel tells us Haymitch’s backstory and how he survived and won the Hunger Games for District 12, but lost everything else that was important to him. This book also shows us another step in the evolution of the Hunger Games and how the event became the spectacle that is seen in the original series.

I enjoyed reading this, despite the tragic nature of the story. I find it interesting that the author can create a fresh story around the same concept of the Hunger Games where kids from the districts are pitted against each other and the creations of the game masters until only one victor is left alive. One of the points of this book is to show how someone that is seemingly powerless can still resist and fight against those in authority. At the same time, it shows the possible price that one must pay by demonstrating against those in power.

I’d recommend this book if you’ve read the main Hunger Games series and didn’t hate the ending of the third book. While Sunrise on the Reaping is a stand-alone novel, it would be best to start with the earlier books if you are new to this series.

Have you read any of Suzanne Collins’ other series? Which would you recommend? Let me know in the comments.

You can find more of my reviews here.