I knew going in how this book had to end. I even knew that yes, eventually, Haymitch’s story turns around; eventually the Capitol goes down. But none of that took the sting out of learning exactly what he experienced in his Hunger Games, or knowing the misery he’d be living with for 25 years after.

I actually had to go back and re-read the original Hunger Games trilogy after finishing this prequel to remind myself of all the little details and to better imagine how Haymitch evolved between books. It really is impressive, even though they were published about a decade apart, the prequel is able to tie in all the little details from the trilogy hinting at Haymitch’s backstory in such an authentic way. I also believe Sunrise on the Reaping is a testament to Woody Harrelson’s performance in the movie adaptations; original trilogy Haymitch has some very rough edges, but Harrelson did terrific work finding his charm, and young Haymitch is oozing with it in this novel, and his speech patterns definitely follow Harrelson’s.

The supporting characters are just as memorable in this novel as the ones in the original trilogy, and it is painfully easy to care about so many of them, even knowing they are doomed from page one. Maysilee Donner was an easy favorite for me.

I’ve seen a few complaints that “it’s too coincidental” so many characters of significance in the original Hunger Games trilogy, like Beetee and Wiress, would appear in the prequel, but to me, this story is what makes them significant later on; we know President Snow can rig the reapings, so given the excuse to send past victors back to the arena, why wouldn’t he include victors who had tried to destroy the games before? Sunrise on the Reaping is essentially the dry run for Catching Fire. It is the foundation of the relationships, the plotting, and the determination that fuels that book.

All in all, I give Sunrise on the Reaping 3.5 stars. Anyone who enjoyed The Hunger Games trilogy should give this one a read as it will only enhance your appreciation and enjoyment of the series as a whole.