Sunrise on the Reaping Review – Haymitch’s Story, Heartbreak, and the Spark of Rebellion

Sunrise on the Reaping is a masterclass in storytelling that reshapes everything I thought I knew about Haymitch Abernathy. Suzanne Collins takes us deep into his past, revealing the raw pain, sacrifice, and quiet strength that shaped him into the mentor we meet in The Hunger Games. His journey through the Quarter Quell, his personal rebellions, and the heartbreaks that come with being trapped in a system designed to break him had me hooked from the first page. This prequel isn’t just a look at Haymitch—it’s an exploration of the seeds of rebellion, of what it truly means to fight when everything you love is at risk. If you loved the original trilogy, this will make you see everything in a new light

Grab your copy here. Spoilers follow!

“All-Fire”

A phrase whispered between lovers. A whisper that sparks and burns through the nation.

This prequel stunned me. I knew of Haymitch’s pain and loss, but the depth of his story hit me like a ton of bricks. Haymitch is more than his sarcasm; he is intelligent, kind, and brave. He is the man who helped push Katniss’s revolution into motion.

Where It Begins

Birth and death—two sides of life. For Haymitch Abernathy, they fall on the same day. His birthday is the day of the Quarter Quell: the largest reaping in the history of the Hunger Games. Two individuals of each gender were reaped from every district. Twice the fear. Twice the sacrifice.

Before the chaos, Haymitch sneaks into the woods. These woods did not first belong to Katniss, as I once thought at age eleven. He meets a friend to brew alcohol—District 12’s quiet rebellion. He wears pants his mother stitched from tesserae sacks. Children can exchange additional entries into the reaping for food rations. The tesserae bags read: “Courtesy of the Capitol.” For Haymitch, those words are literally stamped across his backside—a branding that reminds everyone who owns their survival.

Then, he meets up with Lenore—his Dove. A girl from the Covey. (Sound familiar?) It echoes Katniss and Gale’s quiet mornings before their own reaping.

Honestly, this part bored me a bit. I didn’t care much about Lenore, despite her importance to Haymitch. Maybe because I knew she wouldn’t survive.

Marked by Mercy

During the reaping, one boy tries to run. Chaos erupts. A Peacekeeper threatens Lenore, and Haymitch intervenes. He is reaped—not by fate, but by force. His bravery, his refusal to stand by, changes everything.

He didn’t volunteer, but this scene took me right back to Katniss’s reaping. Someone stepping in out of love—and being forever changed.

The Capitol demands control of the narrative. Plutarch Heavensbee, young and ambitious, is assigned to film District 12. He urges Haymitch and his family to redo their goodbyes for more emotion. Haymitch refuses. Just like Katniss, he resists turning his grief into performance. Gale, too, stood strong—removing Prim as Katniss walked to her fate. No tears. No weakness. Just fire.

Stagecrafted Survival

Louella, a friend of Haymitch’s, makes it to the tribute parade—only to die when she’s thrown from a chariot. Haymitch refuses to let the Peacekeepers take her. He steals a second chariot and flees with her body in his arms. At the end of the road, President Snow awaits.

Louella is replaced. A new girl, made to look like her, appears—a Capitol mutt. Her name is LouLou. She’s been brainwashed, a puppet with no memory of who she is. A device in her ear gives instructions; another in her chest controls her movements. A human machine molded for the Capitol’s will.

Ashes of Rebellion

We know Plutarch plays a key role in Katniss’s rebellion, but this story reveals it began long before her. Plutarch supports Haymitch. He tries to recruit him, even bringing him to his rare, hidden Library—a Capitol secret. He shares banned literature, including the work Lenore Dove was named after.

Beetee returns, this time as a mentor for his son, Ampert. Ampert forms an alliance with the non-Career tributes. Together, they plan to destroy the “brain” of the arena—the Capitol’s control center. A literal attack on the system.

Dove in the Fire

Dove-colored rabbits repeatedly save Haymitch. From his plate at the start, to the stream, to the shrubbery, they appear like omens or guides. One even leads him toward the Careers—but it also leads him to Maysilee Donner.

Maysilee and Haymitch’s alliance is the heart of this Games. It mirrors the tenderness between Katniss and Rue—trust in a world that punishes trust. A rare, beautiful bond.

Haymitch insists he isn’t a rebel. He calls himself a rascal while he hides rebellion inside mischief. Coded strategy beneath chaos.

The Quiet Cage

After the Games, Haymitch is placed in a birdcage. Symbolism heavy. A callback to Snow’s lost love and Haymitch’s dove. The Capitol always finds a way to twist the knife.

When Haymitch returns home, death follows. His family burns. Snow sends him candy—poisoned. Lenore eats it and dies. Everyone gone.

First comes sleep syrup—to numb the pain. Then alcohol—to forget. He uses it to dull the grief and to protect others by staying distant. If he loves no one, no one can be used against him.

Haymitch could have been the face of rebellion. But fear held him back. Fear that loving someone meant losing them. It wasn’t until Katniss—who ignited the spark—that he was ready to fight.

Ghostlight

Lenore’s ghost visits the one she loved. A gentle echo urging Haymitch to care for the family he has left—the ones still living, still hoping.

In time, he fathers a flock of geese. Odd little creatures who mate for life. Steady. Loyal. Soft in a way the world rarely allows.

Once, grief held his hand. Now, routine does. Feeding, tending, watching. A quiet resistance.

He still fights ghosts—Lenore’s, Louella’s, his own. But in this life of feathers and morning chores, he finds a kind of peace. Not healing, perhaps, but purpose.

Final Thoughts

Rating: 5/5

"It kept me hooked and haunted. I didn’t want to stop reading—but I also didn’t want it to end. Haymitch’s story recontextualizes the entire trilogy. His pain, sacrifice, and quiet strength show exactly why he chose Katniss to carry the fire. It makes me want to reread the original series with new eyes—and a heavier heart.”

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