Sunrise on the Reaping Book Review

I haven't read a book that's had me hyperventilating and sobbing like this before. All things considered, I think that this is by far Suzanne Collins' best work of social commentary. She really said "you didn't get it the first four times, so I'm going to scream it at you now."

The clarity of the theme of the power and danger of propaganda was so powerful in this book, it felt like a slap to the face. Every page practically screamed it at you. From the Reaping to Haymitch's return to District 12, it is evident over and over again in a nauseating repetition of events how tyrannical governments hide and warp information they share with the public in order to control not only the people they are oppressing, but to gain continued support from the wealthy and privileged as well.

This book is unforgiving in its frustration, sadness, and realization that this is something we tolerate every day in our own reality and relationship with the media we choose to trust. It was sickening to read about Haymitch's bravery in and out of the arena in order to defy the Capitol, just for them to repeatedly erase his actions from footage or twist them to seem favorable to the Capitol themselves. All of his efforts and sacrifices never made it to the general public, being edited even out of the "live" game footage fed to the citizens of Panem. The government completely re-wrote the narrative Haymitch fought to control, never revealing the true story, and everyone watching believed it without question. Believed that Haymitch was a selfish "rascal" taking advantage of tributes to win the Games, not a young boy who lost friends, allies, a sister, even sacrificed his own life to destroy the arena and stand up for the Districts.

All of this is increasingly sickening knowing the extent Haymitch went to "paint his own poster," something his father told a past tribute before his death in the mines. Throughout the book, this is Haymitch's one and only goal, to not let the Capitol "use his tears for entertainment." To not perform in the Game, like Lucy Gray did or Katniss was forced into, but to call it out for what it really was from the beginning. But his poster didn't even make it to the eyes of the public. Instead, as we already knew from the Hunger Games trilogy, he lost everything: his mother, brother, friends, lover, and hope. He was remembered as the alcoholic he became and not the determined boy he was, the spark to Katniss' rebellious fire.

On a less serious note, the use of characters in this book added to the effectiveness of Collins' messages, as well as giving us some backstory for some beloved characters from the original trilogy! We learn more about Katniss' parents, Madge's mom and aunt Maysilee, who was reaped with Haymitch, Plutarch Heavensbees, Beetee, Mags, Wiress, and Effie. I will say, I loved that this book brought back so many characters because it was really fun to read and learn about them, even if their situations were equally as tragic and depressing. It really served as a good bridge between the previous prequel and The Hunger Games.

Something else that really connected the original trilogy to The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was that Haymitch's girlfriend, Lenore Dove, was Covey. She carried on Lucy Gray's legacy by singing her songs as well as writing her own that she was forbidden to sing for their rebellious lyrics and meanings. After Lenore Dove's death, we even learned a bit about what happened to Lucy Gray. I also loved how Lenore Dove got her name from Edgar Allen Poe's poem Lenore and that The Raven was also referenced multiple times to connect Lenore Dove to a songbird and when describing Haymitch's grief. I just thought that this was just so genius and added another layer of meaning to the story.

Also, Maysilee's character meant so much to me and she was my favorite character in the book. Although she is considered the "meanest girl in town" at first by Haymitch, I loved how tough she was while also being feminine. In so many books, feminine characters are sweet and complying, but Maysilee is completely the opposite while still loving clothes and jewelry. She weaved all the Newcomers (non-Career tributes) tokens from their districts into necklaces during training, while also having girl boss moments by painting her own poster and standing up to the Capitol in her own way of forcing them to see her as a human and not an animal. She even had a tea party in the middle of the Games, and I love her for that. She is so strong and such an inspiring character for me.

The ending of this book was honestly the most heartbreaking, tragic, awful, horrifying, depressing thing I've ever read and I will be forever changed by this book. I feel like this is exactly the message society needs to hear in this moment and I will never look at the media the same again. All those horrible and intense things being said, you should definitely read this book :)