As a longtime fan of the Hunger Games series, I was very excited when Sunrise on the Reaping came out. I received my copy a day after its release, and read it over the next few days. I, as did everyone else, knew a slight overview of what would happen in the book from when Katniss and Peeta watched Haymitch’s games in Catching Fire- the beautiful arena with its poison and volcano, and its canyon with a force field. But it didn’t cover the heartbreaking deaths of tributes who were close personal friends of Haymitch, nor the murder of his loved ones after the games.

So, why were these deaths so shattering? Well, author Suzanne Collins enjoys developing complex relationships between characters before they die, and so we watch them bleed out as their friends scream beside them. Graphic imagery depicts the demise of Haymitch’s ‘sweetheart’ Louella as she is crushed by a chariot. It shows a clean, white skeleton after Ampert’s cannon fires, and holds us as prisoners to watch Lenore Dove die in Haymitch’s arms. All of these deaths beat Haymich’s heart black and blue in retaliation for his rebel acts against the Capitol. Mags, Wiress and Beetee, as well as Plutarch Heavensbee, all aided him in this, although his plan did not succeed as he wanted it to.

I think this book is the most well-connected of the series- Mags and Wiress (tributes in Catching Fire) were his mentors, Beetee was the father of Ampert. These three were tortured after the games as punishment for the aid they gave Haymitch. We find out who Katniss’s father was, and her mother’s name (Asterid). We also see Plutarch Heavensbee (Mockingjay) as a young cameraman for the games, showing him as a rebel at the beginning of his career. We knew these characters from the original series, but they are further developed in SOTR.

Overall, this book was amazing. The connections, sadness and characters are very well developed. Each chapter bleeds into the next and makes you want to keep reading.