Sunrise on the Reaping

Did You Know?

• The audiobook is narrated by actor Jefferson White.
• A film adaptation began filming in July 2025, directed by Francis Lawrence and written by Billy Ray.
• An excerpt from Chapter 1 was released in People magazine on January 15, 2025.

Background

The novel's title, "Sunrise on the Reaping," was chosen to reflect Scottish philosopher David Hume's ideas about inductive versus deductive reasoning. Collins drew on Hume’s concept of implicit submission, which explores how easily the many are ruled by the few, as well as questions about propaganda and media narratives. These themes led her to examine what is "Real or not real?" in the story. In the first chapter, Haymitch shows implicit submission by believing the reaping will always exist, while Lenore Dove argues a future without the Games is possible since they have only existed for fifty years.

Lenore Dove also sings sections of "The Goose and the Common," an 18th-century poem about land enclosure in England, as a reference to the Capitol. The cover art by Tim O'Brien symbolically explores how conflicting forces, like the songbird and the snake, can be connected by their common nature.

Plot

Haymitch Abernathy lives in District 12 with his widowed mother and younger brother Sid, working for bootlegger Hattie Meeney and meeting his girlfriend Lenore Dove Baird in the woods. On his sixteenth birthday, the reaping for the Second Quarter Quell requires four tributes per district. After male tribute Woodbine Chance is killed attempting escape, Haymitch is appointed as his replacement. Fellow District 12 tributes include Wyatt Callow, Louella McCoy, and Maysilee Donner. During the Tribute Parade, Louella dies in a chariot accident; Haymitch carries her body before President Snow and mockingly applauds him. Snow threatens Haymitch with a slow death in the Games. To cover the incident, Snow replaces Louella with a kidnapped, drugged body double from District 11, nicknamed Lou Lou.

Characters

Haymitch Abernathy, a male tribute from District 12, is outspoken and short-tempered, striving to return to his family and girlfriend. Maysilee Donner, a female tribute from District 12, originally owned the Mockingjay pin later given to Katniss; she has a twin sister Merrilee. Wyatt Callow, a male tribute from District 12, is an oddsmaker with a family history of gambling on tributes. Louella McCoy, a female tribute from District 12, dies in a parade accident and is replaced by Lou Lou, a girl from District 11 abducted and drugged by the Capitol.

Other tributes include Ampert from District 3 (Beetee's son), Wellie from District 6, Silka Sharp from District 1 (killed by her own axe rebounding off a forcefield), and Panache Barker from District 1 (killed by Maysilee's dart). Capitol figures include Plutarch Heavensbee, Drusilla Sickle, Effie Trinket, and President Snow. Mentors include Mags, Wiress, and Beetee. Haymitch's girlfriend Lenore Dove Baird is a Covey member; his best friend Burdock Everdeen is Lenore Dove's distant cousin and eventual father of Katniss and Prim.

Critical reception

Sunrise on the Reaping received highly positive reviews upon release. Dhanika Pineda of NPR noted the social and political issues were relevant to modern society. Julie Huang of The California Aggie wrote that the novel recontextualizes the original series and makes readers question what they thought they knew. Blog OneReadingNurse.com gave it 5/5 stars, praising the characters and brutality.

Helen Burke of The Daily Collegian criticized the use of songs and poems but praised the emotional depth of Haymitch's relationships. Kirkus Reviews gave a starred review, stating the book balances personal insights, worldbuilding, and danger. Annika Good of The Uproar called it an emotional rollercoaster that deepens understanding of Haymitch. Lizz Schumer of People praised Collins's sharp descriptions and heart-pounding battles.

Hannah E. Gadway of The Harvard Crimson praised the pacing but noted the novel fails to cover new thematic ground. Kaylee Nguyen of The Johns Hopkins News-Letter criticized it as safer and less thought-provoking than previous installments. Frank Remski of The Eastern Echo scored it 8.5/10, praising the flow and darkness but noting nothing new in worldbuilding.