Sunrise on the Reaping
Before Katniss Everdeen volunteered as tribute, before Coriolanus Snow became President, there was another Hunger Games victor whose story shaped the future of Panem: Haymitch Abernathy. This gripping prequel delves into the brutal 50th Hunger Games, known as the Second Quarter Quell, revealing the harrowing events that forged one of the most cynical yet resilient characters in the beloved series. It's a tale of desperate survival, insidious political maneuvering, and the heavy price of defiance in a world designed to crush hope. The 50th Hunger Games, the Second Quarter Quell, forced Districts to send double the usual number of tributes, escalating the Games' brutality to an unprecedented level. Haymitch Abernathy's victory came at an unimaginable personal cost, leaving him haunted by the Capitol's calculated cruelty and driving his eventual descent into alcoholism. The novel provides crucial insights into the early machinations of President Snow and the nascent forms of rebellion that would eventually challenge Panem's totalitarian regime.
AI Summary
Before Katniss Everdeen volunteered as tribute, before Coriolanus Snow became President, there was another Hunger Games victor whose story shaped the future of Panem: Haymitch Abernathy. This gripping prequel delves into the brutal 50th Hunger Games, known as the Second Quarter Quell, revealing the harrowing events that forged one of the most cynical yet resilient characters in the beloved series. It's a tale of desperate survival, insidious political maneuvering, and the heavy price of defiance in a world designed to crush hope.
- The 50th Hunger Games, the Second Quarter Quell, forced Districts to send double the usual number of tributes, escalating the Games' brutality to an unprecedented level.
- Haymitch Abernathy's victory came at an unimaginable personal cost, leaving him haunted by the Capitol's calculated cruelty and driving his eventual descent into alcoholism.
- The novel provides crucial insights into the early machinations of President Snow and the nascent forms of rebellion that would eventually challenge Panem's totalitarian regime.
The Games Begin Anew
In 2025, American author Suzanne Collins unleashed a new chapter in her iconic dystopian saga with "Sunrise on the Reaping." This novel serves as the second prequel to "The Hunger Games" trilogy, following the critically acclaimed "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes."
Set a quarter-century before the original "Hunger Games" novel, the story plunges us into the 50th Annual Hunger Games—a particularly brutal iteration known as the Second Quarter Quell. This is where we witness the harrowing journey of a familiar face: Haymitch Abernathy, District 12's legendary, yet tormented, victor.
A Spark of Inspiration
Collins' inspiration for this dark narrative stemmed from the profound ideas of Scottish philosopher David Hume. Specifically, Hume's reflections on "the easiness with which the many are governed by the few" and the concept of implicit submission resonated deeply with her exploration of Panem's oppressive society.
The novel also interrogates the insidious power of propaganda and media narratives, forcing readers to question what is truly 'real or not real' within a controlled world. This theme echoes through the story, shaping perceptions both inside and outside the arena.
Life in District 12
Before the terror of the arena, we meet a 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy in District 12. He's struggling to support his impoverished mother and younger brother, Sid, by illegally distilling moonshine. His life outside the mines also includes secret rendezvous in the woods with his girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird.
The Second Quarter Quell Reaping
Haymitch's 16th birthday brings the dreaded reaping for the 50th Hunger Games. As a Quarter Quell, the rules are crueler than ever: each district must send not two, but four tributes to the Capitol—double the usual number. This immediately amplifies the terror, reminding citizens of the failed rebellions.
Chaos erupts when one of District 12's reaped male tributes attempts to escape and is brutally killed. In the ensuing pandemonium, Haymitch tries to shield Lenore Dove from Peacekeepers, catching the attention of District 12's cruel escort, Drusilla Sickle, and a seemingly sympathetic cameraman named Plutarch Heavensbee.
In a horrifying twist, these Capitol figures re-stage the reaping, appointing Haymitch as the substitute male tribute for District 12. He joins betting oddsmaker Wyatt Callow, his close friend Louella McCoy, and the wealthy, callous Maysilee Donner—who famously becomes the original owner of the Mockingjay pin.
Arrival in the Capitol
Upon arriving in the Capitol, the District 12 tributes are immediately dismissed as 'long shots.' The Tribute Parade, meant to be a spectacle of Capitol grandeur, takes a tragic turn. A chariot accident kills Louella, and Haymitch, in a moment of defiant grief, carries her body down the parade route before mockingly applauding President Snow.
This act of open rebellion earns Haymitch a private audience with President Snow, who chillingly threatens him with a slow, painful death in the arena if his defiance continues. To cover up the parade fiasco, Snow introduces a drugged body double for Louella, whom the remaining District 12 tributes sarcastically nickname 'Lou Lou.'
Unexpected Mentors and Alliances
With no living victors from their own District 12 to guide them, Haymitch and his fellow tributes are assigned an unlikely trio of mentors: the brilliant but eccentric Wiress of District 3, and the compassionate Mags of District 4—both future allies of Katniss Everdeen.
During training, alliances quickly form. The powerful Career tributes from Districts 1, 2, and 4 group together, while the others, including Haymitch, form a fragile bond, calling themselves 'The Newcomers.' It's a stark division between those bred for the Games and those simply trying to survive.
A pivotal moment arrives when Beetee, a former victor from District 3 forced to mentor his own son Ampert, recruits Haymitch for a covert plan: sabotage the arena itself. Plutarch Heavensbee, surprisingly, covertly provides Haymitch with additional intel for the plan, even arranging a bittersweet farewell call between Haymitch and Lenore Dove to secure his trust.
Haymitch agrees to detonate explosives in the arena's underground water tank, hoping to flood and disable its computer systems. After receiving a disastrously low evaluation score from the Gamemakers—a direct punishment for his parade rebellion—Haymitch embraces a defiant 'rascal' persona in his televised interview, strategically cultivating sponsor appeal.
The Games Unfold
The 50th Hunger Games arena is stunningly beautiful, but it hides deadly secrets: poisonous plants, toxic pollen, and a host of other hazards. Haymitch immediately abandons the Newcomers to execute his sabotage. Briefly joined by Lou Lou, who tragically succumbs to toxic pollen, he teams up with Ampert.
Together, they navigate an access channel designed for the release of genetically mutated creatures—'mutts'—and manage to trigger an explosion that destroys the arena's subterranean water tank. However, the ensuing flood fails to fully cripple the arena, and the mutts quickly claim Ampert's life.
Later, encountering a group of Careers, Maysilee Donner—the original owner of the Mockingjay pin—unexpectedly saves Haymitch with a poisonous blow dart. This unlikely act renews their strained partnership, proving that even in the arena, allegiances can shift.
Determined to find another way to destroy the arena, Haymitch convinces Maysilee to explore its edge. There, they stumble upon a shocked trio of Gamemakers performing maintenance. Maysilee and the Careers ruthlessly kill them before fleeing, further escalating the Capitol's anger.
They discover a power generator shielded by a force field that repels anything thrown at it. As Maysilee separates from Haymitch, she is tragically killed by mutts specifically designed to punish her for killing the Gamemakers. Only three tributes remain.
Haymitch searches for the last remaining Newcomer, Wellie, finding her starving. He leaves to gather firewood, only to return and find her dead, killed by the final Career tribute, Silka from District 1. In their climactic confrontation at the arena's edge, Silka is inadvertently killed when her own axe rebounds off the force field.
Victorious, but grievously injured, Haymitch makes one final, defiant attempt to detonate an explosive against the force field, a futile act of protest. He's rendered unconscious by the blast, failing yet again to destroy the arena, but sending a clear message to the Capitol.
A Hollow Victory
Haymitch awakens in Capitol captivity, forced to endure a series of public events. He gradually realizes that the televised version of the Games has been heavily edited, erasing every hint of his rebellion. His single post-Games encounter with President Snow is chilling, a stark warning to 'enjoy his homecoming.'
Returning to District 12, Haymitch finds his home burned to the ground and his mother and brother dead—the Capitol's brutal retribution. A reunion with Lenore Dove in a quiet meadow turns to unbearable tragedy when Haymitch unknowingly feeds her a poisoned candy, orchestrated by Snow.
As Lenore Dove dies in his arms, her final plea echoes: 'prevent another sunrise on the reaping.' Haunted by these unbearable losses, Haymitch retreats into the isolation of the Victors' Village and the numbing embrace of alcoholism, distancing himself from friends out of fear for their safety. Yet, during the Victory Tour, Plutarch's subtle encouragement reignites a spark of resistance within him.
Legacy and Hope
The epilogue, set after the original "Hunger Games" series, offers a poignant glimpse into Haymitch's healing. He finally opens up to Katniss and Peeta about his traumatic past, finding solace in caring for gifted goose eggs, a quiet tribute to the memory of Lenore Dove.
Key Characters
Haymitch Abernathy – The outspoken, short-tempered male tribute from District 12. Maysilee Donner – Female tribute from District 12, original owner of the Mockingjay pin. Wyatt Callow – Male tribute from District 12, an oddsmaker. Louella McCoy – Female tribute from District 12, killed during the parade. Ampert Latier – Male tribute from District 3, Beetee's son. Wellie – Female tribute from District 6, part of the Newcomer Alliance. Silka Sharp – Female tribute from District 1, part of the Career pack. Plutarch Heavensbee – Capitol cameraman, later revealed to be a rebel sympathizer. Drusilla Sickle – Cruel Capitol escort for District 12. Coriolanus Snow – The tyrannical President of Panem. Mags Flanagan – Victor from District 4, mentor for District 12. Wiress – Victor from District 3, mentor for District 12. Beetee Latier – Victor from District 3, mentor and strategist. Lenore Dove Baird – Haymitch's girlfriend. Sid Abernathy – Haymitch's younger brother. Burdock Everdeen – Haymitch's best friend and future father of Katniss and Prim.
Publication and Impact
Sunrise on the Reaping debuted with a hardcover and audiobook release on March 18, 2025. It quickly proved to be a publishing phenomenon, selling over 1.5 million copies worldwide in its first week.
This impressive debut marked the biggest opening for any title in Suzanne Collins' entire "The Hunger Games" series. In the U.S. alone, it sold 1.2 million copies, more than doubling the opening sales of "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" and tripling those of "Mockingjay."
On the Big Screen
A film adaptation of "Sunrise on the Reaping" was swiftly announced on June 6, 2024, set to be released by Lionsgate on November 20, 2026. The film sees the return of director Francis Lawrence and writer Billy Ray.
The cinematic version boasts a stellar cast bringing these beloved and new characters to life, promising another immersive journey into the world of Panem.
Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee Ralph Fiennes as President Snow Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee Latier Maya Hawke as Wiress Lili Taylor as Mags Flanagan Ben Wang as Wyatt Callow Molly McCann as Louella McCoy Iona Bell as Lou Lou Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman Glenn Close as Drusilla Sickle Billy Porter as Magno Stift Jhaleil Swaby as Panache Barker Laura Marcus as Silka Sharp Percy Daggs IV as Ampert Latier Rada Rae as Wellie Iris Apatow as Proserpina Edvin Ryding as Vitus
Article
Sunrise on the Reaping
Sunrise on the Reaping is a 2025 dystopian novel written by American author Suzanne Collins and the second prequel novel to the original The Hunger Games trilogy, following The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020). Set about 24 years before the events of the first novel, the narrative delves into themes of political manipulation, the power of propaganda, and the complexities of societal control under a totalitarian regime and centers on the 50th Hunger Games, in which Haymitch Abernathy competed. It was released on March 18, 2025, and published by Scholastic.
A film adaptation was announced to be in production on June 6, 2024, and is set to be released by Lionsgate on November 20, 2026.
Background
Development
Collins' inspiration was a book by Scottish philosopher David Hume, specifically his ideas of implicit submission and "the easiness with which the many are governed by the few". Questions surrounding the use of propaganda and the power of media narratives also inspired Collins to explore the concept of what is ‘Real or not real?’ in the novel.
Collins chose the title of Sunrise on the Reaping to express Hume's philosophy of the distinction between inductive and deductive reasoning. As conveyed through Haymitch and Lenore Dove's disagreement in the first chapter, Haymitch believed with certainty that the reaping will always be around and resigned himself to it, showing implicit submission, but Lenore Dove argued there can be a future without them as the Hunger Games have only been around for fifty years.
In the novel, Lenore Dove sings sections of "The Goose and the Common", an 18th-century poem about the injustices of land enclosure in England, in reference to the Capitol.
Cover art
The cover art for Sunrise on the Reaping was designed by Tim O'Brien. Regarding the cover art, VP publisher and editorial director for Scholastic David Levithan stated that “The spiky sun rises on a symbol that will come to mean a lot to Haymitch Abernathy, as well as countless readers. Artist Tim O’Brien has created yet another iconic Hunger Games cover – this one symbolically exploring one of the central themes of the series: how conflicting forces can be connected by their common nature, the songbird and the snake springing from the same source.”
Plot
Sunrise on the Reaping
Haymitch Abernathy lives in Panem's District 12 with his impoverished, widowed mother and younger brother, Sid. Haymitch illegally distills moonshine (for Hattie Meeney) to support his family. He regularly sneaks into the woods to meet his girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird, a member of the Coveys, a nomadic musical group forced to settle in District 12.
The 50th Annual Hunger Games reaping is held on Haymitch's 16th birthday. To celebrate the 2nd Quarter Quell, all districts must provide twice as many tributes. At the District 12 reaping, a male tribute attempts to escape but is killed. In the ensuing chaos, Haymitch protects Lenore Dove from the Peacekeepers. District 12's cruel tribute escort Drusilla Sickle, and Plutarch Heavensbee, a cameraman who appears sympathetic to the tributes, then appoints Haymitch as the substitute tribute, re‐staging the reaping. His fellow District 12 tributes include betting oddsmaker Wyatt Callow, neighbor and close friend Louella McCoy, and the rich and callous Maysilee Donner.
Arriving in the Capitol, the District 12 tributes are dismissed as "long shots." During the Tribute Parade, a horse-drawn chariot accident kills Louella. Haymitch defiantly carries her body down the parade route and lays her before President Snow, then mockingly applauds him. Haymitch is taken to Heavensbee Hall where President Snow threatens Haymitch that Gamemakers will inflict a painful death if he continues being defiant. To cover up the parade fiasco, Snow has a drugged body double replace Louella, whom the District 12 tributes nickname "Lou Lou." From her behaviour, they believe she is from District 11.
With no surviving District 12 victors, the tributes are randomly assigned mentors from previous Games, Wiress of District 3, and Mags of District 4. Competing alliances quickly form between the Career tributes and the other district tributes, who nickname themselves the "Newcomers." During training, Beetee, a former victor cruelly forced to mentor his own son, Ampert (who was reaped to punish Beetee's rebellious behavior), recruits Haymitch for a covert plan to sabotage the arena. Plutarch gives Haymitch information about the sabotage and, to gain his trust, arranges a bittersweet farewell call with Lenore Dove. Haymitch agrees to detonate explosives planted in the arena's underground water tank to flood the arena's computer systems. After the Gamemakers give Haymitch a punitive low score for his parade behavior, he adopts a defiant "rascal" persona in the tribute interviews to attract sponsors.
The Games commence in a stunningly beautiful but deadly arena rife with poisonous hazards. Haymitch abandons the Newcomers' alliance to carry out his sabotage plan. Wyatt is killed the first day. Briefly accompanied by Lou Lou, who soon dies from toxic pollen, Haymitch teams up with Ampert to enter an access channel designed to release genetically mutated creatures ("mutts") and trigger an explosion to destroy the arena's subterranean water tank. However, the ensuing flood fails to fully disable the arena, and the squirrel mutts kill Ampert. Later, encountering some Careers, Maysilee saves Haymitch with a poisonous blow dart gun, renewing their partnership.
Determined to find another way to destroy the arena, Haymitch convinces Maysilee to explore its perimeter. They encounter the Careers, and during the ensuing fight, the tributes stumble upon a surprised trio of Gamemakers performing maintenance, whom Maysilee and the Careers kill before fleeing. Haymitch and Maysilee find a power generator at the arena's edge. A protective force field repels objects thrown at it. After splitting up with Haymitch, Maysilee is killed by mutts specifically sent to punish her for killing the Gamemakers. With three tributes remaining, Haymitch seeks out the last remaining Newcomer, Wellie. He finds her up a tree, starving. After leaving to search for firewood, Haymitch returns to find Wellie killed by the final District 1 tribute, Silka. In a final confrontation at the arena's edge, Silka is inadvertently killed by her axe bouncing off the force field. A grievously injured Haymitch attempts to detonate a final explosive against the force field. He is rendered unconscious by the blast, failing yet again to destroy the arena.
Haymitch awakens in the Capitol and is then forced to attend public events. He realizes that the televised Games have been heavily edited to erase signs of rebellion and to make him look self-serving. President Snow privately tells Haymitch: "Enjoy your homecoming." Upon returning to District 12, Haymitch discovers his home burned down and his mother and brother dead. A reunion with Lenore Dove in a quiet meadow turns tragic when Haymitch unknowingly feeds her a poisoned gumdrop, an act orchestrated by President Snow. Lenore Dove dies in his arms after urging him to prevent another "sunrise on the reaping." Haunted by his losses, Haymitch retreats into isolation and heavy alcoholism in the Victors' Village, distancing himself from former friends to keep them safe. However, during the Victory Tour, Plutarch's encouragement spurs him to keep fighting.
In the epilogue, set after the original series, Haymitch tells Katniss and Peeta about his past, finding solace in caring for goose eggs from Katniss in memory of Lenore Dove.
Characters
Sunrise on the Reaping
• Haymitch Abernathy – A male tribute from District 12. He is outspoken, short-tempered, and trying his best to return to his family and girlfriend in District 12. • Maysilee Donner – A female tribute from District 12. She is the original owner of the Mockingjay pin, which is given to Katniss in The Hunger Games. She has a twin sister named Merrilee Donner. • Wyatt Callow – A male tribute from District 12. He is an oddsmaker with a family history of gambling on the tributes. • Louella McCoy – A female tribute from District 12. She is killed in an accident during the Tribute Parade and replaced with a body double, Lou Lou, by the Capitol. • "Lou Lou" – A girl from District 11 who is abducted and drugged by the Capitol to replace Louella. • Ampert Latier – a male tribute from District 3. He is Beetee's son and part of the Newcomers alliance. • Wellie – A female tribute from District 6. She is part of the Newcomers Alliance. • Silka Sharp – A female tribute from District 1 who was part of the Career pack. She was killed by her axe, which rebounded off the forcefield whilst fighting Haymitch. • Panache Barker – A male tribute from District 1 who was part of the Career pack. He was killed by one of Maysilee's poisonous darts. • Woodbine Chance – A male tribute from District 12. He attempts to escape when his name is called and is shot dead. Haymitch is chosen to replace him. • Other notable tributes include: Maritte, a female tribute from District 4; Ringina, a female tribute from District 7; Kerna, a female tribute from District 9; Hull, a male tribute from District 11; and Chicory, a female tribute from District 11.
• Plutarch Heavensbee – Capitol cameraman assigned to District 12 tributes. • Drusilla Sickle – Capitol escort for the District 12 tributes. • Coriolanus Snow – President of Panem. • Effie Trinket – Emergency escort and stylist for the District 12 tributes. • Proserpina Trinket and Vitus – Prep team for Haymitch during the Second Quarter Quell. • Caesar Flickerman – Host of the interviews for the Hunger Games. • Magno Stift – Stylist for the District 12 tributes.
• Mags Flanagan – Victor of the 11th Hunger Games. Mentor for the District 12 tributes during the Second Quarter Quell. • Wiress – Victor of the 49th Hunger Games. Mentor for the District 12 tributes during the Second Quarter Quell. • Beetee Latier – Victor of the 34th Hunger Games. Mentor for the District 3 tributes during the Second Quarter Quell.
• Lenore Dove Baird – Haymitch's girlfriend. A non-blood member of the Covey. • Sid Abernathy – Haymitch's ten-year-old brother. • Willamae Abernathy – Haymitch's mother. • Burdock Everdeen – Haymitch's best friend and eventual father of Katniss and Prim. He is Lenore Dove's distant cousin. • Other notable residents include: Asterid March, Burdock's girlfriend and eventual mother of Katniss and Prim; Blair, a friend of Haymitch and Burdock; Hattie, a bootlegger and Haymitch's boss; Clerk Carmine Clade and Tam Amber, Lenore Dove's uncles; and Merrilee Donner, Maysilee's identical twin sister.
Release
Sunrise on the Reaping
On October 16, 2024, the book's cover and synopsis was revealed on NBC's The Today Show. On January 15, 2025, an extract from Chapter 1 was released in an article in People magazine. It reveals details such as the names of Haymitch's brother, Sid Abernathy, and girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird, and that his birthday is reaping day. On March 13, 2025, a clip of Suzanne Collins reading from Sunrise on the Reaping was posted. The scene depicted focuses on the character of Haymitch's girlfriend, Lenore Dove.
Publication history
Sunrise on the Reaping
Sunrise on the Reaping had a hardcover release date of March 18, 2025. It was also published as an audiobook on the same day. It was narrated by actor Jefferson White.
Sunrise on the Reaping sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide in its first week, marking the biggest debut for any title in Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games series. In the U.S. alone, the book sold 1.2 million copies, more than twice the opening sales of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and over three times that of Mockingjay.
Film adaptation
Sunrise on the Reaping
The upcoming film adaptation will be directed by Francis Lawrence and written by Billy Ray. It began filming in July 2025.