Oh man. Wow.

I am addicted to the Hunger Games. I’ve read the original trilogy multiple times, and watch the movies pretty much whenever they’re on TV. I’ve read The Ballad of Songs and Snakes. I assumed that Sunrise on the Reaping would be much like The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. And granted, since it tells the story of the Second Quarter Quell, the Hunger Games that Haymitch Abernathy “won,” there were bound to be similarities. But there were also surprises. I will try not to give too much away, but I must warn you, some of what I want to share might be a spoiler to you. So, if you’ve been meaning to read the book but haven’t yet, you might want to click away from this review for now.

I tried to picture a young Woody Harrelson as Haymitch, and I just couldn’t. This Haymitch is a sweet guy.

We meet him on the morning of his sixteenth birthday. It’s also the day of the annual reaping for the Hunger Games. In honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the Games, instead of the usual two tributes from each district, there will be four — two girls and two boys, sentenced to kill each other in the arena. The last one alive will be the victor. While Haymitch’s mother and brother and girlfriend and boss each have a gift for him, and the promise of a celebration later in the day, the shadow of the reaping hangs over everyone.

One of the big differences between this book and the ones in the original trilogy is the sheer ineptitude of the Capitol forces. During the reaping in District 12, one of the chosen boys runs for it, and a Peacekeeper shoots him. Haymitch, who shields his girlfriend from an attacking Peacekeeper, is forced to replace the dead tribute as his punishment. Later, during the Parade of Tributes, an accident kills one of the tributes before she even makes it to her public interview.

One of the delights of Sunrise on the Reaping is that we learn the backstory not only of Haymitch, but also of several other characters from Catching Fire. I won’t tell you who. But I will tell you that there is already an active resistance, some 24 years before the events of Book 1.

The tributes form two major alliances, and it’s interesting to observe their efforts to support and protect their allies. Also, to see how they strategize.

We also find out why Haymitch became such an alcoholic after the games. You’ll also find the full text of “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe, a few verses at a time.

Sunrise on the Reaping is a smart book. It’s full of suspense, and will keep you emotionally and intellectually engaged from beginning to end.