On the brink of rebellion, authority figures sometimes make violent decisions in order to bestow peace in their world. This sick irony is the basis of the dystopian genre, populated with books that leave intense messages for all; taking this in mind, author Suzanne Collins is set to release a second prequel to her beloved ‘Hunger Games’ trilogy, leaving fans both young and old, in sheer excitement.
Collins’ soon to be released ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ will follow the 50th annual Hunger Games victor Haymitch Abernathy, providing readers with a detailed account of his victory and everything he sacrificed to save his young life. After falling in love with the drunken character who mentored main protagonists Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, fans yearned for more about Abernathy’s mysterious background growing up in District 12 and just how he won one of the most brutal Hunger Games. Set to come out Mar. 18, 2025, dystopian fanatics are already marking their calendars to get their hands on the literary masterpiece as soon as they can.
“I am very excited for this new book; I loved the first four books, and [I] am excited to see what Collins has in store for us this time,” Nicholas Wright, sophomore, said.
After the first prequel ‘Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ captured hearts and opened minds all around the globe, a deep hunger for more arose quickly. According to fans, ‘The Hunger Games’ are a part of the dystopian Holy Trinity, which is why any and every update to the groundbreaker is so important to the literary world. Abernathy is a character full of heartache who drowns his pain and sorrow in liquor, representing real world issues and all those who struggle with them today. Though not everyone can relate to this, the representation weaved throughout the tale’s delicate lacing is really what sets the series apart from the rest, encouraging more readers to explore District 12 and the inner-workings of a corrupt government side-by-side with their favorite characters.
“I am so excited to read [Sunrise on the Reaping],” Emily Larmore, junior, said.
Time and time again, stories are born as a reaction to real world events, serving as a message and a warning to society. Upon seeing the globe’s current state, Collins soon lived up to this practice, infiltrating it into ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ just as she had done so with her previous work. After all, literature cannot truly be described as literature without a meaning lying behind it; Collins takes this phrase to heart, possibly hoping that her readers will do the same.
“The story lent itself to a deeper dive into the use of propaganda and the power of those who control the narrative. The question ‘real or not real’ seems more pressing to me every day,” Collins said.
Anticipation from readers steadily grows as the set release date for ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ leers nearer. As worded by Collins, may the odds be ever in one’s favor as they indulge in the dystopian world they so cherish once more, where underdogs declare themselves the apex predator in hopes to fix what their precursors set upon the broken society. For detailed backgrounds and new information, one can see here.
