The Hunger Hunger: Sunrise on the Reaping will finally have a chance to answer a Katniss Everdeen question that even the original books never addressed. The upcoming book from author Suzanne Collins is exciting for a variety of reasons, most notably being a chance to finally explore Haymitch Abernathy’s 50th Hunger Games. Of course, these stories all tie in together, so while Sunrise on the Reaping will be set 24 years before Katniss was reaped for the Hunger Games, it should add further context to her impactful tale. This means answers to questions the Hunger Games books left a mystery.
Katniss Everdeen is from District 12, and this location has remained key in each of Collins’ Hunger Games books—including Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay explored what this outlying, coal mining region of Panem was like during Katniss’ day, but President Snow’s prequel story spent some time exploring District 12 during the 10th Hunger Games. This prequel story revealed a great deal about the origins of Katniss’ home. Now, Sunrise on the Reaping can do the same, but with potentially even more personal details regarding Katniss’ family.
Haymitch’s Hunger Games Prequel Can Expand On Other District 12 Characters
There Should Be Some Familiar Characters In Sunrise On The Reaping
Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was set 64 years before Katniss’ Hunger Games story, meaning most of the characters in District 12 were ᴅᴇᴀᴅ by the time of the 74th Games. However, Sunrise on the Reaping will be set only 24 years before, and we already know that many of Katniss’ friends and family are alive during this time. There is obviously Haymitch, who will be the protagonist of Sunrise on the Reaping and the victor of the 50th Hunger Games. However, other notable characters around District 12 will include Katniss’ mother and father.
It’s not entirely clear what Katniss’ father will be up to during the events of the Sunrise on the Reaping book, but Catching Fire already revealed how the 50th Hunger Games impacted her mother. Mrs. Everdeen is about Haymitch’s age, and, as a teen, she was among the merchant class in District 12 who lived in town. Her parents were apothecaries, and Katniss’ mother was best friends with a girl named Maysilee Donner and her twin sister. Sunrise on the Reaping is sure to expand on this further, but there is something the Hunger Games books didn’t reveal about Katniss’ mother that the new books can clear up.
Maysilee Donner’s twin sister is the District 12 mayor’s wife during Katniss’ day.
Sunrise On The Reaping Could Finally Reveal The Name Of Katniss’ Mother After 4 Books
Mrs. Everdeem Remained Nameless
The three central Hunger Games books are written in first-person present, which means everything comes directly from Katniss’ perspective. Therefore, whenever Katniss’ inner dialogue mentioned her mother, she didn’t refer to the woman by name. No other characters in The Hunger Games ever referred directly to Katniss’ mother by name either, so even after several books, we still have no idea what Mrs. Everdeen’s first name is (let alone her maiden name). Sunrise of the Reaping is written from Haymitch’s perspective, so this new book may finally be a chance to solve the mystery.
Of course, this will depend entirely on how familiar Haymitch is with Katniss’ mother in Sunrise on the Reaping. The teenager Mrs. Everdeen will be best friends with one of District 12’s female tributes, Maysilee, whom Haymith develops an alliance with during the 50th Hunger Games. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean Haymitch will know Katniss’ mother’s name before he is reaped. He may only refer to her as a beautiful blonde girl clinging to Maysilee’s arm as her name is called. However, as Haymitch and Maysilee develop a friendship, we can hope the girl will share her best friend’s name.
Why The New Hunger Games Book Needs To Solve This Mystery After The Movies Didn’t
Sunrise On The Reaping Can Paint A More Complete Picture For The Hunger Games
Katniss’ mother’s name isn’t all that significant, and it made some sense that the Hunger Games protagonist wouldn’t refer to the woman directly (considering her story and point of view). However, it would be a bit weird if a fifth Hunger Games book came and went without any reference to Mrs. Everdeen’s first name. The 50th Hunger Games will be an intriguing opportunity to learn more about Katniss’ past in District 12. Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes added some ancient history, but Sunrise of the Reaping can strengthen Katniss’ story with much more context.
There were hints in Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes that Mr. Everdeen was connected to Lucy Gray Baird, and even his name in Sunrise on the Reaping could confirm this.
What may be even more critical than Katniss’ mother’s name is that of her father. Mr. Everdeen was never referenced in relation to Haymitch’s 50th Hunger Games in the way that Mrs. Everdeen was. We don’t know if he knew any of the four selected tributes, or even when the boy from District 12’s Seam met Katniss’ mother. However, there were hints in Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes that Mr. Everdeen was connected to Lucy Gray Baird, and even his name in Sunrise on the Reaping could confirm this. Coming out of this final book, we may finally know the answers to this strange mystery.
