I Knew 5 Pages Into Sunrise On The Reaping That Haymitch's Hunger Games Prequel Would Destroy Me

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins.

Most Hunger Games fans expected Sunrise on the Reaping to be a devastating addition to the franchise, but one line just five pages into Haymitch’s prequel cemented that for me. Haymitch’s backstory is outlined in Catching Fire, and the 50th Hunger Games tournament is among the most gruesome in Panem’s history. Sunrise on the Reaping lives up to that setup, delivering an emotionally devastating narrative from start to finish. And it’s obvious that Haymitch’s backstory will be even more gut-wrenching than it seems almost as soon as the book opens.

The worst parts of Haymitch’s book may not unfold until Sunrise on the Reaping‘s ending, but the early chapters deliver some huge blows — including the sad reality that Haymitch’s birthday is the same as Reaping Day. Haymitch not actually being reaped adds another layer of tragedy to his narrative. However, even something as simple as his early depiction manages to make his story in the new Hunger Games book sadder.

One Line From 5 Pages Into Sunrise On The Reaping Made Me Realize How Heartbreaking It’d Be

Haymich Saying He’s “Not Much Of A Drinker” Hints At How Bad The Book Will Get

Haymitch's flint striker and Sunrise on the Reaping in Suzanne Collins — Custom Image by Ana Nieves

Just five pages into Sunrise on the Reaping, Haymitch sets off to work with Hattie Meeney, a District 12 resident who makes liquor — and she gives him some as a birthday gift. Young Haymitch notes that he isn’t “much of a drinker,” though, a detail that may come as a surprise to fans of the original Hunger Games books. By the time Katniss Everdeen’s story opens, Haymitch is known throughout District 12 for his excessive use of alcohol. He even shows up to Katniss and Peeta’s Reaping Day drunk, and he spends much of the series using liquor to cope with his trauma.

The revelation that Haymitch hardly even likes alcohol as he’s nearing adulthood underscores just how bad that trauma is.

The revelation that Haymitch hardly even likes alcohol as he’s nearing adulthood underscores just how bad that trauma is, hinting at what’s to come after he enters the arena. And readers know before going into the 2025 prequel that President Snow does terrible things to Haymitch and his family after he wins the second Quarter Quell. But the specifics don’t come out until the later parts of the new Hunger Games book, and I knew from the moment I read this Sunrise on the Reaping line that they’d be even worse than I’d imagined.

Haymitch’s Hunger Games Prequel Drives Home What A Different Character He Is Before The Games

It Immediately Shows Us How Much The Quarter Quell Changes Him

The point of this Sunrise on the Reaping line is to highlight how different Haymitch is before and after the 50th Hunger Games, setting the stage for all the tragedy he’s about to endure. It does an impressive job of that, building the tension before his name is even called during the Reaping. This quote immediately establishes that the character we follow in the 2025 prequel has different values and beliefs than Katniss’ mentor, and that he changes drastically because of what he experiences in the prequel.

And although we know about the biggest deaths from Sunrise on the Reaping going into the book, The Hunger Games trilogy doesn’t prepare readers for just how thoroughly President Snow punishes Haymitch. The deaths of his brother and mom are about what you’d expect after reading Catching Fire, but Lenore Dove’s demise is so much more personal than Katniss realizes. Haymitch also sees some truly terrible things in the Games themselves, from Ambert’s death — one of the most gruesome in the Hunger Games franchise — to the disturbing replacement of Louella McCoy.

All of these tragedies set the stage for Haymitch to lean into alcoholism and become incredibly cynical as an adult.

All of these tragedies set the stage for Haymitch to lean into alcoholism and become incredibly cynical as an adult, allowing readers to fully understand him. And his portrayal at the beginning of Sunrise on the Reaping makes it even more devastating to see him reach that point.

Haymitch’s Innocence Makes The New Hunger Games Book Even More Devastating

He Didn’t Just Lose His Loved Ones At The Hands Of The Capitol

Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games and the cover of Sunrise on the Reaping — Custom Image by Yeider Chacon

Haymitch’s innocence and hope at the beginning of Sunrise on the Reaping makes his story even sadder, as it shows just how much he loses at the hands of the Capitol. It’s not just his loved ones or his own stability; the Capitol rips away any optimism he has as a teenager, leaving him lonely and in a state of despair.

Katniss begins her story with a cynical and somewhat pessimistic view of the world, and the Games make that worse. Sunrise on the Reaping reveals that Haymitch isn’t quite so dejected before the Capitol unleashes its cruelty on him, which makes his fall even harder to witness — and makes The Hunger Games trilogy more difficult to read in hindsight.