Suzanne Collins will go down as one of the best writers of the 21st century. She single-handedly reignited the young adult dystopian subgenre with the massively successful 2008 novel “The Hunger Games,” which spawned two sequels and two prequels, including the newest release “Sunrise on the Reaping.” This entry takes readers back to the 50th Hunger Games, called the second Quarter Quell, to tell the origin story of Haymitch Abernathy’s victory despite the odds stacked against him. 

As a prequel, the book calls back many familiar faces from earlier installments — characters longtime fans will know well. Luckily, this doesn’t distract from the story at hand, but rather serves as a wink to dedicated audiences. Newcomers to the franchise can fully grasp the story without any prior knowledge of the world.

Collins writes with purpose, as she doesn’t release a new book in the “Hunger Games” series unless she has a solid reason or an interesting story to tell. As for “Sunrise on the Reaping,” two main themes stuck out: propaganda and perseverance. 

The book breaks down the operations of the Capitol in the lives of the districts in a more psychological way, instead of typically focusing on their brute force. It explores the trickery, lies and deceit that the Capitol sprinkles throughout the districts and during its air times every year for the Hunger Games. In the novel, when the citizens get restless at District 12’s reaping, the broadcast team reveals their five minute delay in case of emergencies. In real life, live television delay typically lasts only a few seconds to a minute. This sequence shows how the Capitol can completely alter the story that Panem will see.

Additionally, little moments with “1984”-esque posters advertise the slogan “No Hunger Games, No Peace.” The emphasis on the psychological manipulation inflicted on Panem almost overshadows the physical violence. However, the Capitol’s physical power remains on full display, seemingly upping the violence of previous entries.

As for the theme of perseverance, Haymitch may just be the strongest character in the series. His dependence on self-medication in the original books makes much more sense after learning of the atrocities he’s experienced. Not only does he face physical challenges demanded by the games themselves, but he faces loss, grief and the constant possibility of sudden death. Throughout the novel, Haymitch questions the value of living and clings to thoughts of his loved ones to survive. Haymitch’s story arc expertly shows the experience of being faced with death. 

“Sunrise on the Reaping” is a welcome return to the world of Panem, despite its use of pre-existing constructs and storylines. The novel reuses themes from the previous books that Collins didn’t dig deeply into, such as the use of propaganda to manipulate people. Given the current state of the world, the look at how propaganda can be weaponized against mass numbers of people shows just how important this “Hunger Games” prequel really is.

4 ½ odds in your favor out of 5