Article contains spoilers for “Sunrise on the Reaping.”

Nothing was quite like the dystopian era of the 2010s; novels like “The Hunger Games,” “Divergent” and “The Maze Runner” swept through the media as readers from around the globe clamoured about their impactful characters, entertaining storylines and underlying messages. But though media trends have taken a turn for the fantasy and romance readers of the world, one dystopian author isn’t done yet. Suzanne Collins, author of “The Hunger Games,” has recently released the series’ newest prequel: “Sunrise on the Reaping.”

Collins’ latest novel takes place 24 years before “The Hunger Games” and follows the second Quarter Quell, in which beloved character Haymitch had his games outlined and explored. This novel is full of twists, turns, lovable characters and references to the original series, and readers are loving it. But more than that, “Sunrise on the Reaping” is a commentary on the dangers of subjectivity in media presentation and propaganda and their influence on our world. 

Released March 18, 2025, “Sunrise on the Reaping” takes place during the fiftieth Hunger Games. Previously, all readers had known about these Games were revealed in a video shared by the oppressive Capitol in “Catching Fire.” Though readers, like myself, thought they knew what to expect from this book, Collins had different plans. I was shocked and delighted at the truths revealed about Haymitch and other beloved characters throughout the novel, and hung onto every word. 

Some people believe that the expansion of the Hunger Games universe after more than a decade is simply Collins “milking” the attention the series has gotten over the years to make more profit. However, the author noted something increasingly rare in our capitalist nation: she “only writes when [she] has something to say.” In this novel, Collins made that clear by centering the plot around propaganda and misinformation, discussing the importance of who controls the narrative. In a world where news comes from one large and corrupt source, how do we know what’s real? 

The opening chapter of “Sunrise on the Reaping” starts this message off strong by throwing readers for a loop, showing Haymitch being illegally reaped as the entire ordeal was wiped from media broadcasts. This trend continues as Haymitch’s rebellious actions (and his consecutive punishments by the Capitol) are wiped from official recordings, only showing the public what the Capitol wanted them to see. The events and themes present throughout the novel are a clear reflection of censorship and propaganda present in our world today, enabled by the prevalence and bias of the media. 

Complete with well-developed characters, an exciting plot line and themes relevant to today’s world, the newest addition to The Hunger Games universe is a moving novel that I feel lucky to have read. And there’s more to come: the movie adaptation of “Sunrise on the Reaping” is set to release in November of 2026, which will doubtlessly spread Collins’ message far beyond readers and into the broader world.