(So much for getting this out day of… 😏🙃)
https://www.today.com/popculture/books/sunrise-on-the-reaping-hunger-games-cover-plot-rcna175075
Alright, here it is! And there’s the article so you can read it yourself.
Tada! Here is the new book cover!
😍 I love the purple and can’t wait to see how the symbol takes on meaning as the story unfolds. I also really like the concept brought up in the article about how two opposing views can stem from the same idea. (Don’t worry, I’m not going to take you down a Russian and American history rabbit trail. 😅) So I’m eager to see how it ties into Haymitch’s story in particular.
And, yes, the article confirms that Haymitch is the protagonist. Not going to lie, I’m a tad bummed. I was really hoping for something a little more outside the box, and like Haymitch would play more of a minor but significant role, much like Lucy Gray does in Ballad. But hey, getting to be inside Haymitch’s head, whether that be third person or first, will definitely be a treat! Not to mention getting to see how much he really is like the man we’ve come to know in Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Or I guess a better way to put it is how much have the Games really changed him. Alcoholism aside. 😅
Actually, let's talk about some of that now! What have Catching Fire and Mockingjay already told us about Haymitch and the Quarter Quell? And what differences can we already spot between that and this new article? (SPOILER ALERT!!🚨)
- Alright, we know Snow is President, and as Katniss puts it, “he looks younger but just as repellent.” Kind of curious if they’ll bring Tom Blythe back for his role in the film, and age him ALOT. 🤔😂 But knowing Francis Lawrence, I’m sure he already has an actor in mind for the middle-aged-approaching-senior President.
- Effie was not District 12’s chaperone.
- Maysilee Donner, a girl from the Seam, is both Katniss’ mother’s friend and Madge’s aunt, and the previous owner of the infamous mockingjay pin. Some of this information we know from Peeta’s father. And if this is the “sister like” friend Haymitch refers to in the new book synopsis, then I think there’s a high chance we may learn more about both the Everdeens and Mellarks (I keeping my fingers crossed here, because I want to know more about Peeta’s family involvement in the world of Panem. 😜😆🥰)
- Haymitch is “Young. Strong. Hard to admit, but he was something of a looker. His hair dark and curly, those gray Seam eyes bright, and even then, dangerous.” It’ll be interesting to see if the actor matches this description, or if they try to match Woody Harrelson’s look.
- Caesar Flickerman is here! And not going to lie, if they can bring back Stanley Tucci for the role I’ll be on cloud nine. 🤪
- Haymitch has some ’tude. But is it real or just strategy? I’m also curious if there is an “unofficial” mentor for District 12? Or like if the Stylists fill the roll? You know like Cinna? Or does District 12 suffer through everything knowing they’ll never get sponsored? 🤔
- The Quell arena is breathtakingly beautiful, but deadly. Only rainwater and food from the Cornucopia are safe to consume.
- Haymitch is decisive and resourceful. He gathers supplies and hides before most of the tributes have stepped off their plates. Though he encounters carnivorous squirrels and stinging butterflies in the woods, he keeps pressing on away from the mountains where the Career pack is hunting.
- Maysilee Donner is also resourceful, turning her small backpack of supplies into a deadly blowgun.
- Volcano!!
- Haymitch encounters a group of Careers and valiantly takes out two of the three. Maysilee saves him from certain death and then they become allies. Which is reminiscent of Peeta and Katniss, because the two of them do better together and keep each other alive.
- Haymitch is determined to reach the edge of the arena to find something of use. And when the two of them reach it, it’s kind of a let down. At least for Maysilee, who decides to leave Haymitch there at the the cliff.
- Haymitch discovers the forcefield will rickashay objects.
- Maysilee is attacked and killed by candy pink birds, and Haymitch is by her side until she breathes her last, which reminds Katniss of her inability to save Rue in time.
- The final battle between the final two Tributes is “bloody and awful.” Haymitch makes a beeline for the cliff, and the District 1 girl throws the ax over the side of the cliff, which of course comes back to take her out and leads to Haymitch’s victory. And not a moment to soon, or we might have had a Victorless game. 😏
- Katniss works out that rickashay trick was Haymitch’s weapon against the Capitol, and we already know from Ballad how much President Snow hates what he can’t control. Or anyone making the Capitol look weak and stupid.
- And then from Mockingjay, we find out that Haymitch was sixteen when he went into the games, and that he fought to get back to his loved ones, one of them being “his girl.” He also notes that they were all gone two weeks after he returned home a Victor.
- Finally from the article, we get confirmation that Haymitch is indeed in love with a girl and looking forward to spending the evening with her, but that dream is shattered by the Reaping. We learn about his thoughts of his fellow Tributes from 12, but not entirely sure which is Maysilee Donner. And that Haymitch feels like he was set up to fail, which is what fuels his desire to be remembered beyond the arena. Which makes me curious, why does he feel singled out? 🧐 Has President Snow disadvantaged 12 since the 10th games and is wary of anyone who “stands out” from there? Or is there something about Haymitch that reminds President Snow of Lucy Gray? 🤔
I can’t wait to read it!
And yes, of course, I’ll be doing my own book analysis of it next year, so tuned for that. 😉
Until next time, and may the odds be ever in your favor.