Review by Booklist Review
Suzanne Collins, what a lore-driven menace you are. Readers are pulled back into the highly acclaimed world of The Hunger Games, as this prequel focuses primarily on the backstory of the gruff, alcoholic mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, and his participation in the Second Quarter Quell, the fiftieth anniversary of the Games. Haymitch is unfairly reaped into the Games (which feature double the tributes) after he tries to protect his girlfriend, Lenore Dove, from the mayhem that ensued during the District 12 reaping ceremony. From there, chaotic game prep ensues--from chariot accidents and dead tributes to intoxicated, useless stylists to a plot to destroy the arena from the inside. The propulsive story features several nods to characters in the original trilogy and connections that shine a new light on how Haymitch's games influenced his choices as an adult mentor. Collins is unafraid to pose a scathing commentary on the active efforts of a propaganda machine, showing in real time how narratives are reworked to serve the Capitol's agenda, help President Snow maintain his sickly grip on the Districts, and keep the Hunger Games alive. Haymitch is presented as a well-rounded, thoughtful character who struggles similarly in circumstance to Katniss; he's thrust into a rebellion but struggling with the seemingly fruitless nature of it under tyrannical authoritarianism. Raw, shocking, and deeply bittersweet, Haymitch's backstory pulls the pieces of the Hunger Games universe together with ease.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Collins has mentioned in past interviews that she would not return to this series unless she had something to say--and she has a lot to say. Order multiple copies.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Set 40 years after the events of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, this heart-wrenching novel from Collins centers a 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy and his role in the climactic 50th Hunger Games. Though readers will know him as Katniss and Peeta's ill-tempered, alcohol-dependent mentor during the 74th games, young Haymitch is a sweet-natured, responsible teen working hard to support his widowed mother and younger brother. In his free time, he attends to his sweetheart, Lenore Dove, a singer with a rebellious streak, who is one of the Covey, a group of formerly itinerant musicians. Then Haymitch is selected to compete in the second-ever Quarter Quell. His mother's parting words--"Don't let them paint their posters with your blood"--become his North Star as he balances the necessity of performing for the Games with maintaining his integrity and morality. As the Quarter Quell commences, Collins utilizes searing, precise language to vividly depict what each party--the tributes, the Capitol, and the districts at large--stands to lose and how these Games' aftermath will come to shape the events of the original trilogy. Excerpts from Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven"--peppered throughout Haymitch's first-person narration--heighten the story's emotional resonance. It's a brutal tale of compassion and rage, and a frank examination of propaganda and tragedy, that will satisfy longtime series fans and newcomers alike. Ages 12--up. (Mar.)Correction: The text of this review has been updated for clarity.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Horn Book Review
"The upside of being born on reaping day is that you can sleep late on your birthday. It's pretty much downhill from there." This prequel to the original trilogy (The Hunger Games, rev. 9/08, and sequels) features Haymitch Abernathy, whom fans will recognize as the irascible mentor to later District Twelve tributes Katniss and Peeta. The reaping for the annual televised death game's Quarter Quell -- double the number of tributes this time -- takes place on his sixteenth birthday. One of the selected tributes tries to escape and is shot dead; chaos ensues, and Haymitch's efforts to protect his girlfriend, Leonore Dove, result in his being illegally reaped himself. Haymitch gets pulled into the familiar rituals of the Hunger Games, and while readers know quite a bit about the outcome of these Games, Collins successfully leverages that knowledge to surprise us with plot twists, unexpected revelations, and new background information. Haymitch has always been a tragic figure, and his character arc is handled particularly well here. Even more successful than earlier prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (rev. 9/20), this one rises to the level of the trilogy in terms of its examination of the political morality of both nations and individuals, particularly in relation to timely themes of autocracy and disinformation. This new installment should easily satisfy existing fans and bring new ones into the fold. Jonathan HuntJuly/August 2025 p.93 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The Hunger Games twist, destroy, and galvanize another wave of young people in this entry set 24 years before the series opener. Haymitch Abernathy is turning 16, and he'd love nothing more than to spend his birthday with his girlfriend, Lenore Dove. Unfortunately, it's also the reaping day of the Fiftieth Hunger Games and the second Quarter Quell, meaning twice as many tributes will be chosen from each District for the lethal contest. Being torn from everything familiar all at once is only the beginning of Haymitch's tortures: Death and manipulation follow him every step of the way into the Capitol's media circus and through the famed games. Slivers of hope exist--alliances among players, whispers of sabotage--though violence, misery, and encounters with mutated creatures frequently comprise the spoils. This book contains enough lore to stand alone, but returning fans will weave the thoughtfully placed callbacks and returning characters into their understanding of this world's tragic chain of events. By this point, the game masters and audience within Panem have developed a sophisticated understanding of the Hunger Games, and Collins combines many of the best qualities of the series into one book, balancing layers of personal insights, worldbuilding, and danger to form an inescapable whirlwind of suspense and conflict. She makes frequent use of music and poetry, underscoring the enduring power of generational messages. Characters largely present white. A heartbreaking crescendo and another grimly irresistible chapter in the saga of this interlocking series.(Dystopian. 13-adult) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
