Sunrise on the Reaping

It's a prequel, right? You know some details already, you know the fate of the characters, you pretty much know how it's going to end. You shouldn't care THIS much, and yet Suzanne Collins makes you care anyway. Makes you root for them, as if it made any sense. As you read and know things are about to go very, very badly, a part of you stupidly hopes things will go differently. Which is ironic, for a book that talks about how hope can be dangerous.

I loved this story with all my being. I never thought the world of The Hunger Games and its characters could still pique my interest so much, and hit me so hard, after fifteen years since I read the original trilogy. Haymitch's story is so tragic, starting from the reaping itself. I am glad he stayed alive to witness and participate in the rebellion with Katniss and the rest, even if it hurts to think it took another 25 years (25 years of him having to mentor - to their death, as he says - kids reaped on his birthday).

Snow, I hate you like all-fucking-fire.