The first new Hunger Games book since the 2020 prequel “The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes” has arrived in bookshops. Credit: Jeff Spicer/ PA Wire via TNS
As the United States faces growing political polarization and unrest, the dystopian setting of “The Hunger Games” has taken on new meanings for many readers.
“Sunrise on the Reaping,” published March 18, is the latest installment in author Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games” series. With long-time fans and new readers revisiting the dystopian country of Panem — where children must fight to the death on live TV each year — members of Ohio State’s literary community are discussing the books’ themes and real-world implications.
In May 2020, Collins released her first prequel to the original trilogy, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” The novel delved into the origins of Panem’s feared ruler, Coriolanus Snow, revealing the history that shaped “The Hunger Games” as readers know it.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” continues this creative exploration, focusing on Haymitch Abernathy — the victor of the 50th Hunger Games — and shedding light on how his experiences in the arena impact the series’ future protagonists, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.
Since “The Hunger Games” was released in 2008, the ensuing series has thrived on society’s fascination with dystopian stories, earning widespread acclaim and a devoted fanbase. This excitement continues today, with the #sunriseonthereaping hashtag amassing over 53,000 designated posts on TikTok at the time of publication.
In addition, the franchise’s official Instagram account announced in a Tuesday post that the film adaptation of “Sunrise on the Reaping” will premiere Nov. 20, 2026.
Jared Gardner, director of Ohio State’s popular culture studies program, said Collins released the original trilogy at a politically poignant moment, as the world — particularly the United States — was grappling with the fallout from global financial crises and conflicts.
“She drew most of her inspiration for the plot from the Iraq War, about the lies that the government told, open lies, to justify entrance into that war,” Gardner, also the university’s Joseph V. Denney Designated Professor of English, said. “She’s thinking about post-2001 too, things like the Homeland Security Act.”
Gardner said one of the most prominent cultural influences in the dystopian genre is the “battle royale scenario” — a harsh, government-sanctioned competition in which a group of young people must fight to the death until only one survives. This concept gained rapid popularity following the release of “Battle Royale,” a Japanese dystopian thriller that hit theaters in 2000.
Gardner said this influence is most clearly shown in the series’ power dynamics, which see a single oppressor — President Snow, along with the affluent residents of the Capitol — compel the oppressed population — the poor inhabitants of Panem’s districts — to participate in the annual Hunger Games. In this public event, one girl and one boy from each of the 12 districts are chosen for a life-or-death competition, with only one victor surviving.
“It’s about limited resources in a world where not everyone can succeed,” Gardner said.
Jenna Brittner, a fourth-year in astrophysics and general member of The Bookeye Book Club — a student group that reads novels and discusses their themes during bi-monthly meetings — said after reading “Sunrise on the Reaping,” she personally noticed several parallels between the story’s depiction of propaganda and the idea of censorship in today’s media landscape.
“Propaganda was a huge theme in this book because the Capitol will show the people only the parts of the games that they want the Capitol people to see,” Brittner said. “There were a lot of parts of this book [where] they would cut out on the games because people in the districts were doing something that they didn’t want the Capitol to see.”
Brittner said she believes concerns about free speech on college campuses, particularly in light of many universities making substantial cuts to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, are reflected in the characters’ struggles in Panem.
“We can say anything we want, but that doesn’t always mean it won’t be censored — like wanting to speak up against things, but then knowing that you could be punished for it,” Brittner said.
Moreover, Brittner said many fans on social media hold the opinion that Collins only releases new books when she wants to comment on current politics, especially when it comes to censorship and propaganda.
“I’ve seen on Twitter that people will say, ‘Suzanne Collins only writes a book when she has something to say,’” Brittner said. “I think, also, she wrote all her books in recessions. They’re always really relevant.”
Jorja Meere, a third-year in psychology and member of The Bookeye Book Club, said she believes the widespread interest in the trilogy is driven by Collins’ ability to skillfully convey social messages through the plot.
Meere said for Collins, the details are crucial, as each district in “The Hunger Games” can symbolize a different aspect of societal inequality. More specifically, she said each district represents a specific class or resource; for instance, Districts one and two highlight the privileged and esteemed military class, while Districts 11 and 12 emphasize exploited labor.
Together, Meere said the districts illustrate the stark divisions of wealth, power and oppression that exist in Panem.
“I feel like Suzanne Collins has a crazy and intelligent way of communicating messages — all the different districts represent something,” Meere said. “And you can connect the rebellion to real life, like people fighting against the government and overthrowing them. I feel like it just resonates a lot with what’s going on in society.”
Brittner said, for her, one of the most fascinating aspects of dystopian books is how their plots are set in the future of the readers’ current world.
“Fantasy books have this sort of disconnect, but dystopian books take place in our world,” Brittner said. “They serve as a cautionary tale of what can happen if power gets in the hands of the wrong people, or if we start treating people wrong.”
Gardner said he would often ask his students why they were interested in studying dystopian stories and apocalyptic scenarios. Many students responded that they saw reading dystopian fiction as a way to practice survival, he said.
“The recurring answer was, ‘We want practice,’” Gardner said. “It helps us imagine that we could survive an apocalyptic scenario. Even if most dystopian plots aren’t fundamentally optimistic, it gives us hope that our future can be different.”
Meere said now more than ever, society is clinging to “The Hunger Games” franchise because it gives people hope for a better world.
“Even if the world is chaotic, we can come to this story, and even though it is depressing, there’s freedom for people in the end,” Meere said.
