The Premise: It’s the second prequel to The Hunger Games series. This time, we are following Haymitch Abernathy, the victor of the Quarter Quell, where the number of tributes were twice the usual. We knew he won, but at what price?

The “Sleepy Scale” Verdict: ☕ (Wide Awake)

• Why it fits: This could have been ⚡(Electric) but I did slow down in the middle. I didn’t know the backstory but I knew the outcome. So, that could be the reason why I put it aside for weeks. But when I picked it up again, I did not want to put it down. I had to pace myself though. Since I’m also watching TV Series.
• The Pace: If you have read The Hunger Games series, the pace is similar here. The moment we get into The Arena, it’s just fast-paced from that scene onwards. Prior to that, Suzanne Collins was building up the story – family in The Seam, relationships, friendships, etc. Something you may be familiar with in The Hunger Games with Katniss.

✨ What Kept Me Awake:

• The Covey: If you read (or watch) The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, you know the story of Coriolanus Snow and Lucy Gray, the victor of the 10th Hunger Games. Lucy Gray was of the Covey family so we knew of them already. This book has more story of the Covey but now, years had passed since then and things changed a lot for them after Lucy Gray’s disappearance.
• Haymitch Abernathy: We knew of him as that drunkard mentor, whom got lucky that Katniss (and Peeta) were both strong-willed and hard-headed. But what made him that way? He was a compelling character even in The Hunger Games series so having a book just for him made complete sense.
• The Rebel: I’m revealing a bit here but if you think that the rebel started from Katniss, you can remove that thought with this book. The fire had been kindling, the districts had been in unrest. It just took a girl on fire to build that.

🌙 The “Deep Dive” (Spoilers!)

• Inside The Arena: What we knew of the Quarter Quell was from the POV of Katniss and Peeta when they were watching it. There was more than meets the eye. The number of things we didn’t know, such as Haymitch being part of The Rebel. They had a plan to blow it all up. And how Plutarch, Beetee, Mags and Wiress were all there from the start.
• The Ending: I was trying not to cry while finishing the book in a cafe. I can understand why Haymitch was the way he was. I would have broke too. He wasn’t able to live with himself for decades and decades. He wanted to off himself every single day. Until Katniss gave that hope that what he promised his loved one would eventually come true. And that’s when he was able to live with himself. Now that I finished it, I can see why Haymitch understood Peeta and what Peeta went through. It was similar.

Stay awake with me,
Siti