Chapter 18 is the final chapter of Sunrise on the Reaping Part 2 and sees Beetee’s plan to explode the water tank finally be brought to fruition by Haymitch. This review will firstly summarise what happened in this chapter (the summary for this one is on the longer side as A LOT happens in this chapter) and then go into a review/discussion on the chapter.

FYI: This review is part of a series where I review one chapter of Sunrise on the Reaping each day as I read along.

What Happens in Chapter 18 of Sunrise on the Reaping?

1/3 Haymitch Carries Out Beetee’s Plan

The chapter picks up with Haymitch and Ampert breaking open the mutt portal. The portal contains a ladder down which Haymitch takes while Ampert stays guard above ground.

Haymitch realises that his wall next to him is in fact a gigantic water tank. He lights his explosive and runs, counting the time he has before his explosive goes off. He reaches the ladder and spots Ampert before he starts climbing. 

Haymitch then sees a swirl of colour as bat mutts with ‘transparent wings tinted every color of the rainbow’ begin to claw at him. Ampert throws down a torch to help him fight them off but they continue to find their way around the flame.

Haymitch continues to try and climb before he takes one last swing at the mutts then braces for the impending flood. The tank explodes and the flood begins, completely submerging Haymitch in water.

Eventually the current calms and Haymitch manages to make his way back out the mutt portal and it appears the mutts that had been attacking him have been drowned.

2/3 Haymitch Finds Ampert

Haymitch is confused to find that Ampert has abandoned his post. He then follows the sound of ‘chattering’. Haymitch stumbles across an army of mutated squirrel-like creatures. He realises that they are attacking Ampert and as part of his promise to Beetee to look out for his son, he dives at the mutts.

They do not attack Haymitch in anyway suggesting that they have been designed to attack Ampert specifically. Haymitch desperately tries to fight them off before they all stop on cue and scurry off. They leave behind Ampert’s skeleton.

At the sight of Ampert’s bones, a wave of rage surges into Haymitch. He begins trying to chop a way at the arena before he feels the ground start to shake.

3/3 The Arena Starts to Malfunction

The arena starts malfunctioning all at once, forming a nightmare-esque scene as the sky flickers, deers run around crazily, the mutt portal door frantically opening and closing and trees beginning to spark.

When the sky ‘switches off’ and the real sky appears, Haymitch hysterically cheers and sings as he believes victory is now his. He has destroyed the arena… or so he thought.

The sky switches to pitch-black and the arena sky flickers back into focus. The chapter closes out with Haymitch seeing the far off mountain erupt with lethal gold.

Review – Is Chapter 18 of Sunrise on the Reaping Good?

Yes! This chapter is one of the most intense I have ever read. The chapter takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions from fearful to sad to happy and back to fearful. 

Seeing the plan finally come to fruition was very satisfying to see. Haymitch’s struggle to escape out the mutt portal made for a very suspenseful scene. Just when you think he has escaped tragedy, he realises Ampert is missing. We then witness one of the most gory and saddening deaths of the entirety of The Hunger Games franchise.

A moment of joy is suddenly found as Haymitch sees the arena malfunction and feels a sense of pride in being able to carry out Beetee’s plan. Of course, this is very shortly lived and we are immediately filled with a sense of dread as the arena’s sky switches back.

The closing image of Haymitch looking out  at the eruption is perhaps the most suspenseful cliffhanger of the book so far.

Discussion – What did you think of Part 2 overall?

The lead up to the games remained consistently interesting and did a really great job at building suspense for the games.

The games themself have felt both very realistic while also very dramatic at the same time. Nothing is ever as expected which is what makes it so interesting to read.

Each chapter reads like a movie in the best way. The scenes which unfold in training and within the arena are something I can’t wait to see adapted in the movie. There are so many deaths within the last few chapters of Part 2 yet it is still written in a way which makes each one as equally impactful and important.

This final chapter of Part 2 in particular, is sure to be a highlight of the film and is quite literally perfection in both the story being told and the way in which the story is being told. 

What are your thoughts?

That wraps up my thoughts on Chapter 18! Was this one of your favourite chapters too and what did you think of Part 2 overall? Let me know in the comments below!