Chapter 25 of Sunrise on the Reaping sees Haymitch recover in the aftermath of his Hunger Games before attending his Victor Ceremony. This chapter will firstly summarise the events of Chapter 25 before going into a review and discussion on the chapter.

FYI: This review is part of a series where I review one chapter of Sunrise on the Reaping at a time. Each chapter review is written before I have read the next chapter which means this review is spoiler-free for anything that happens after Chapter 25!

What Happens in Sunrise on the Reaping Chapter 25?

1/3: Haymitch Recovers In His Tribute Apartment

The chapter picks up with Haymitch going in and out of consciousness as he recovers from his near-fatal injuries in a Capitol lab. He eventually awakens in the tribute apartment he had lived during the days leading up to the games with his fellow District 12 tributes.

Nobody is around and escape is not possible. He finds rolls and milk in the fridge. Days pass and Haymitch spends his days eating the rolls with milk, taking baths and watching the TV which continues to mostly show gory highlights from previous early Hunger Games.  

One evening, Haymitch hears Lucy Gray singing her ballad and sees rare footage of her (with a mystery man off screen) which has been hidden from viewing. Haymitch pieces together Snow’s knowledge of the covey from his meeting with him in Plutarch’s library and the possibility that he would have been a mentor around the year of the covey girl’s Hunger Games. He determines that the man is in fact President Snow.

Haymitch ‘loses it’ and begins smashing a chair into a window when he realises the likelihood of Snow’s personal vendetta for the covey meaning he will have likely (or at least plans to) hurt Lenore Dove.

2/3: Haymitch Gets Ready For His Victor Ceremony (With The Help of Effie)

It is at this moment that Haymitch is stopped by two Peacekeepers who fire their weapons above his head. Haymitch’s prep team are with the Peacekeepers and they begin preparing Haymitch for the Victor’s ceremony.

Haymitch and Effie have a conversation where she expresses her sympathy for him, which Haymitch appreciates. However, this appreciation is shortly lived as she goes on to say that the games are for the greater good… which completely loses Haymitch.

3/3: Haymitch Attends His Victor Ceremony

Haymitch arrives at the victor ceremony and is greeted with applause. The audience love him. He spots Mags and Wiress who have seemingly been tortured for their involvement in Beetee’s plot as they are in a poor condition.

A highly-edited recap of the games is shown and Haymitch notices an array of changes made to create an alternative narrative. These changes include hiding his time with Ampert and Lou Lou in the arena as well as hiding the murders of the Game Makers.

It is revealed at the end of the recap, as the camera pans out, that the arena looks like an eye.

The time comes for Haymitch to be crowned a victor and President Snow makes his way to Haymitch on stage. The chapter closes out with Haymitch telling Snow “I guess Snow lands on top.” To which President Snow replies “Enjoy your homecoming” with a smile.

Review – Is Sunrise on the Reaping Chapter 25 Good?

Yes! This chapter masterfully utilises the heightened tensions of Haymitch and the reader’s desperation to find out what has been happening outside the arena and what will now happen in the aftermath of the games. 

The chapter details a realistic recovery timeline for Haymitch. It offers the reader somewhat of a break after the action-packed events which took place at the end of the games.

Haymitch seeing Lucy Gray and piecing together her connection to Snow made for a very interesting moment.

The Victor ceremony made for a very dramatic scene and is something I think will translate really well on screen in the movie. Snow’s closing line to Haymitch was chilling and builds a lot of intrigue for the upcoming homecoming he tells Haymitch to enjoy. 😞

Discussion – What Might Snow’s ‘Homecoming’ For Haymitch Entail?

We will likely find this out in the next chapter.

The fates of Lenore Dove, Haymitch’s mom and his brother are the main point of concern for Haymitch’s homecoming. Signs point to Lenore Dove’s potential death or disappearance (like Lucy Gray 👀) but the fate of his family could really go either way.

It would be interesting to see Haymitch meet the family members of his fellow District 12 tributes, particularly Merrilee (Maysilee’s twin), so hopefully we will get to see that.

We know what awaits Haymitch is only going to be the ‘cherry on top’ of the mountain load of trauma he has already experienced in the games and will help to send him down his path of alcoholism which we see in the original The Hunger Games trilogy. To sum it up: It’s not looking good for Haymitch and there may be a reason why Snow spared Haymitch of a mutt attack. 😫

What Are Your Thoughts on Chapter 25?

What did you think of Haymitch’s recovery and Victor Ceremony? Let me know in the comments below!