The Hunger Games (Book)

***The Hunger Games*** is a 2008 dystopian novel by the American writer Suzanne Collins. It is written in the voice of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in the future, post-apocalyptic nation of Panem in North America.

*The Hunger Games* takes place in a nation known as Panem, established in North America after the destruction of the continent's civilization by an unknown apocalyptic event. The nation consists of the wealthy Capitol and twelve surrounding, poorer districts under the Capitol's dictatorial control. The Capitol exploits the districts for their natural resources and cheap labour.[5] District 12 is in the coal-rich region that was once Appalachia, while the Capitol is in the Rocky Mountains.[6]

As punishment for a past rebellion against the Capitol, one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district are selected by an annual lottery to participate in the Hunger Games, a contest in which the "tributes" must fight to the death in an outdoor arena until only one remains. The event is televised.

The story is narrated by 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, a girl from District 12 who volunteers for the 74th Hunger Games in place of her 12-year-old sister, Primrose. The male tribute is Peeta Mellark, a former schoolmate of Katniss who once gave her bread from his family's bakery when her family was starving.

Katniss and Peeta are taken to the Capitol. In the few days before the Games start, they are advised and supported by a team consisting of their drunken mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, the sole living District 12 victor of the Hunger Games; Effie Trinket; and two fashion stylists and three prep workers who help each tribute look his or her best. Katniss's stylist, Cinna, is the only person at the Capitol she considers a friend. They are also introduced to the general public, given some training, and evaluated by the Gamemakers. Katniss and, to a lesser extent, Peeta set themselves apart from the other tributes. Rue, the petite 12-year-old girl tribute from District 11, takes to following them around.

Each tribute is interviewed on television by Caesar Flickerman; they use the opportunity to try to obtain "sponsors", who can send them potentially life-saving gifts during the Games. In his interview, Peeta reveals his longtime unrequited love for Katniss. At first, Katniss believes this is simply a ploy to gain sponsors and make her let her guard down. (Much later, she comes to accept he is sincere.) Haymitch promotes their image as "star-crossed lovers".

Nearly half the tributes are killed in the first day of the Games, fighting over the weapons and supplies strewn around their starting point. Katniss nearly dies, ignoring Haymitch's advice to flee immediately. She uses her well-practiced hunting and survival skills to hide in the woods. A few days later, an artificial fire drives Katniss toward the others. She is spotted and treed by the "Careers" (tributes from the richer, loyal districts who have trained intensively for the Games) ... and Peeta, who seems to have allied with them. Rue is hiding in a nearby tree. Silently, she directs Katniss's attention to a tracker jacker nest. Katniss saws through the branch holding the nest, sending it plummeting down. The venom of the flying insects kills one girl and drives the others away. However, Katniss is stung herself and begins hallucinating. Peeta returns, but instead of killing her, he tells her to run away.

She and Rue become allies and friends, but Rue is later fatally wounded by another tribute, whom Katniss kills with an arrow. Katniss sings to Rue until she dies and spreads flowers over the body to show her defiance against the Capitol. In an unprecedented move, Rue's district sends Katniss a gift of bread.

Then a rule change is announced, allowing the tributes from the same district to win as a couple. Katniss finds and nurses a seriously wounded Peeta, while continuing to act the part of a girl in love to gain gifts. When the Gamemakers announce that what each contestant needs most will be provided at a feast, Katniss risks her life to obtain medicine for Peeta. She is pinned to the ground by Clove, who gloats about Rue while toying with the helpless Katniss. That talk costs Clove her life, however; Thresh, the male District 11 tribute, kills her, but spares Katniss - once - for Rue's sake. The medicine saves Peeta's life.

Finally, Katniss and Peeta are the last two survivors, but the Gamemakers cancel the rule change in an attempt to force them into a dramatic finale, in which one must kill the other. Instead, Katniss defiantly retrieves highly poisonous "nightlock" berries and offers half to Peeta. Realizing that Katniss and Peeta intend to commit suicide, the Gamemakers announce that they are the victors of the 74th Hunger Games.

Although she receives a hero's welcome, Katniss is warned by Haymitch that she has now become a target after defying the Capitol so publicly. Afterward, Peeta is heartbroken when he learns that her actions in the arena were part of a calculated ploy to gain sympathy from the audience. However, Katniss is unsure of her own feelings.