The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games, Book 1

On the day of the drafting, where competitors are selected to participate in a lethal contest, teenager Katniss Everdeen awakens with her mother and younger sister, Prim, nearby. Her father had perished years prior in a mining accident. She spends her morning hunting in the surrounding forest with her best friend, Gale. That evening, during the drafting ceremony, the mayor recounts the story of how the existing governments of North America crumbled, paving the way for the rise of Panem. Following a brutal war between the Capitol and the districts, the Capitol emerged victorious. As a cruel reminder of their power, the Capitol hosts a deadly competition each year. The mayor then introduces the drunken Haymitch Abernathy, the sole survivor from their district who won the competition in the past. 

Shockingly, Prim is chosen as the female competitor, but Katniss immediately offers herself as a substitute. The male competitor chosen is Peeta Mellark, who Katniss remembers as the boy who once gave her bread from his family's bakery when she was starving. After bidding farewell to their loved ones, Katniss and Peeta depart for the Capitol, persuading their mentor Haymitch, a former winner responsible for procuring gifts from sponsors, to take his duties seriously. Once there, they meet their stylist, Cinna, and stun the audience at the opening ceremony with their fiery black outfits. Following group training and an interview where Peeta confesses his long-time crush on Katniss, they are thrust into the competition.

Katniss spends her first day hiding and avoiding confrontation, as advised by Haymitch. When she discovers Peeta has aligned himself with a dangerous group of competitors, she is shocked and confused. With the aid of a new ally, Rue, she manages to destroy the group's supplies, which leads to Rue's death. A rule change allows two competitors from the same district to be declared winners, which brightens Katniss's spirits as she finds a severely injured Peeta and nurses him back to health. As the competition heats up, they play up their romance for the audience and manage to outsmart the remaining competitors to be the last two standing. Just as they're about to be crowned winners, the rules change once again, stating there can only be one winner. Rather than kill each other, they decide to commit suicide by eating poisonous berries. This forces the game makers to proclaim them both winners. After the competition, they return to their district. However, Katniss's defiance of the Capitol puts her in danger and she must convince everyone that her actions were driven by love and desperation rather than rebellion.

The Hunger Games Books in Order (4 Book Series)

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games, Book 1

Catching Fire

The Hunger Games, Book 2

Mockingjay

The Hunger Games, Book 3

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

The Hunger Games, Book 4

What To Read Next

The Hunger Games Books in Order (4 Book Series)

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games, Book 1

Catching Fire

The Hunger Games, Book 2

Mockingjay

The Hunger Games, Book 3

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

The Hunger Games, Book 4

What To Read Next

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