The Hunger Games is set in Panem, formely North America. War, extreme weather and famine plagued the nation and the result was Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by thirteen districts. With growing unrest came the Dark Days, a rebellion against the Capitol which saw the thirteenth district completely destroyed. As punishment for the uprising, every year each district must send one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to compete in The Hunger Games - a televised event in which the 24 tributes are forced to kill each other until just one remains.
The book opens on the morn of the reaping, a lottery to select the tributes that will compete in the dreaded Hunger Games and is written in the persepecive of Katniss Everdeen, a fatherless 16 year old girl from District 12. When her younger sister, Prim, is picked, Katniss volunteers to take her place. Joining her from District 12, is Peeta Mellark - who once gave a starving Katniss some bread; saving her life.
Katniss and Peeta are taken to the Capitol, along with their drunken mentor, Haymitch. Upon arriving, they meet the other tributes and show off their skills in front of the Gamemakers before being presented to the Capitol audience. During their televised interview, Peeta reveals his love for Katniss. Katniss is unsure whether these are his true feelings or whether it is simply a ploy to gain sponsors to help their survival in the Games.
The first day of the Hunger Games is particularly brutal with 11 tributes dying. Both Katniss, with her skills in hunting and Peeta, with his strength, survive the first day. As the games continue, the number of survivers wittles down further.
Thanks to the Peeta's decleration of love for Katniss before The Hunger Games, the Gamemakers announce a rare rule change, stating that if the last two tributes to survive are from the same district, they can both be crowned victors. Upon hearing this, Katniss looks for Peeta, only to find him severly wounded. She nurses him back to health and the two play the role of "star crossed lovers" to get gifts from sponsors.
As the remaining tributes fight it out, Katiss and Peeta are the last two remaining. In a cruel twist, the Gamemakers revoke the rule change and announce that there can only be one winner. Thinking quickly, Peeta and Katniss instead decide to commit suicide. As they are about to follow through with the act, the Gamemakers announce that they have both won The 74th Hunger Games. They would rather have two winners than none.
Katniss and Peeta return home to District 12 where they are lavished in praise and gifts. She cannot rest easily though, as her actions in the Games were rebellious and could come with serious repercusions.
Upon surviving the Games, Katniss reveals to a heartbroken Peeta that she is unsure of her feelings and that their relationship during the Games was simply tactical in order to gain sympathy from the viewers.
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