“The Hunger Games” is a novel set in the dystopian future of Panem, a nation that arose from the ruins of North America. The Capitol, a technologically advanced city, rules over the surrounding twelve districts with an iron fist. As a form of control and punishment for a past rebellion, the Capitol annually forces each district to send one boy and one girl, called tributes, to compete in the Hunger Games—a televised fight to the death.The story is narrated by 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen from District 12, the poorest of all districts. On the day of the reaping, when tributes are selected, Katniss’s younger sister Prim is chosen. In a desperate act to save her, Katniss volunteers to take Prim’s place. The male tribute chosen is Peeta Mellark, a boy with whom Katniss has a complicated history involving a life-saving loaf of bread.Katniss and Peeta are whisked away to the Capitol, where they are styled and trained for the brutal Games. During the opening ceremony, they make a memorable impression with their fiery outfits, and Katniss earns the nickname “the girl on fire.” In the days leading up to the Games, they navigate a series of interviews and training sessions, where Peeta reveals his long-standing affection for Katniss, further complicating their relationship.The Games begin with the tributes being transported into the arena. Katniss’s survival skills are put to the test as she faces not only the other tributes but also the engineered dangers of the arena. She forms an alliance with Rue, a young tribute from District 11, but after Rue’s tragic death, Katniss is determined to survive and subvert the Capitol’s oppressive rule.The climax of the Games arrives when only Katniss and Peeta remain. Refusing to kill each other, they decide to eat poisonous berries, forcing the Capitol to intervene and declare them both winners to avoid losing the Games’ victors. Their act of defiance sparks a glimmer of rebellion across the districts, setting the stage for a larger conflict with the Capitol.