The Ballad of Singbirds and Snakes

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Coriolanus Snow is still reeling from his family’s fall from grace. His mother is dead and his father died in the war. Their fortune, all tied up to weapons development in District 13, was wiped out along with it. All that’s left is their penthouse which he shares with the Grandma’am as well as his cousin Tigris, who is working non-stop to support his education. And so he has to juggle his studies and keeping up appearances to hide their real situation from his wealthy classmates. In this year’s 10th Hunger Games, head gamemaker Dr. Voulumnia Gaul has decided to involve students in the process as mentors, one for each of the 24 tributes. Snow is assigned the female tribute from District 12. Lucy Gray Baird claims she is not really from that district because she belongs to a group of traveling musicians called The Covey. Together, the two form an alliance so they could win the Hunger Games: she, for her life; he, for the prize money and university scholarship.

Mockingjay

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Katniss visits what is left of District 12. She learns after her recovery that the Capitol carpet bombed her district and only a few hundreds escaped and were led by Gale toward the meadow where they were all picked up by District 13’s hoverplanes. Katniss meets Alma Coin, president of the resistance based in 13 who is now working with Plutarch Heavensbee in a full-scale uprising against President Snow. Katniss accepts the offer to be the Mockingjay, the face of the uprising, figuring in plenty of propos meant to incite rebellion at the districts. The problem is that Peeta and Johanna were captured and Snow does not hesitate to torture them to send a message. And so Katniss decides to maximize her newfound influence to bargain with Coin with regard to the fate of the other Tributes after the war is over. If they win, that is.

Catching Fire

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Life as victors of the 74th Hunger Games has been a dream for Katniss and Peeta as they both get a new house as part of their prizes. The abundance of money also means not going hungry anymore and still having something extra to give to those in need. However, the stunt that Katniss pulled with the berries is not without consequence, and she now finds herself being constantly threatened by President Snow. As retribution, the Capitol announces that the 75th Hunger Games, which happens to be the Third Quarter Quell, will involve tributes from the pool of existing victors. A boy and a girl for each district, which means Katniss has no way out. Haymitch’s name is drawn, but Peeta immediately volunteers. And so the duo find themselves back in the arena, this time with a roster of more vicious and experienced career tributes from the previous editions of the games. Who will get out alive?

The Hunger Games

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What remains of post-apocalyptic North America is now called Panem, a country with 12 districts. 13, if you count the ruins of one that rebelled and was quelled by the Capitol. As a constant reminder of what rebellion entails, the Capitol decided to inaugurate what they refer to as The Hunger Games. Each year, all districts are required to send two tributes, a boy and a girl determined by lottery, to fight to the death against other contenders. 24 in total, only one victor. This year marks the 74th year of the games and Primrose Everdeen’s name is drawn in her first year of eligibility at District 12. Her older sister Katniss volunteers as tribute, taking her place. A boy named Peeta Mellark, a baker’s son, completes the pair. As they are transported to the Capitol, they are trained by Haymitch Abernathy, a drunkard who has been District 12’s only victor so far.