The Hunger Games is a young adult
novel written by Suzanne Collins. It was first published on
September 14, 2008, by Scholastic, in hardcover. It is written in
the voice of sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in a
post-apocalyptic world in the country of Panem where the countries
of North America once existed. The Capitol, a highly advanced
metropolis, holds absolute power over the rest of the nation. The
Hunger Games are an annual event in which one boy and one girl aged
12 to 18 from each of the 12 districts surrounding the Capitol are
selected by lottery to compete in a televised battle in which only
one person can survive.
The book has been released as a paperback and also an audiobook and
e-book. The Hunger Games had an initial print of 200,000 – twice
doubled from the original 50,000. Since its initial release, the
novel has been translated into 26 different languages and rights of
production have been sold in 38 countries. The book received mostly
positive reviews from major reviewers and authors. The Hunger Games
is the first novel in The Hunger Games trilogy, followed by Catching
Fire, published on September 1, 2009, and Mockingjay, published on
August 24, 2010.
A film adaptation, co-written and
co-produced by Collins herself and directed by Gary Ross, was released
worldwide on March 23, 2012. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss,
Josh Hutcherson as Peeta, and Liam Hemsworth as Gale.
Hunger Games Trailer
Hunger Games Cast
Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen
Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark
Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy
Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket
Lenny Kravitz as Cinna
Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne
Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman
Donald Sutherland as President Coriolanus Snow
Wes Bentley as Seneca Crane
Toby Jones as Claudius Templesmith
Alexander Ludwig as Cato
Isabelle Fuhrman as Clove
Paula Malcomson as Mrs. Everdeen
Willow Shields as Primrose Everdeen
Jacqueline Emerson as Foxface
Dayo Okeniyi as Thresh
Amandla Stenberg as Rue
Jack Quaid as Marvel
Leven Rambin as Glimmer
Box office
On March 22, 2012, The Hunger Games broke records for advanced
ticket sales on Fandango. The sales were reported to be 83
percent of the site's totals, toppling the previous
record-holder, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, which set a record on
May 14, 2010. In the week leading up to its release, the film
sold-out 4,300 showings via Fandango and MovieTickets.com The
film earned $19.7 million in midnight showings, which was the
highest midnight gross ever for a non-sequel film and the
seventh highest midnight gross of all-time. It also set a record
for the highest single day gross for a non-sequel film, breaking
Alice in Wonderland's record ($40.8 million), and fifth all-time
single day gross. On its opening weekend, it earned $155
million, topping Alice in Wonderland's records ($116.1 million)
for the highest weekend debut of a film released in March, of a
non-sequel, and of any spring release.The film also earned a
$59.25 million debut internationally. Its domestic opening
weekend was the largest for any film released outside July, of a
non-sequel, and the third-largest opening weekend of all time
behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 ($169.2
million) and The Dark Knight ($158.4 million)
Katniss Everdeen is the 16-year-old protagonist. She
lives in a region of District 12 known as the Seam, which is the
poorest area of the district. She lives with her mother and
sister, Primrose, whom she calls simply "Prim". Her father died
before the beginning of the story in a mining accident. She is
described as having dark hair, olive skin, and gray eyes. She is
best friends with Gale Hawthorne. She makes a living by
illegally hunting with Gale in the forest borders of her
district and selling her catch in the Hob, District 12's black
market. She volunteers to be a tribute in the Games in order to
save her sister, Primrose Everdeen, who was originally chosen.
She must enter the Games along with Peeta Mellark and have the
mentorship of Haymitch Abernathy. Katniss has mixed feelings for
both Peeta and Gale.
Peeta Mellark is 16 years old as well, and was born in
the richer part of the district to a baker. He has wavy blonde
hair and blue eyes, a physical indicator of the wealthier people
who were born in town, and is described as being very strong. He
is the chosen male tribute to represent District 12. He saves
Katniss's life multiple times, and has had a crush on her since
he first saw her at age 5 at school but never had the courage to
reveal it until the Games.
Haymitch Abernathy is the mentor of Peeta Mellark and
Katniss Everdeen, and is the tribute winner of the 50th Hunger
Games. Haunted by the nightmares of the Games he was in, he is
rarely sober throughout the book. At first he does not bother to
protect Peeta and Katniss from the doom awaiting them in the
Games, but after they prove their strength he guides them
through the Games.
Gale Hawthorne is 18 in the first book of the trilogy,
and is Katniss's best friend. They've met up in the woods for
years prior to the beginning of the novel and since then became
best friends and hunting partners. Gale's appearance is similar
to Katniss's, as is true of most people who live in their area.
Gale became head of the Hawthorne family after his father was
killed along with Katniss's father in the same mine explosion.
Katniss mentions that Gale is, "the only person with whom I can
be myself."
