Katniss Everdeen

The strong, intelligent protagonist of the novel. Through her survival skills and smarts she won the previous Hunger Games and has since become a symbol of rebellion against the Capitol.

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Peeta Mellark

Katniss’s fellow victor in the previous Hunger Games. Kind, artistic, and sensitive, he loves Katniss and does everything he can to keep her safe, even though Katniss isn’t sure how strongly she feels about him in return.

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Finnick Odair

An attractive and seemingly arrogant Capitol celebrity and the male tribute from District 4. He’s revealed to be loyal, dutiful, and far more thoughtful than his public image would suggest.

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Haymitch Abernathy

Katniss’s and Peeta’s mentor in the previous Hunger Games and in this novel and a former winner of the Games himself. Though he’s an alcoholic, he’s extremely shrewd and often seems to know more than he lets on.

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Cinna

Katniss’s stylist and good friend. He’s a talented clothing designer who uses his skills to design provocative and symbolic costumes for Katniss.

Effie Trinket

The manager of the District 12 tributes. She’s very organized and sensitive to slights, but she’s also somewhat oblivious to the inherent brutality of the Hunger Games and the Capitol.

Gale Hawthorne

Katniss’s oldest friend and hunting partner. He’s in love with Katniss, and though Katniss loves him back, she isn’t sure she can ever have a romantic relationship with him.

President Snow

The president of Panem. He is power-hungry, brutal, and despicable, and he tries to control Katniss by threatening her loved ones.

Mags

The eighty-year-old female tribute from District 4. She’s kind and very frail, and she sacrifices herself for the sakes of Katniss, Peeta, and Finnick.

Johanna Mason

The fiery, exhibitionist female tribute from District 7. She always seems to be trying to get a rise out of Katniss, though ultimately they become friendly.

Beetee

The male tribute from District 3. His high level of intelligence makes up for his physical weakness compared to the other tributes, and he invented a highly conductive wire that plays an important role in the Quarter Quell.

Wiress

The female tribute from District 3. Like her district partner, she’s also extremely smart and figures out the clock layout of the arena before anyone else.

Chaff

The male tribute from District 11 and a good friend of Haymitch’s.

Seeder

The female tribute from District 11, whom Katniss connects with quickly.

Brutus

The male tribute from District 2 and one of the so-called Career tributes.

Enobaria

The female tribute from District 2 and another of the Career tributes.

Prim Everdeen

Katniss’s little sister. She’s very small and gentle, and Katniss will do anything to keep her from harm.

Katniss’s mother

The mother of Katniss and Prim. Though she can be emotionally weak, a trait Katniss resents, she is calm and strong when caring for the sick and injured.

Plutarch Heavensbee

The Head Gamemaker. He pretends to share the agenda of the Capitol but in fact has been part of an underground rebellion for years.

Hazelle Hawthorne

Gale’s mother. She’s a close friend of the Everdeen family and the glue that holds the Hawthorne family together.

Darius

A peacekeeper in District 12. He’s easy-going and even friendly with Katniss, and he’s later turned into an Avox as punishment for trying to stop Gale’s public whipping.

Romulus Thread

The new Head Peacekeeper in District 12. He is strict and brutal and whips Gale mercilessly as punishment for killing an animal for food.

Rue

The girl from District 11 Katniss befriended during the Hunger Games. Though she dies before the novel takes place, her memory and her family play a role in the novel’s events.

Madge Undersee

Katniss’s friend the daughter of District 12’s mayor. She gave Katniss the mockingjay pin that she wears in the first Hunger Games and the Games of this novel.

Flavius, Octavia, and Venia

Katniss’s hair-and-makeup prep team. Katniss finds them shallow and ignorant in the way many people from the Capitol are, but she also recognizes that they can be kind and genuinely care about her.

Maysilee Donner

The female tribute from District 12 who died in the 50th Hunger Games, which Haymitch won. She was a friend of Katniss’s mother and Madge Undersee’s aunt.