It is harvest morning, the day the tenth annual Hunger Games will begin. In the Capitol Building, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow prepares for his chance to become a mentor in the Games. In recent years, the once-great Snow family has fallen on hard times. Coriolanus's fate rests on the slim chance that he can outsmart his fellow students and mentor the winning contestant. The odds are against him; he has been tasked with the humiliating task of mentoring the girl of District Twelve, the district whose contestants are considered the lowest-ranking. Their fates are intertwined; every choice Coriolanus makes can result in favor or failure, victory or ruin. Inside the arena, the battle will be one of life and death. Outside, Coriolanus senses the approaching catastrophe, and in this situation, he must balance his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive, no matter what it takes.