Catching Fire Part 1 - The Spark

Carlo's Bookcasts

Katniss Everdeen is now back in District 12 living in the Victors' Village with her mother, Prim, and neighbors Peeta Mellark and Haymitch Abernathy. Soon they will both have to leave home again for the Victory Tour where the winners of the previous Hunger Games travel to each district and make various appearances and public speeches. Katniss expected that when she returned home everything would be the same, but now her best friend, Gale, seems farther away than ever now that he works in District 12's mines twelve full hours a day, and with the Victory Tour coming up, Katniss has more on her mind than ever. During much of the day, Katniss is bored with her new life because now, she has everything: money, a good home, and a constant supply of food. One day after Katniss returns home from hunting game outside of the District, an unexpected visitor appears, President Snow, the president of Panem. He explains to Katniss that during the last Hunger Games when she tried to commit suicide with Peeta by eating poisonous nightlock berries, she ignited a possible uprising in the districts. President Snow and Katniss have a lengthy conversation about the fact that if she doesn't convince the districts that she made the decision out of temporary lovesickness, then he would personally make sure she suffers.Katniss, now convinced she has started a fire she cannot control, tries her best to convince everyone that she and Peeta are madly in love. When she and Peeta finally set off for the Victory Tour, everything is going smoothly, and Peeta has agreed with Katniss that outside of being star-crossed lovers, they should try to be friends. When the tour arrives at their first destination, District 11, Katniss gets to meet the families of Thresh and Rue (two tributes who were killed by the Careers in the 74th Hunger Games). When it is time for the public speech to begin, Katniss thanks the people of District 11 for their contributions to her during the Hunger Games and is about to leave when one of Rue's siblings gives her such a look that Katniss comes back quickly to make one final speech. Katniss tells everyone about the story of how Thresh spared her life, and how Rue became a valued ally during the Games. After her speech, an old man whistles her and Rue's four-note tune that meant they were safe, and the crowd simultaneously does a traditional District 12 gesture to show their thanks to Katniss. Right after Katniss finishes her speech, she realizes she forgot something, so she goes back to retrieve it. There, she sees a Peacekeeper shoot the man who whistled in the head.Afterwards, Katniss and Peeta confess what had happened to Haymitch. He tells Katniss to explain to Peeta what is going on, so Katniss tells Peeta everything about President Snow, the threat of uprisings, and how they are all in jeopardy if something doesn't change soon. Peeta becomes angry and tells Katniss and Haymitch to stop keeping secrets from him, then leaves.The rest of Victory Tour fell into a routine (giving speeches, eating fancy dinners, riding on the train, and sleeping). Finally, Katniss and the crew get to the Capitol. That night, when she and Peeta go to get interviewed by Caesar, Peeta performs a fake proposal to Katniss which she accepts. Caesar is beside himself, the audience is hysterical, and the crowds in the districts are overflowing with happiness. President Snow then makes an unexpected appearance to congratulate the newly engaged couple. Katniss then makes a discreet gesture to President Snow to ask him if she was convincing enough to which he replies "no" with an almost imperceptible shake of the head. Katniss now knows her life is in constant danger, but despite that, she feels somewhat relieved, and carries on like nothing ever happened.That night, Katniss has dinner in President Snows' mansion and feasts like never before. Many Capitol citizens drank something that made them vomit so they could eat more...........