The Hunger Games Reading List

Classic literature picks based on all your favorite characters

By Ashly Moore Sheldon • August 09, 2023

The film adaptation for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes comes out in a couple months (November 17!). This is the fifth film based on the riveting, dystopian series by Suzanne Collins, a prequel to The Hunger Games. It tells the story of a young Coriolanus Snow as he tries to determine his legacy. If you haven't read the complete series, now's the time to get started! You may also enjoy revisiting the earlier films (get all four in this set) or individually:

For another fun project, we've put together a reading list of classic literature that matches up with some of the key characters. Read on to find the titles that match your favorites.

Katniss Everdeen

Known for her tenacity, strength, resourcefulness, and loyalty, Katniss is a fierce protector of those dear to her. She loves her sister endlessly and would do anything to keep Prim safe and happy. This reminds us of the relationship between Jo and Beth in one of our most cherished reads.

Our pick for Katniss: Little Women

Louisa May Alcott's paean to sisterhood, authenticity, and self-reliance seems a perfect match for our plucky heroine. With their keen intelligence and stubborn determination, Katniss and Jo are definitely cut from the same cloth. They may not always get the outcome they want, but they never give up.

Peeta Mellark

Peeta is deeply compassionate and honorable, unwilling to compromise his values. He is also known for his creativity and ingenuity. He is charming and charismatic, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. He wins people over with his steady strength and unyielding dedication.

Our pick for Peeta: Emma

Like Peeta, the always excellent Mr. Knightley serves as the moral compass in Jane Austen's charming comedy of manners. His kindness and consideration of others is steadfast, but he also presents a surprising mettle. Little by little, the high-spirited Emma realizes she can always count on him.

Haymitch Abernathy

Haymitch's character is complex and multifaceted. He is known for his sharp wit, but also for his struggles with alcoholism and his cynicism toward the Capitol and the Games. Despite his flaws, he proves to be an essential ally and protector for Katniss and Peeta.

Our pick for Haymitch: True Grit

When Mattie Ross's father is gunned down, she enlists the help of the Haymitch-ish character Rooster Cogburn to help her pursue the killer into Indian Territory. Like Haymitch, Charles Portis's hilarious, tough-as-nails U.S. Marshall is initially disinclined to serve as a mentor.

Effie Trinket

Effie Trinket's character is known for her extravagant fashion sense, her over-the-top mannerisms, and her dedication to maintaining her status in the Capitol. Although she maintains a forced sense of cheer, the ever-polished Effie occasionally reveals flashes of depth, reminding us of a certain literary socialite.

Our Effie pick: Mrs. Dalloway

As Clarissa Dalloway prepares for a party, her mind keeps drifting into melancholy as she remembers those she once loved. But nothing must get in the way of a successful fête. Effie's dogged support of the Capitol's cruel protocols echoes Virginia Woolf's searing portrait of a woman caught in the trappings of high society.

Gale Hawthorne

Gale is known for his resilience, adaptability, and unwavering loyalty to his family and friends. He's a skilled hunter and outdoorsman. He's also a bit of a rabble rouser planting seeds of rebellion in Katniss, his best friend and hunting partner. When she gets sent to compete in The Hunger Games, he promises to take care of her family.

Our pick for Gale: Adam Bede

The titular character in this novel by George Eliot is the picture of manly stoicism. Like Gale, he is caught in a love triangle. A carpenter, much admired for his integrity and intelligence, he falls in love with Hetty. But she's got eyes for another. Nonetheless, he perseveres, always steadfast in his efforts.

President Coriolanus Snow

The dark and sinister President Snow is known for his oppressive rule over Panem and his willingness to maintain power at any cost. He is manipulative and ruthless in his pursuit of control, making him a formidable and hated figure. But there are conditions in his past that help us understand how he became this way.

Our President Snow pick: Animal Farm

George Orwell's brilliant allegory for the rise of totalitarianism certainly comes to mind when considering President Snow's evolution. It tells the story of a group of animals who rebel against their human farmer with the hopes of creating a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy. But ultimately, they are betrayed by one of their own.

Lucy Gray Baird

Lucy Gray is a talented and captivating performer in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes who captivates the audience with her singing. She's resourceful, brave, and somewhat mysterious. She can be a cutthroat competitor as well and she becomes the love interest to the young Coriolanus. This connection protects her, but it also puts her in jeopardy.

Our pick for Lucy Gray: Song of the Lark

Willa Cather's powerful portrait of an artist in formation takes us into the heart of a woman coming to know her deepest self. Thea Kronberg's exceptional musical talent and fierce ambition take her to the world stage. But she can't forget the humble town she came from and the man she can't afford to love.

Finnick Odair

Finnick is known for his exceptional charisma, courage, and his role as a skilled victor in the Hunger Games. At first, Katniss finds him to be arrogant and self-absorbed, but as time goes by, he becomes an important ally. His suave, seductive facade cloaks deep-seated trauma and anger at the Capitol.

Our Finnick pick: The Count of Monte Cristo

Edmond Dantès starts out as a dashing young sailor with his whole future ahead of him. But after being set up as a traitor to the crown, he seeks revenge. He's charming and ruggedly handsome, but he comes with some baggage. Alexandre Dumas's swaggering hero makes a fitting prototype for Finnick!

Rue

Rue's character is marked by her innocence, compassion, and intelligence. Clever and observant, she became an important source of information for Katniss and they formed a strong bond during the Games. She eventually becomes a symbol of innocence, goodness, and hope. So very Scout!

Our pick for Rue: To Kill a Mockingbird

Obviously, Rue's affinity for Mockingjays might have brought this title to mind, but then again, maybe it was an intentional reference on Collins's part. With its central themes of good vs. evil and the transition from naivete to knowledge, Harper Lee's essential novel made it an obvious choice for Rue.

Johanna Mason

Johanna is known for her sarcastic wit, her defiance against the Capitol, and her determination to survive. She is a thrill-seeker, aggressive and bold. Despite a mutual sense of distrust between the two competitors, she becomes a formidable ally to Katniss and an important character in the rebellion.

Our Johanna pick: Vanity Fair

We get total Becky Sharp vibes from the audacious character of Johanna. Ever adaptable, the antiheroine from William Makepeace Thackeray's satirical epic shares Johanna's intense ambition. Both can be charming, but this belies a ruthlessness that comes from knowing they are on their own in a cruel world.

We've certainly enjoyed this deep dive on the personality traits of some of the key characters in this thrilling series. And it's been fun to try and identify their forebears from classic literature. Let us know if you have any thoughts or additional character comparisons to add.

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