After their unprecedented victory in the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark return home to District 12, but their win has made them the targets of the Capitol's ire. President Snow visits Katniss, warning her that she must continue to pretend that her acts in the arena were out of love for Peeta, not defiance against the Capitol. The lie is crucial in order to maintain order and avoid stirring rebellion in the districts. As they embark on a "Victor's Tour" of the districts, Katniss and Peeta witness first-hand the growing unrest and the brutal repression by the regime. Their victory has become a symbol of hope for the oppressed people of Panem, which only intensifies Snow's determination to crush any hope of rebellion.

In a twisted effort to reassert control and demolish the budding insurrection, Snow announces the Third Quarter Quell, a special edition of the Hunger Games marking the 75th anniversary of the Capitol's victory over the districts. In this Quell, former victors will be forced to compete against each other, assuring that Katniss will have to enter the arena again. As the selected tributes train and strategize for the deadly competition, alliances form among some of the tributes. Behind the scenes, there's a deeper current of intrigue at work, one that could change Panem forever. Katniss must decide how far she's willing to go to survive, and what her survival might cost her humanity and the people she loves.