Book BFF: Katniss Everdeen

Book BFF was created by Larks Andrea, Paula, and Jen to showcase some of our favorite ladies & was originally inspired by Book Boyfriend. We'd love it if you'd join us featuring your favorite Book BFFs and leaving links so we can check out your posts. We will be alternating between Book Boyfriends and Book BFFs on Thursdays. 

Katniss Everdeen, from The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins 

 Nickname: 

Catnip (Gale’s nickname for her) 

 Appearance: 

She has long straight black hair, which she mostly keeps braided. She has gray eyes and her skin tone is olive. She is fairly small for her age (16/17) and has the wiry and quite skinny physique which comes from never quite knowing how good your next meal will be, or when you will see it. She starts The Hunger Games with a number of imperfections and blemishes to her skin but these are quickly fixed by her make-up team during the preparations for the games. They also ensure she is well waxed, much to her horror! 

Facts about Katniss: 

Her name comes from a common edible plant of the same name... her father said if she could find herself then she would never go hungry. 

She was born and raised in District 12, where the main industry is coal mining. 

Her father died in a mining accident, leaving her mother extremely depressed and Katniss was forced to step up to look after the family. She has not forgiven her mother for this. 

Katniss is a skilled hunter and frequently crosses the electric fence into wild country to hunt to feed her family. 

Katniss is a well known face at The Hob, the center of black market trading in District 12. 

She is an excellent shot with a bow and arrow, and uses this to her advantage during the training sessions for the Hunger Games. 

Katniss volunteers for The Hunger Games in place of her younger sister, Prim. 

She dislikes her sister’s cat, Buttercup, and he dislikes her... mainly because she tried to drown him in a bucket once. 

Katniss prefers to make friends with under-dog types. 

Quotes: 

 “What do they do all day, these people in the Capitol, besides decorating their bodies and waiting around for a new shipment of tributes to roll in and die for their entertainment? ” Katniss on the people of the Capitol 

 “Barbarism? That’s ironic coming from a woman helping to prepare us for slaughter. And what’s she basing out success on? Our table manners? ” Katniss on Effie Trinket’s opinion of District 12 

 “It’s lovely. If only you could frost someone to death.” Katniss on Peeta’s cake skills “Well, Catnip, stealing’s punishable by death, or hadn’t you heard?” Gale to Katniss 

 “Why am I hopping around like some trained dog trying to please people I hate.” Katniss on preparing for her TV appearance. “You were about as romantic as dirt until he said he wanted you. Now they all do. You’ll all they’re talking about. The star-crossed lovers from District Twelve! ” Haymitch on Katniss and Peeta’s love story 

“I want to do something, right here, right now, to shame them, to make them accountable, to show the Capitol that whatever they do or force us to do there is a part of every tribute they can’t own. That Rue was more than a piece in their Games. And so am I.” Katniss 

 “I stare in the mirror as I try to remember who I am and who I am not.” Katniss 

 Why she’s my Book BFF: 

Katniss is a born survivor. She is adaptable and creative when it comes to problem solving. She faces her fears head on, and tries to stay true to her heart. She is very loyal to those she cares for, even if she doesn’t fully understand her feelings for them. I particularly think this endears her to people because she would be a very loyal friend; she would stick up for you. Having said that, I think if you ever fell out with her she would be quite obstinate!! 

 She is also very independent and doesn’t let others sway her when deciding what to do, and as a result many take this as defiance of the corrupt government. When she is faced with becoming a symbol for the fight for freedom, she is hesitant and doesn’t let it go to her head. She cares, but she is realistic enough to make the hard decisions necessary to survive. I think that there are many characteristics in Katniss that would make a great best friend and role model for young girls, and I’d be happy to call her a friend. After all, we’ve been through a heck of a lot together!