district twelve work it earn it

effie was the last person he saw before entering the games and the first person he really saw upon getting out. and then he had to see her. on his birthday. as they sent kids to die. every. single. year. how much he must have hated how much he liked her

People are complaining about Effie being older than Haymitch but I really could not care less about it. She's older than him and she's Capitol so she probably looks younger due to having a bunch of fancy Capitol beauty regimes. Haymitch is younger than her but he's had a rough life and doesn't look after himself so he looks older than he is. And they've known each other for 25 years and spent every one of those years sending one boy and one girl off to die. And they have depressed middle-aged hookups about it.

The doubling of tribute numbers. The miscarried Abernathy twins. The Donner sisters who Haymitch carries a fascination for as consequence. Louella being replaced by Lou Lou, a name that only mimics the first half of her name, and a girl who matches her in appearance only. Tam Amber’s set of pins, one dropped down a well, the other discarded. The two versions of the games: the one that Haymitch remembers and the edited, falsified version of them without the real content. The two bags of gumdrops. The fraternal affection he feels for Louella and Lou Lou, the artificial twins, and Maysilee’s offer to be his sister—the second one she gives in the book. A bond with a real twin, both pairs healing the sisters he never did know. The split between what is natural and what is manufactured or forged, bonds that that grow on their own, or are forced into existance. And if the distinction makes any difference to the person it impacts.