The Hunger Games is one of the best-selling books of all time — future generations will probably consider it a classic of literature. The original trilogy has sold more copies than the Harry Potter series, and the prequel has sold millions of copies in the past two years. All of the books have been turned into movies, which have all been just as successful as the books — if not more.

I’d never read the books or seen the movies until last year when I watched Mockingjay Part 1 — and after that I was so intrigued that I borrowed my friend’s copy of the trilogy and read them all within a week. I loved the books so much that right after that I watched all the movies (checked out from the library) and then immediately added all the books and movies to my Christmas list.

So long story short, anyone who knows me decently well knows that The Hunger Games is one of my favorite series of all time. But why do I like it so much?

Disclaimer: I could probably go on about everything in these books and movies, from the big picture things to the little details to the connections in the prequel — but that would take up way too much space and time. So this will be a big-picture review that I’ll try to keep somewhat condensed 🙂

For starters, the characters are incredible. Katniss is an incredibly relatable protagonist who’s hilarious inner dialogue never fails to make you laugh, even when she’s in incredibly dangerous or confusing situations. Yes, she’s a 16 year old girl sent off into an arena to fight for her life against other kids, which may seem unrelatable to most 16 year olds. But her disgust at the Capitol frivolity, her sweet relationship with her stylist Cinna, and the connections she makes with mentors like Haymitch and Effie are realistic and refreshing. Suzanne Collins never paints Katniss as an undefeatable girlboss who has no flaws.

Peeta is one of the greatest male characters of all time — change my mind. His sweetness and compassion are a beautiful contrast to the other cruel contenders in the Games, as is his steadfast dedication to and love for Katniss when so many other members of Panem are manipulative, cold, or apathetic. (And if you’re interested in reading my rant about how much I love him and Katniss together, here’s the post I did on that a few months ago.) But in summary, the boy with the bread is one of the most amazing fictional characters EVER.

Haymitch, for all his drunken chaos and frequent insensitivity, is an incredibly realistic depiction of the way some people deal with their pain and/or trauma. We’ll see more of his life and personality in the new book coming next month, but I love how in the original trilogy, Suzanne Collins didn’t try to cover up the scars of war and trauma with pretty pink bows. All of the victors struggled with nightmares for the rest of their lives, and some took to parties or drinking to drown their memories while Peeta and Katniss used painting and memory books — Haymitch turned to drinking and apathy.

That’s what stands out to me the most about the entire Hunger Games series and “brand” if you will — its realism and the way it grapples with the hard, confusing, “grey” issues of life. Sure, we 21st century Americans aren’t ruled by an evil dictator who sends children to their deaths every year for sport and revenge, but we still have to decide for ourselves when and how to resist injustice.

How should you react when the government you’re living under is your unjust oppressor but also your provider? How do you process the deaths of other 12-18 year olds sent to their deaths alongside you — especially when you feel powerless to stop it? How do you marry compassion for your fellow humans with the need to defend yourself and fight for your home? How does taking another person’s life affect you, if at all (I’m looking at you, Gale Hawthorne)? How can your own painful experiences help you better understand the pain of others around you, like Katniss’ mended relationship with her mother?

I could go on and on about all the other parts of the book, but I’ll spare you the four page fangirling essay. But if you enjoy reading dystopian or YA novels, or want to read an emotionally impactful, gripping series that has its 5th book coming out next month, please go read The Hunger Games. The writing style is beautiful, the characters are wonderful and realistic, the romance is sweet and clean, there’s no curse words, and the overarching theme of hope and “the dandelion in the spring” will stay with you long after you finish the last page.

(And go read the prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, too. I’ll do a separate book review on it, but Ballad is just as good as the first three books, if not better.)