**Disclaimer: Possible spoilers for The Hunger Games books and/or movies ahead.
If you were a pre-teen or teenager during the 2010’s you probably know how popular young adult dystopian books and movies like The Hunger Games were. Flash forward over a decade and my TikTok “for you” page convinced me it was a great idea to revisit the series. With the upcoming prequel arriving in theaters this fall, there really is no better time than right now, so I thought why not?
As someone who loves to reread books occasionally, I didn’t need much convincing to pick up the original The Hunger Games trilogy once again. I read the books when I was ten and to be very honest, that was way too young to understand the intricate themes the series discusses. Now, as an adult, I was able to truly appreciate what the books represent and why they have become so well loved over the years.
Teenage protagonist Katniss Everdeen remains one of the most interesting and prominent leading characters in the young adult genre. Her story begins with her passionate drive to protect her sister, Prim, that results in her participation in the deadly annual television show called “the Hunger Games” in the first and second books. This morphs into Katniss becoming the figurehead of a growing rebellion against her corrupt government.
When I was a kid, I thought it was so cool that Katniss was leading this war to take down the Capitol. I didn’t really connect the traumatic consequences of war and how much the characters were going through. Many of the key moments in the series are a reflection of reality and the current state of United States politics. I mean, the scene in Catching Fire where Peeta lies to the Capitol insinuating Katniss is pregnant is proof enough. The extreme response from a society that worships killing living children to sending a pregnant woman into a battle to the death parallels ongoing conversations surrounding the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The movies are arguably decently produced adaptations of the source material, but the media at the time went wild with the love triangle subplot in particular. During my reread, I realized even more so how it is less about Peeta versus Gale and more about Katniss as an individual. Author Suzanne Collins confirmed this in a 2018 interview, stating “Katniss isn’t just deciding on a partner; she’s figuring out her worldview.” Each love interest illustrates a different political view that Katniss contemplates throughout the series and when she ultimately makes her decision at the end of Mockingjay, it is very satisfying and quite empowering for her character.
Rereading The Hunger Games after a decade gave me a new perspective on the trilogy in a way I was not expecting. Some of my opinions stayed the same (okay, media interference or not, I will admit I have always been team Peeta) and others were changed a little or became more focal in my mind. There is so much value in this series and I am sure the books will continue to be relevant for years to come.