When Suzanne Collins wrote the first book in The Hunger Games series in 2008, she probably knew that she created a masterpiece. If she didn’t, there were millions of teenagers around the world who were ready to tell her. As soon as the first book hit the shelves, it was clear that The Hunger Games will be a must-read for all book-loving teenagers out there. Here are five reasons why The Hunger Games series of books are so popular with teens.
Unique story
The story in The Hunger Games is unlike anything you have read before. It deals with a dystopian society devastated by a crushed civil uprising. The Capitol of Panem and the people that run it do their best to keep the 12 districts that were part of the rebellion impoverished and miserable.
They do this by making each district select a boy and a girl to compete in the Hunger Games to keep the memory of the failed uprising alive. The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which there is only one winner left standing. The others die.
And while there are lots of dystopian novels out there (e.g. 1984, Fahrenheit 451, The Handmaid’s Tale, etc.), none of them has a story as original as The Hunger Games. In Suzanne Collins’ series of novels, the complete breakdown of society happens while teenagers are fighting tooth and nail to survive. The ruling class does everything to crush a new rebellion, and people plot against each other at every step of the way. That’s unique, and I am sure you will agree.
Treating teenagers as adults
The tone and language Suzanne Collins use in The Hunger Games is another reason why the series of books are so popular with teenagers. Collins talks to teenagers like they are adults. She doesn’t adapt her language and tone to reach out to them. Instead, she treats them as equals. And if there is one thing that teenagers appreciate, it is being treated as equals.
You can relate to Katniss.
The main protagonist in The Hunger Games is Katniss Everdeen. She is an avid hunter, is quick on her feet, and is very resourceful. However, one of the main reasons teenagers love her is that they can relate to her.
For all her strengths, Katniss is not your typical hero. She has her fair share of fears and insecurities. She takes ages to recuperate from devastating events and finds it hard to put her emotions on the side.
But that’s the reason why we all love her and sympathize with her. When her young friend Rue dies during Katniss’ first Hunger Games, she falls apart. When Peeta, Katniss’ love interest in the book, attacks and tries to kill her (the people in the Capitol brainwashed him), she is on the verge of an emotional breakdown.
And that’s what we would all do if something similar happened to us. Readers need to relate with characters, and that is what all writers are trying to achieve. With Katniss Everdeen, Suzanne Collins has done exactly that.
Suzanne Collins created a rich world.
The Hunger Games is set in an elaborate world of 12 Districts ruled by the Capitol of Panem. Each district is known for one specific thing (e.g. District 1 – luxury items, District 3 – electronics, District 7 – forestry, etc.). Each district provides supplies to the Capitol. The Hunger Games and the arenas where they take place are also explained in the greatest of detail. In short, Suzanne Collins put a lot of thought into creating a rich world.
Deep characters
The depth of each of the characters in the series of books is also impressive. Katniss Everden is only the tip of the iceberg in Collins’ world. Finnick, Peeta, Gale, Effie, Haymitch, Rue, and Cinna are well-rounded characters with their strengths, weaknesses, fears, and dreams. They develop and change with the story and are as important as Katniss.