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5 reasons The Hunger Games remains one of the best YA series of all time

By Amanda Mullen

Jennifer Lawrence (“Katniss Everdeen”) stars in Lionsgate Home Entertainment’s THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2.. Photo Credit: Murray Close/Lionsgate
Jennifer Lawrence (“Katniss Everdeen”) stars in Lionsgate Home Entertainment’s THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2.. Photo Credit: Murray Close/Lionsgate /
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Donald Sutherland (“President Snow”) stars in Lionsgate Home Entertainment’s THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE. Photo Credit: Murray Close/Lionsgate
Donald Sutherland (“President Snow”) stars in Lionsgate Home Entertainment’s THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE. Photo Credit: Murray Close/Lionsgate /

The Villain

President Snow is by no means a likable villain, but that’s part of what makes him so well written. He’s a tyrant, and readers shouldn’t find themselves enamored with a tyrant — quite the opposite, actually. Snow is the sort of villain that makes your blood boil as you flip the pages, and that’s a feat that many authors struggle to accomplish.

Snow’s relationship with Katniss is also one of the most interesting dynamics in YA, and watching them dance around one another remains suspenseful, even after you’ve read the series and learned what happens. The back-and-forth manipulation between these two is tense and fascinating — especially in those rare moments where they seem to understand one another.

And, of course, we’d be remiss not to point out that Snow isn’t the only villain of the series — a clever twist on Collins’ part. Remember that subtle political commentary we were talking about? Well, Collins’ emphasis on the fact that those who fight tyrants can become them is impressively portrayed through President Coin. And, in fact, one could even argue that tyranny in general is the villain of this series — and, as we’ve seen, that’s a villain that can wear any number of faces.

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