It’s been about ten years since I last read the original trilogy. Usually, I’m very careful when revisiting the things that I used to love, expecting to be disappointed by the actual mediocrity of it all. However, now I realize that, over the years, I was undermining these books, writing them off as my cringy teenage obsession.

Now, at twenty-five, I believe these books hold up remarkably well. Some of the deeper themes of these books and parallels to both real life events and other events in the book went completely over my head in 2012. I’ll forever be angry at those who reduced these books and movies to ‘Team Peeta’ vs ‘Team Gale’ debates (btw team Peeta always) instead of truly appreciating this story about oppression, survival, ethics, the media… Even the themes of mental health and especially PTSD and depression were portrayed in such a meaningful way I definitely didn’t consider before. And, in the end, there’s hope. After all the pain, all the suffering, there can be peace and happiness.

“What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again.”