Comparing Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and Twilight

"What is your favorite book?"

   This seems like such a simple, friendly question. It is a great start to what could be a fabulous, productive discussion....or it could be a start to an ugly conversation that could quickly turn into a cat-fight. (Or, at the very least, raised eyebrows and pursed lips of disapproval.)

   I read the Harry Potter series and Hunger Games Trilogy, and some of the Twilight Saga and the Chronicles of Narnia. All except for Twilight are, in my opinion, well-written and enjoyable, but I can understand how some people can hate them (however, I'm sorry, if you like Twilight I really can't understand you) and why others refuse to read them. 

   So if you want to hear my opinions on these these books and what I learned from them, keep reading.

Harry Potter

   Most of the people I know that dislike this series dislike it because of the witchcraft. Which is a good point, and the witchcraft plays a huge part in the story. But J.K. Rowling is a Christian, and she once said "I believe in God, not in magic.".  So if your main concern was that, you don't have much to worry about.

    Another thing people don't like is the violence. And I do have to agree, there is quite a bit of violence in the books. However the main characters don't like it, rather they are thrown into it. For example, in the sixth book there is a duel between Harry and Draco. Harry tries out a new spell even when he's not fully aware of what it does, and what he finds out is that it causes gashes to appear on his enemy. There is a lot of blood, but Harry, despite the fact that Draco has been terrible to him, feels bad for causing him so much pain. 
   Harry, Hermione, Ron, and many of the other characters in the series are loyal friends who are willing to make sacrifices for one another. In the wizarding world there is racism between the purebloods, half-bloods and Muggle-born wizards, but it is shown negatively. There is some teenage romance but not too much, and it's more about the friendship between the two people and not so much about the kissing. 

   

The Hunger Games

   When I first heard of The Hunger Games, I thought it sounded terrible. Teens killing teens wasn't exactly my idea of a great story. I had no plans to ever read the books. Then my Godmother (who I really look up to and respect her taste in books) recommended it to me. If not for her, I never would've read the books, and would've continued being judgmental and hateful of what I now know as a great series.
   I recently found out that the author, Suzanne Collins, is Roman Catholic. She based the story of The Hunger Games after reading about how people used to watch Christians being tortured for entertainment. She didn't put religion of any kind in her books to show that as we become more obsessed with TV and our looks, we're cutting religion out of our lives. 
   One of my favorite things about this series is Katniss's character. She sacrificed herself for her sister, she's brave, she's kind, and basically, she's not Bella Swan. Most of the teen books that are out now have a boy-crazy main character (like Twilight) and I never can really care about that character because I can't relate to them. 


Twilight

  I actually haven't read all four of the Twilight books. I read the first one and hated it, and I started reading the second but stopped after a few pages because I couldn't stand Bella. But just from reading the first book I know that Bella and Edward's relationship is not at all about their actual friendship. Bella isn't likable at all, and I'm sorry, but I don't think anyone should be so sensitive about sparkling. Others might, you know, have real problems. And I'm sure that they would much rather sparkle than have those problems. 
   

   I've realized too that Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia are usually books that are okay to read, even if Harry Potter and The Hunger Games are terrible. And may I say that I like both these series as well, but Chronicles of Narnia has witchcraft and violence in it too, and the battles are over power. The Lord of the Rings has violence too that is also over power. The arguments to this are "But the authors are Christians, so it's okay.". Well, as I've said above, J.K. Rowling and Suzanne Collins are both Christians who showed their Christianity in their writing. 
   And one more thing; there's a newer series, the Matched Trilogy, that I read and found enjoyable. So if someone could do me a favor and read those books, make them controversial and ruin them for me, that'd be great. Thanks!