I'm a huge fan of the Harry Potter novels by female author J.K. Rowling (I'm not too big on the films except the first film, which gives a much needed "aesthetic" to visualize while reading), and what draws me to them so much is just how much is covered in her 7 novels. Rowling studied psychology in esteemed universities in the UK, which showcases highly in her novels - every single one of her characters showcases a different complex or documented personality (Rowling is also a bit inspired by the comedic character stereotypes in Canterbury Tales), and her characters stretch far and wide on the scale, from one of the main heroes being gay, to another being an abused orphan, and so forth.
However, it's not just the character and strength of the characters that's so compelling; the storyline isn't a typical children's series about magic, and as the books progress, they become extraordinarily darker - the last book is about an all-out holocaust, for example. While books 1-4 remain slightly lighthearted (but always full of extraordinary fact and mystery), books 5-7 are downright gutwrenching and the characters go through so much death, government conspiracy, and tragedy. The entire series IMO never got the respect it deserves because (like Animal Farm), it is indeed a children's/teen's series, but the books themselves are more adult than most novels are; I personally would not recommend anyone under 14 reading the later novels, for example, just because they truly are so traumatic. To this day, I cry every time I re-read some of the later books.
It's not just the extraordinary history and mature writing that make up the books though, it's even the specific characters and situations that relate to all of us here. For example, the headmaster of the school featured in the novels, Professor Dumbledore, is considered to be the most powerful, intellectual, and revolutional wizard in the entire book's history; yet, he's gay, as stated by Rowling herself. Harry Potter also encounters extraordinary discrimination for his past and identity, to the point that an entire government conspires against him and hires evil teachers to punish him or reporters to slander him constantly; other characters go through this very same thing, until an full out holocaust breaks out. Various characters fight against the discrimination for who they are or what they are (the novels are filled with characters who all are discriminated in some way), and until the very end, the reader doesn't know wether these characters finally come out on top.
Personally, I'd recommend the novels to every single person, young and old, and they are leagues ahead of any wish-wash you typically see an an airport bookstore. These novels teach lessons, invent history, keep you both entertained and literally on the edge of your seat, and will both cause you to laugh out loud and cry tears of all sorts. While the novels have sold billions of copies worldwide, they're incredibly underated by an adult audience, yet an adult audience is really the only ones who truly can understand the emotional, historical, and factual complexity of these novels. The novels just aren't for the faint of mind or heart or the low IQ, and are best suited for adults who like to look back on childhood in a complex way, rather than for children who are experiencing it for the first time.
After all, I read the series when I was 11, and it wasn't until I re-read the series 3 times (and this series from book 1 to 7 is actually longer than the Bible, I believe) that I understood all the complex plot-lines and emotional levels that Rowling reaches. These books literally are pro-equality books, every single page makes an equality statement to teach the world, and the books have been one of the main forces in my confidence that I deserve every right given to me simply because I am a person. If you're very pro-equality, every page of this series will be personal to you.
