This is a spoiler free review.
The Hate U Give
Written by Angie Thomas
Written by Angie Thomas
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: February 28, 2017
Pages: 444
Source: Bought
Source: Bought
Places to Get this Book: Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository
Recommended Age: 13 and up!
Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
Review:
The Black Lives matter has been a hot topic in the news for awhile and although I was aware of the issues, this book still opened my eyes to the current racism in America. Unfortunately, we live in a reality where on any given day some innocent person can get shot or end up killed just because of their race or what a policeman thought he was doing. The Hate U Give, makes you feel every emotion that is physically possibly and opens societies eyes to the current issue.
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
Review:
The Black Lives matter has been a hot topic in the news for awhile and although I was aware of the issues, this book still opened my eyes to the current racism in America. Unfortunately, we live in a reality where on any given day some innocent person can get shot or end up killed just because of their race or what a policeman thought he was doing. The Hate U Give, makes you feel every emotion that is physically possibly and opens societies eyes to the current issue.
COVER
I like how simple the cover is but it is still unique. Also it's so rare to see POC representation on book covers even if the book is all about a POC character/characters.
I like how simple the cover is but it is still unique. Also it's so rare to see POC representation on book covers even if the book is all about a POC character/characters.
WORLD-BUILDING
We get to know Starr's world throughout the book. Starr splits her life between her home in Garden Heights and the white world of her private school, Williamson. Starr is constantly filled with the pressure to be someone else. At Williamson she can't be "too black" and at Garden Heights she can't be too "Williamson". After her best friend is shot and killed in front of her, her two worlds collide as she struggles to gain justice for him.
We get to know Starr's world throughout the book. Starr splits her life between her home in Garden Heights and the white world of her private school, Williamson. Starr is constantly filled with the pressure to be someone else. At Williamson she can't be "too black" and at Garden Heights she can't be too "Williamson". After her best friend is shot and killed in front of her, her two worlds collide as she struggles to gain justice for him.
Then there are the characters.
STARR CARTER
STARR CARTER
Starr is a teenage girl who is telling the story. She is such a likable heroine and her voice is honest and genuine. She really makes you feel for her and feel with her. I loved how geeky she was with her references to Harry Potter as well as her jokes with her family. Starr is very family-centered and you can see she loves her family more than anyone/anything else in the entire world. Starr spends her days at a mostly-white private school that is in the rich suburbs. Starr has to monitor her speech and behavior for fear of being stereotyped. She lives in Garden Heights but she also feels like an outsider as she's become distanced from her community. But then when she witnesses the murder of her best friend at the hands of a white cop, everything falls apart and she has to decide whether she wants to speak out. Starr knows the cop was guilty, but the justice system is corrupt and she know that they won't convict him but she still doesn't know what to do. Starr is a very real character and her fears are real.
OTHER CHARACTERS
I'm not going to say much about the other characters but I loved most of them. Her father, Maverick, was easily a star. He's hilarious and is very supportive of his family. Her best friend, Maya, is Asian and I really enjoyed her character. Maya doesn't know much about Starr's other life but she quickly learns and is there to support her. Starr's mom is also very supportive and is a nurse/doctor. The last character I really liked was her boyfriend, Chris. Chris is white and lives in the suburbs. Starr does seem to have problems with Chris being white quite often, which I didn't like cause he doesn't have problems with her being black. He does sometimes say dumb stuff but when corrected he makes sure to never say something like it again.
FRIENDSHIP/FAMILY
As I said before, family is a very important concept in this novel. Starr is very family-centered and many of the scenes in this novel are about Starr's family. Starr has even said that her parents are her OTP which I think is the cutest and purest thing ever.
As I said before, family is a very important concept in this novel. Starr is very family-centered and many of the scenes in this novel are about Starr's family. Starr has even said that her parents are her OTP which I think is the cutest and purest thing ever.
PLOT
The Hate U Give is about a teenage girl named Starr who witnesses her best friend get murdered by a white cop when they get pulled over. Starr splits her life between her primarily white school and her black community and when her best friend is killed, her worlds clash.
The book shows us the outcomes of police brutality which are all terrifying, and we see how important it is that the good cops speak up. Starr's uncle is a detective who works through his own conflict between taking the side of the people he works with or the side of the teen, his niece's best friend.
The plot is intense but necessary and it still has it's light moments.
The Hate U Give is about a teenage girl named Starr who witnesses her best friend get murdered by a white cop when they get pulled over. Starr splits her life between her primarily white school and her black community and when her best friend is killed, her worlds clash.
The book shows us the outcomes of police brutality which are all terrifying, and we see how important it is that the good cops speak up. Starr's uncle is a detective who works through his own conflict between taking the side of the people he works with or the side of the teen, his niece's best friend.
The plot is intense but necessary and it still has it's light moments.
ROMANCE
The romance doesn't take up much of the plot but I still thought Chris and Starr were cute.
WRITING
The writing is fairly simple but it is very powerful. I really enjoyed Angie Thomas' writing.
The romance doesn't take up much of the plot but I still thought Chris and Starr were cute.
WRITING
The writing is fairly simple but it is very powerful. I really enjoyed Angie Thomas' writing.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This is an incredible book and such an important one. I highly recommend The Hate U Give, if you haven't read it already. Oh, and then watch the movie which is coming out in October.
Quotes from the Book:
“Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.”
“At an early age I learned that people make mistakes, and you have to decide if their mistakes are bigger than your love for them.”
This is an incredible book and such an important one. I highly recommend The Hate U Give, if you haven't read it already. Oh, and then watch the movie which is coming out in October.
Quotes from the Book:
“Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.”
“At an early age I learned that people make mistakes, and you have to decide if their mistakes are bigger than your love for them.”
My Rating: 4 out of 5 Crowns
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