In honor of Black History Month I wanted to dedicate a post to a very special book that I’ve read and reread more than a few times – The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. It has received several literary awards and was even made into a movie back in 2018. And while I thought the film was really well made, the book is even better.
If you’ve been looking for a book that will make you stop and think, that tackles topics like racism and prejudice in a very real and relatable way, and will have you thinking about it long after you’ve put it down, then this is the book for you. So let’s jump into the review . . .
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What It’s About
This book follows sixteen year old Starr Carter who seemingly lives in two worlds – her lower income neighborhood and her fancy prep school. Starr walks a thin line of who people want her to be and who she really is. But her balancing act is shattered when she witnesses the fatal shooting of her best friend, Khalil, by a police officer.
Khalil was unarmed and his death quickly becomes a national headline. Soon people are calling Khalil a thug and drug dealer while others begin to protest in the streets for justice for him. Everyone wants to know what really happened that night but the only one who knows the truth is Starr. Will she be able to put aside her fear and speak the truth? You’ll just have to read it to find out.
Why You Should Read It
I found Starr as a character to be very relatable and easy to read. She’s an ordinary girl who witnesses a tragedy and has to process her emotions and events that come after. There’s several conversations Starr has with her parents, family, and friends that need to be had. Starr’s Uncle Carlos is a cop and I also really liked how he provided another point of view to the situation. He said that Starr and the neighborhood were the reason he became a cop. I also found Starr’s reaction to everything to be very realistic. She’s grieving over the death of her friend – a friend she grew up with, a friend who was innocent – and she’s scared to come forward because there’s no manual on what to do in a situation like this. Angie Thomas’s writing is raw and real and relatable. She has this amazing ability of being able to grab your attention from the first paragraph and hold it until the very last page.
If you’re interested in reading even more Angie Thomas books check out On the Come Up and Concrete Rose (the prequel to The Hate U Give).
Verse of the Day: Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. – 1 John 4:8
