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The Hate U Give #1
The Hate U Give
Goodreads Choice Award
Winner for Best Debut Goodreads Author (2017), Winner for Best Young Adult Fiction (2017)An alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780062498533 can be found here.
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.
Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a powerful and gripping YA novel about one girl's struggle for justice.
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.
Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a powerful and gripping YA novel about one girl's struggle for justice.
454 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2017
About the author
Angie Thomas
29 books22.5k followersAngie Thomas was born, raised, and still resides in Jackson, Mississippi as indicated by her accent. She is a former teen rapper whose greatest accomplishment was an article about her in Right-On Magazine with a picture included. She holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Belhaven University and an unofficial degree in Hip Hop. She can also still rap if needed. She is an inaugural winner of the Walter Dean Meyers Grant 2015, awarded by We Need Diverse Books. Her debut novel, The Hate U Give, was acquired by Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins in a 13-house auction and will be published in spring 2017. Film rights have been optioned by Fox 2000 with George Tillman attached to direct and Hunger Games actress Amandla Stenberg set to star.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75,788 reviews
June 19, 2020
When you're reading books like The Hate U Give, you're reading someone's decision against silence.
This book has made me feel every single possible emotion at the same time. It was truly incredible and I have SO MUCH to say about it I wish I could actually just send everyone a howler containing the entire script of this book instead.
In all honesty, The Hate U Give has made me realize just how simply clueless I was as to the continuing day-to-day actuality of systemic racism in America. A reality in which on any given day, some innocent person like Tommy Le can get shot hours before his high-school graduation because he was carrying a pen, or another innocent person like Sandra Bland can get into a car, and then three days later she is going to end up dead in jail, or a five years old child can get shot and wounded after the police kills his mother. A reality in which justice is dead and the police kills black youth with impunity.
And so many other real stories I read about that truly made the atoms making up my body have enough of being anchored to this awful reality in this human form and wish to move on, become a light wave or something.
See, I don’t know what it's like to be black in America, but I have 18 years of experience in being a brown Muslim woman and I can tell you this: being in the minority is like being stuck behind a glass wall and whenever an injustice occurs, you breathe onto it and you write it in HUGE letters in the condensation...but nobody seems to really see it. Nobody seems to really see you. You’re completely and utterly alone.
(x)
The Hate U Give is about institutional racism and a broken criminal justice system where the police can violate the civil rights of thousands of people publicly and openly with almost no consequence at all. It's about what happens when racialized and marginalized communities stand up for their rights in any visible way whatsoever. It’s about how piles and piles of evidence showing sustained corruption and racism and literally hundreds of civilian deaths per year at the hands of the police is still somehow not enough to delegitimize a deeply flawed system.
It's about how instead of standing in unwavering solidarity with the non-violent protests by Black Lives Matter in the face of actually violent, overtly discriminatory and often fatal actions by the police and demanding societal redress and justice, there will always be people who will decry and get enraged by it, people who will try to justify those injustices by any means to curb their own cognitive dissonance.
I mean, this is the 21st century. We evolved. America had elected its first black president. Humanity must've left ‘racism’ back up in the trees from the jungles we descended from.... right?
Maybe there just aren't many “social experiments” on YouTube where privileged folks get to dress up like oppressed groups and have cameras following them around in order to find out that racism is real, since apparently you really need the personal account of a white non-Muslim girl who tries on a hijab for a week to find out that racism and islamophobia do indeed exist, or a straight person pretending to be gay to find out that homophobia does exist, or an able-bodied person pretending to be disabled to find out that ableism does exist.
You don't need any “social experiments” to understand oppression. You don’t need to plagiarize lived experiences when you can just listen. Not to the personal accounts filtered through a white person but listen to the testimonials of all the people of color across the globe who experience these issues first hand - no matter what their socio-economic standing is, and who are ignored when they actually reach out to educate you even though they shouldn't even have to.
No one should have to debate about whether or not they should have basic human rights.
No one should be expected to be the mouth piece for an entire group.
No one should have to defend their humanity at every single step, repeatedly and constantly.
But racism does exist.
And I don't usually comment on other people's reviews, but if you’ve read this book and chose to ignore the important message it conveys to get offended over the main character’s remark about the way white people call 'target' tar-jay and “hey hey that’s racist!” because you think a harmless joke could possibly equate thousands of black lives unjustly killed every year at the hands of the police, or say “but what if it was the other way around?" when you have zero concept of power dynamics and historical context, you are missing the point.
Now you can justify your outrage by bringing up the definition of racism like I’ve seen so many people do, but I don’t think dictionary definitions will help you there when they are the most basic forms of words and often can’t even be taken in a sociological sense.
Just like how they won’t help with the usual cries of ‘reverse racism’ or even the moronic nonsense like trying to claim that anti-Islamic bigotry is not racist because “Islam is not a race”.
It won’t change the fact that members of marginalized groups suffer under the yoke of all forms of social inequality, from racism to misogyny to ableism to so much more on a daily basis.
It won't change the fact that these words are a constant, inevitable factors of the lives of the minority, all found on different levels of existence, all carrying various levels of trauma.
I think Scott Woods said it best when he said that racism is bigger than just “conscious hate”. That it might look like hate but it is just one manifestation. And privilege is another. Access is another. Ignorance is another. Apathy is another.
Khalil's story is one I will never forget, just like I won't forget all the real stories this book has opened my eyes to.
(x)
This book has made me feel every single possible emotion at the same time. It was truly incredible and I have SO MUCH to say about it I wish I could actually just send everyone a howler containing the entire script of this book instead.
“What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn't be?”
In all honesty, The Hate U Give has made me realize just how simply clueless I was as to the continuing day-to-day actuality of systemic racism in America. A reality in which on any given day, some innocent person like Tommy Le can get shot hours before his high-school graduation because he was carrying a pen, or another innocent person like Sandra Bland can get into a car, and then three days later she is going to end up dead in jail, or a five years old child can get shot and wounded after the police kills his mother. A reality in which justice is dead and the police kills black youth with impunity.
And so many other real stories I read about that truly made the atoms making up my body have enough of being anchored to this awful reality in this human form and wish to move on, become a light wave or something.
See, I don’t know what it's like to be black in America, but I have 18 years of experience in being a brown Muslim woman and I can tell you this: being in the minority is like being stuck behind a glass wall and whenever an injustice occurs, you breathe onto it and you write it in HUGE letters in the condensation...but nobody seems to really see it. Nobody seems to really see you. You’re completely and utterly alone.
(x)
The Hate U Give is about institutional racism and a broken criminal justice system where the police can violate the civil rights of thousands of people publicly and openly with almost no consequence at all. It's about what happens when racialized and marginalized communities stand up for their rights in any visible way whatsoever. It’s about how piles and piles of evidence showing sustained corruption and racism and literally hundreds of civilian deaths per year at the hands of the police is still somehow not enough to delegitimize a deeply flawed system.
It's about how instead of standing in unwavering solidarity with the non-violent protests by Black Lives Matter in the face of actually violent, overtly discriminatory and often fatal actions by the police and demanding societal redress and justice, there will always be people who will decry and get enraged by it, people who will try to justify those injustices by any means to curb their own cognitive dissonance.
“A hairbrush is not a gun.”
I mean, this is the 21st century. We evolved. America had elected its first black president. Humanity must've left ‘racism’ back up in the trees from the jungles we descended from.... right?
Maybe there just aren't many “social experiments” on YouTube where privileged folks get to dress up like oppressed groups and have cameras following them around in order to find out that racism is real, since apparently you really need the personal account of a white non-Muslim girl who tries on a hijab for a week to find out that racism and islamophobia do indeed exist, or a straight person pretending to be gay to find out that homophobia does exist, or an able-bodied person pretending to be disabled to find out that ableism does exist.
You don't need any “social experiments” to understand oppression. You don’t need to plagiarize lived experiences when you can just listen. Not to the personal accounts filtered through a white person but listen to the testimonials of all the people of color across the globe who experience these issues first hand - no matter what their socio-economic standing is, and who are ignored when they actually reach out to educate you even though they shouldn't even have to.
No one should have to debate about whether or not they should have basic human rights.
No one should be expected to be the mouth piece for an entire group.
No one should have to defend their humanity at every single step, repeatedly and constantly.
But racism does exist.
And I don't usually comment on other people's reviews, but if you’ve read this book and chose to ignore the important message it conveys to get offended over the main character’s remark about the way white people call 'target' tar-jay and “hey hey that’s racist!” because you think a harmless joke could possibly equate thousands of black lives unjustly killed every year at the hands of the police, or say “but what if it was the other way around?" when you have zero concept of power dynamics and historical context, you are missing the point.
Now you can justify your outrage by bringing up the definition of racism like I’ve seen so many people do, but I don’t think dictionary definitions will help you there when they are the most basic forms of words and often can’t even be taken in a sociological sense.
Just like how they won’t help with the usual cries of ‘reverse racism’ or even the moronic nonsense like trying to claim that anti-Islamic bigotry is not racist because “Islam is not a race”.
It won’t change the fact that members of marginalized groups suffer under the yoke of all forms of social inequality, from racism to misogyny to ableism to so much more on a daily basis.
It won't change the fact that these words are a constant, inevitable factors of the lives of the minority, all found on different levels of existence, all carrying various levels of trauma.
I think Scott Woods said it best when he said that racism is bigger than just “conscious hate”. That it might look like hate but it is just one manifestation. And privilege is another. Access is another. Ignorance is another. Apathy is another.
“You can destroy wood and brick, but you can't destroy a movement.”
Khalil's story is one I will never forget, just like I won't forget all the real stories this book has opened my eyes to.
(x)
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February 21, 2017
The truth casts a shadow over the kitchen—people like us in situations like this become hashtags, but they rarely get justice. I think we all wait for that one time though, that one time when it ends right.
Maybe this can be it.
There are those books that are important and timely, worthy of reading because of the social and/or political message that they send. They fill a gap in the market; they make waves. They need to exist. And there are other books that are well-written, emotionally-charged and unputdownable - books that are not important as such, just really fucking good. But, on occasion, you find one of those rare wonderful creatures that is both important AND really fucking good.
The Hate U Give is one of those books.
I could tell you that this book is inspired by the "Black Lives Matter" movement. I could tell you that it rips unapolegetically into a subject that needed to be ripped into - the shootings of unarmed black people by police officers, as well as racial bias in the justice system. I could tell you that it opened my eyes to aspects of white privilege I never considered. All of that needs to be said, for sure, but I feel like I'm doing this book a disservice by highlighting its sociopolitical importance over the fact that it's also a fantastic, powerful and utterly unforgettable book.
I don't know what your experiences were as a child, but when I was young, I remember my parents giving me a talk about how if I was ever lost or in trouble, I should look for a police officer. They would protect me, look after me, and make sure I got back to my parents unharmed. They are the people in society we should be able to trust. But the black protagonist of this book - Starr - gets a very different talk. About how to behave around police officers so she doesn’t get arrested. Or shot.
Unfortunately, her friend - Khalil - never got that talk.
I’ve seen it happen over and over again: a black person gets killed just for being black, and all hell breaks loose. I’ve Tweeted RIP hashtags, reblogged pictures on Tumblr, and signed every petition out there. I always said that if I saw it happen to somebody, I would have the loudest voice, making sure the world knew what went down.
Now I am that person, and I’m too afraid to speak.
The Hate U Give is about how Starr deals with the aftermath of witnessing Khalil being shot by a cop for... doing absolutely nothing wrong. Her fear is palpable as she confronts a system that she knows is working against her. She's afraid to speak out, yet angry that Khalil's murderer could escape justice. We see, through Starr's eyes, how the media presents young black men as guilty until proven innocent - and when you're poor, black, and from a rough neighborhood, it's virtually impossible to appear innocent.
Though, at its heart, this book first and foremost captures the perspective of a scared young girl. A girl with a loving family, complicated friendships with white teenagers at her school, and a white boyfriend. The relationship dynamics run alongside the fight for justice and are no less compelling. Thomas deftly portrays complex, nuanced relationships between all the people in the book, considering the divides between Starr and her white classmates, but never allowing anyone to become cliche or one-dimensional.
Little humorous gems lay scattered throughout the dialogue:
Momma reaches her fork onto my plate and breaks off a piece of pancake. “What is Tumblr anyway? Is it like Facebook?”
“No, and you’re forbidden to get one. No parents allowed. You guys already took over Facebook.”
“You haven’t responded to my friend request yet.”
“I know.”
“I need Candy Crush lives.”
“That’s why I’ll never respond.”
It's incredible how The Hate U Give manages to both break your heart and warm it in the space of just a few pages.
What else can I even say? If you want to have your heart ripped out - read this book. If you want to read a great book about a girl dealing with family and relationships - read this book. If you want to cry, laugh, and then cry some more - read this book. If you're ready to change this stupid fucking world - read this book.
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January 8, 2024
4.5/5 ⭐
Full review on my Blog: The Dacian She-Wolf 🐺
CONFESSION: I saw this book, I liked its cover, but when I read the synopsis I was like “…uhm…I don’t really think this is my type of book”. But I added it to my TBR pile and forgot about its existence.
But here we are now.
The Hate U Give. That stands for THUG, right? Well, it does because Tupac said so.
The book revolves around Tupac’s motto: THUG LIFE – The Hate U Give Little Infants F-s Everyone.
It might sound too “ghetto” or it might sound completely bullshit. To some people. But it is actually deeper than ignorant people can handle. It is the rough way of saying that hate is given to people from infancy. This hate grows and evolves into something that can affect everyone. No one is safe when raised with hate. No one.
Starr is only sixteen and she’s already lost two of her best friends – one at ten and the other at sixteen. For the last one, she was the only witness at his brutal murder.
From the outside, whatever happens in the hood is cruel and dangerous. People from the outside label those who live in the ghetto, but they never hear their backstories. No one cares about those backstories. And this is why Khalil’s murder is not being validated. Because he’s been labelled as a drug dealer, gang member…a young thug. And not as the boy who loved his Mama more than he loved himself. Or the boy who loves bubble baths. Or the boy who tried to sacrifice everything for his family.
This is a book about standing straight in from of the unfairness of life and shouting for your freedom. It’s about the racism, the violence, the abuse and the punishment some get and others don’t.
Now, I really want to say that I love Starr’s family.
They annoy the hell out of each other but they love each other and they always put family first. They know how to protect one another and they are going to do so under any circumstance.
Their love and affection for each other made my heart cry.
Also, even though Nana wasn’t really the best mum for her children when she was younger, she was a hell of a character throughout the book! Like for real, every passage of the book containing even the least reference to that woman made me laugh. She’s hysterically sassy!
And since we are here, Nana was also the one that said that when it rains while the sun’s out, that means that the devil is beating his wife. Putting aside the domestic violence that this belief leads to (that I am really not approving of and I think it should be abolished), this is actually more of an accurate saying than we have in Romanian. Because, we also have this in Romanian (because we have a hell of an imagination and we somehow believe in everything the folklore says but also we don’t, just because).
Take every single child in Romania outside while is raining when the sun is out and they're going to tell you that it is “cat’s wedding”. What the bloody hell does that mean, we don’t know, but that doesn’t stop us from saying it.
I am not looking for masterpieces in general when I read books. I don’t think all books should be masterpieces. Some of them ought to be fun. Some ought to inspire. And that is the beauty of them all.
Drawing now a line, I have decided that this book was not meant to be a literary masterpiece. No. It was created to raise awareness of various factors that are real and alive. And that I why I salute this book with almost 5 full stars. It’s worth my stars because it was worth my time.
Speak up your mind. Dare to be you in a world everyone wants you to be something else. Find your voice to fight everything that doesn’t seem right to you. Live life as you think you ought to, not as others dictate you to. Raise awareness.
Full review on my Blog: The Dacian She-Wolf 🐺
“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.”
CONFESSION: I saw this book, I liked its cover, but when I read the synopsis I was like “…uhm…I don’t really think this is my type of book”. But I added it to my TBR pile and forgot about its existence.
But here we are now.
The Hate U Give. That stands for THUG, right? Well, it does because Tupac said so.
The book revolves around Tupac’s motto: THUG LIFE – The Hate U Give Little Infants F-s Everyone.
It might sound too “ghetto” or it might sound completely bullshit. To some people. But it is actually deeper than ignorant people can handle. It is the rough way of saying that hate is given to people from infancy. This hate grows and evolves into something that can affect everyone. No one is safe when raised with hate. No one.
“I can’t change where I come from or what I’ve been through, so why should I be ashamed of what makes me, me?”
Starr is only sixteen and she’s already lost two of her best friends – one at ten and the other at sixteen. For the last one, she was the only witness at his brutal murder.
From the outside, whatever happens in the hood is cruel and dangerous. People from the outside label those who live in the ghetto, but they never hear their backstories. No one cares about those backstories. And this is why Khalil’s murder is not being validated. Because he’s been labelled as a drug dealer, gang member…a young thug. And not as the boy who loved his Mama more than he loved himself. Or the boy who loves bubble baths. Or the boy who tried to sacrifice everything for his family.
“He was more than any bad decision he made.”
This is a book about standing straight in from of the unfairness of life and shouting for your freedom. It’s about the racism, the violence, the abuse and the punishment some get and others don’t.
Now, I really want to say that I love Starr’s family.
They annoy the hell out of each other but they love each other and they always put family first. They know how to protect one another and they are going to do so under any circumstance.
Their love and affection for each other made my heart cry.
Also, even though Nana wasn’t really the best mum for her children when she was younger, she was a hell of a character throughout the book! Like for real, every passage of the book containing even the least reference to that woman made me laugh. She’s hysterically sassy!
And since we are here, Nana was also the one that said that when it rains while the sun’s out, that means that the devil is beating his wife. Putting aside the domestic violence that this belief leads to (that I am really not approving of and I think it should be abolished), this is actually more of an accurate saying than we have in Romanian. Because, we also have this in Romanian (because we have a hell of an imagination and we somehow believe in everything the folklore says but also we don’t, just because).
Take every single child in Romania outside while is raining when the sun is out and they're going to tell you that it is “cat’s wedding”. What the bloody hell does that mean, we don’t know, but that doesn’t stop us from saying it.
I am not looking for masterpieces in general when I read books. I don’t think all books should be masterpieces. Some of them ought to be fun. Some ought to inspire. And that is the beauty of them all.
Drawing now a line, I have decided that this book was not meant to be a literary masterpiece. No. It was created to raise awareness of various factors that are real and alive. And that I why I salute this book with almost 5 full stars. It’s worth my stars because it was worth my time.
“Don’t let them put words in your mouth. God gave you a brain. You don’t need theirs.”
Speak up your mind. Dare to be you in a world everyone wants you to be something else. Find your voice to fight everything that doesn’t seem right to you. Live life as you think you ought to, not as others dictate you to. Raise awareness.
November 26, 2017
This is a MUST READ for 2017 releases.
I absolutely adored this book. I truly don't feel like it has a single flaw. Every topic addressed was approach so wonderfully and did not hold back. If you're looking for a diverse read that stands out amongst most YA, The Hate U Give is the book for you.
I love Starr Carter so much. She's honestly such an inspiration to girls looking to find their voice. She is resilient, authentic, and everything we need in adolescents today. Although she is not completely fearless, she embraces the adversity in her way and stands against it. I don't know many people who could juggle the stresses in her life and come out weapons (in this case, words) blazing. Every moment in this book just filled me with pride for this girl and it was a pleasure being able to watch her grow.
I also love the family dynamic in this book. I think it honestly might be the most healthy, realistic, close-knit family I've ever read in a YA. The siblings may tease each other, but they protect each other fiercely. The parents may not always get along, but they are head over heels in love. They always attempt to do what is best for their children, even if it may not be their own personal preference. It was so nice to have just a scene of a family sitting down to watch sports together, throwing a pool party, always working together. It is something I truly valued from this read.
The strongest aspect of this book is it's social commentary and political criticism. This is the kind of book that should be in the hands of teens, making them aware of current issues, educating them on pressing matters, and encouraging them to get involved to create change. I absolutely left this read with an entirely new perspective I will carry with me in the future. It poses many important questions about racism, police brutality, discrimination, and prejudice while also answering them in a comprehensive and inviting way. It was fascinating to see the integration of such a powerful movement implemented into an accessible form of media for teens. I truly don't think you can leave this book without SOMETHING that will have made you say "I never thought about it this way", "When you put it this way, that actually makes a lot of sense.", and "I'm glad someone finally told me this."
Although this book is full of important moments related to the current state of marginalized populations, it is primarily about using your voice. I believe this book has the power to make readers realize just how much their words matter. Starr Carter is a perfect example of an individual who feels their voice does not matter but through courage, risk-taking, and ultimate strength, she realizes how crucial it is to speak up for what you are passionate about no matter how terrifying the consequences may seem. And I believe you will leave this book with that revelation as well.
I cannot recommend this book enough. It's absolutely one of my favorite books of the year. I am so happy The Hate U Give exists, and I'm even more ecstatic that it is a 1! NYT best seller, out in to the world, ready to help teens realize how important they really are. Please pick up "THUG". You will not regret it.
I absolutely adored this book. I truly don't feel like it has a single flaw. Every topic addressed was approach so wonderfully and did not hold back. If you're looking for a diverse read that stands out amongst most YA, The Hate U Give is the book for you.
I love Starr Carter so much. She's honestly such an inspiration to girls looking to find their voice. She is resilient, authentic, and everything we need in adolescents today. Although she is not completely fearless, she embraces the adversity in her way and stands against it. I don't know many people who could juggle the stresses in her life and come out weapons (in this case, words) blazing. Every moment in this book just filled me with pride for this girl and it was a pleasure being able to watch her grow.
I also love the family dynamic in this book. I think it honestly might be the most healthy, realistic, close-knit family I've ever read in a YA. The siblings may tease each other, but they protect each other fiercely. The parents may not always get along, but they are head over heels in love. They always attempt to do what is best for their children, even if it may not be their own personal preference. It was so nice to have just a scene of a family sitting down to watch sports together, throwing a pool party, always working together. It is something I truly valued from this read.
The strongest aspect of this book is it's social commentary and political criticism. This is the kind of book that should be in the hands of teens, making them aware of current issues, educating them on pressing matters, and encouraging them to get involved to create change. I absolutely left this read with an entirely new perspective I will carry with me in the future. It poses many important questions about racism, police brutality, discrimination, and prejudice while also answering them in a comprehensive and inviting way. It was fascinating to see the integration of such a powerful movement implemented into an accessible form of media for teens. I truly don't think you can leave this book without SOMETHING that will have made you say "I never thought about it this way", "When you put it this way, that actually makes a lot of sense.", and "I'm glad someone finally told me this."
Although this book is full of important moments related to the current state of marginalized populations, it is primarily about using your voice. I believe this book has the power to make readers realize just how much their words matter. Starr Carter is a perfect example of an individual who feels their voice does not matter but through courage, risk-taking, and ultimate strength, she realizes how crucial it is to speak up for what you are passionate about no matter how terrifying the consequences may seem. And I believe you will leave this book with that revelation as well.
I cannot recommend this book enough. It's absolutely one of my favorite books of the year. I am so happy The Hate U Give exists, and I'm even more ecstatic that it is a 1! NYT best seller, out in to the world, ready to help teens realize how important they really are. Please pick up "THUG". You will not regret it.
January 1, 2021
“What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn't be?”
Every white person on this planet needs to read this book.
"Lack of opportunities. Corporate America don't bring jobs to our communities, and they damn sure ain't quick to hire us. Then, even if you do have a high school diploma, so many schools in our neighbourhoods don't prepare us well enough. Our schools don't get the resources to equip you. It's easier to find some crack than it is to find a good school around here.
Now think 'bout this. How did the drugs even get in our neighborhood? This is a multibillion-dollar industry. That shit is flown into our communities but I don't know anybody with a private jet.
Drugs come from somewhere, and they're destroying our community.
You got folks like Brenda, who think they need them to survive, and then you got the Khalils, who think they need to sell them to survive. The Brendas can't get jobs unless they're clean, and they can't pay for rehab unless they get jobs. When the Khalils get arrested for selling drugs, they either spend most of their life in prison, another billion-dollar industry, or they have a hard time getting a real job and probably start selling drugs again.
That's the hate they're giving us, a system designed against us. That's Thug life."
This book opened my eyes. I don't want to say too much, but I love how popular this book is, being No. 1 on the NYT bestseller list and already having cast Amandla Stenberg as the lead actress in the movie adaption. We need this, America needs this, YA fiction needs this. Angie Thomas gets so many things right, and so many readers can learn about Black culture, cultural appropriation, covert and internalized racism and so much more through this.
Apart from that, this book is simply good. It could be a biography, that's how realistic it feels. The characters have real depth, and honestly, it's so so hilarious. Doesn't matter if the characters are joking about books and fandoms or getting their butts whooped by their parents, it's laugh-out-loud material. The only thing is, I wasn't overly emotional while reading this. I didn't cry ugly tears, didn't have my heart broken like I did in TFIOS, despite the horror described in the book. But it's real and it's perfect.
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Every white person on this planet needs to read this book.
"Lack of opportunities. Corporate America don't bring jobs to our communities, and they damn sure ain't quick to hire us. Then, even if you do have a high school diploma, so many schools in our neighbourhoods don't prepare us well enough. Our schools don't get the resources to equip you. It's easier to find some crack than it is to find a good school around here.
Now think 'bout this. How did the drugs even get in our neighborhood? This is a multibillion-dollar industry. That shit is flown into our communities but I don't know anybody with a private jet.
Drugs come from somewhere, and they're destroying our community.
You got folks like Brenda, who think they need them to survive, and then you got the Khalils, who think they need to sell them to survive. The Brendas can't get jobs unless they're clean, and they can't pay for rehab unless they get jobs. When the Khalils get arrested for selling drugs, they either spend most of their life in prison, another billion-dollar industry, or they have a hard time getting a real job and probably start selling drugs again.
That's the hate they're giving us, a system designed against us. That's Thug life."
This book opened my eyes. I don't want to say too much, but I love how popular this book is, being No. 1 on the NYT bestseller list and already having cast Amandla Stenberg as the lead actress in the movie adaption. We need this, America needs this, YA fiction needs this. Angie Thomas gets so many things right, and so many readers can learn about Black culture, cultural appropriation, covert and internalized racism and so much more through this.
Apart from that, this book is simply good. It could be a biography, that's how realistic it feels. The characters have real depth, and honestly, it's so so hilarious. Doesn't matter if the characters are joking about books and fandoms or getting their butts whooped by their parents, it's laugh-out-loud material. The only thing is, I wasn't overly emotional while reading this. I didn't cry ugly tears, didn't have my heart broken like I did in TFIOS, despite the horror described in the book. But it's real and it's perfect.
Find more of my books on Instagram
November 22, 2022
I don’t know if I can say anything about this book that hasn’t been said before, and better.
Sometimes, a book transcends the typical criteria for a rating or review. It’s not the plot, or prose, or characters that count, but the story itself. The sheer significance of the work negates any need to dwell on the details that tend to make a book what it is.
This is the best example of that phenomenon I can think of.
This is a story of unreal importance that came out exactly when it was needed and made its way into the hands of exactly the millions of people who would be most impacted by reading it. This is a story of unbearable suffering and injustice happening right now, and it was devoured by millions upon millions of young people.
I can’t wrap my mind around readers and reviews of this book who choose to get caught up in moments of uneven prose or slightly stilted characters. How could you decide to focus on such inanities considering everything that surrounds them?
The Hate U Give examined one of the most important movements happening today, wrapped it up in a narrative, and gifted it to the young people of the world. That gift became one of the bestselling novels in recent memory.
What could matter more than that?
That’s my bottom line.
----------------
pre-review
not even a tiny bit overhyped.
review to come
----------------
tbr review
me: oh my god i'm so happy the hate u give won the goodreads choice award
me: wait i haven't even read the hate u give
me: ...wait it's not even on my shelves
me:
Sometimes, a book transcends the typical criteria for a rating or review. It’s not the plot, or prose, or characters that count, but the story itself. The sheer significance of the work negates any need to dwell on the details that tend to make a book what it is.
This is the best example of that phenomenon I can think of.
This is a story of unreal importance that came out exactly when it was needed and made its way into the hands of exactly the millions of people who would be most impacted by reading it. This is a story of unbearable suffering and injustice happening right now, and it was devoured by millions upon millions of young people.
I can’t wrap my mind around readers and reviews of this book who choose to get caught up in moments of uneven prose or slightly stilted characters. How could you decide to focus on such inanities considering everything that surrounds them?
The Hate U Give examined one of the most important movements happening today, wrapped it up in a narrative, and gifted it to the young people of the world. That gift became one of the bestselling novels in recent memory.
What could matter more than that?
That’s my bottom line.
----------------
pre-review
not even a tiny bit overhyped.
review to come
----------------
tbr review
me: oh my god i'm so happy the hate u give won the goodreads choice award
me: wait i haven't even read the hate u give
me: ...wait it's not even on my shelves
me:
November 15, 2018
This was such a heartbreakingly honest account of what is happening in America right now. As a white reader, the experience this story affords its readers cannot be taken for granted. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this book takes you into the heart of Garden Heights after the main character has witnessed the wrongful murder of her best friend Khalil by a police officers. Being Canadian, as well as being white, I have the privilege of not having to deal with any of the things Starr deals with on a day to day basis but the experience of being alongside her as she grappled with the injustice of it all gave me a completely new understanding of what is going on in America. Canada has it's fair share of race issues as well and I obviously am not ignorant to it all, but this just felt like an honest firsthand account. It really is indescribable. This is such an important read and I highly encourage you to pick it up.
I will do a full spoiler free review and spoiler discussion on my channel very soon.
I will do a full spoiler free review and spoiler discussion on my channel very soon.
September 16, 2021
Privilege is invisible to those who have it
April 7, 2021
I was not emotionally prepared for this book.
Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.
I'm stunned. This book was stunning. I think I've been ruined for all other books for the time being.
What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn't be?
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February 10, 2017
A thoughtful, honest and fantastic book. One of 2017's shining stars for sure. Highly, highly recommend.
December 10, 2017
This is one of the best audiobooks I've listened to all year. If you are considering reading this one, listen to it. You wont regret it.
February 26, 2018
Wow. Just wow.
In my life so far, I've had the opportunity to experience many different things, but there are certain things I'll never get/have to experience. For example, I'll never experience childbirth, not that I'm complaining, although I once had a cortisone shot in my hip flexor, and my orthopedist said she thought those hurt just as badly. (You can debate on that.)
I'm also fortunate enough that I'll never have to worry about the police viewing me as a threat as soon as they see me, just because of the color of my skin. I'll never have to think about the possibility of a routine traffic stop turning into something more dangerous just because a policeman gets nervous. That's something I take for granted, but I won't now that I've read Angie Thomas' searing, powerfully moving The Hate U Give .
Starr is 16 years old. She feels like there are two of her—the devoted daughter who lives in a poor neighborhood and saw her best friend get killed in a drive-by shooting when they were 10, and the student at the fancy prep school her parents sent her and her brothers to in order to get them out of the ghetto, the student who doesn't speak the way she does at home, and lets very few people into her "real world." Even her boyfriend at school, Chris, with whom she watches reruns of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air doesn't know the "real" Starr, although he says he wants to.
"Funny how it works with white kids though. It's dope to be black until it's hard to be black."
One night while Starr is at a party in her neighborhood, she runs into her childhood friend Khalil. Khalil was her first crush, and although she hasn't seen him for a while, it feels good to reconnect. When a fight breaks out at the party, the two leave before things get out of hand. Not long afterward, police pull Khalil's car over, and before they know it, Khalil gets shot and killed by the cop. He was unarmed.
Khalil's death throws Starr and her family into a tailspin. The media has already branded Khalil a drug dealer and a thug. Starr doesn't feel like she can tell her friends at school what happened because that would be exposing them to a part of her she has tried to keep hidden, but she is angered by the attitude of one of her friends toward Khalil's shooting. Starr is afraid of the ramifications of telling the truth of what happened that night to police, prosecutors, everyone—what if police target her family? What if others think she should just keep her mouth shut? And will speaking up make the difference anyway, if most of the time white cops don't pay the price for shooting black people?
"I've tweeted RIP hashtags, reblogged pictures on Tumblr, and signed every petition out there. I always said that if I saw it happen to somebody, I would have the loudest voice, making sure the world knew what went down. Now I am that person, and I'm too afraid to speak."
Starr's involvement in Khalil's death uncovers friction in a number of places—between her parents, who argue about the merits of getting their family out of their neighborhood versus their responsibility to making sure it doesn't die; between her father and his nemesis, the leader of a powerful gang, who is intertwined with Starr's family in too many different ways; between her and Chris, as well as her friends at school; and between the factions of their neighborhood and others in the community, some who riot for the sake of rioting and don't care what destruction they cause, and some who understand the power of their actions.
The Hate U Give is tremendously moving and just so current given what is happening in our society. While certainly it focuses on police brutality and the anger minorities feel when the authorities don't get punished for doing wrong, it is quick to point out that not all police are bad, just as not all black people are drug dealers, gang members, or looking to do harm. This is a book about racism, but it's also a book about family, friendship, loyalty, community, and how often it truly does take a village to save someone. This is a book that addresses the plight that many young black men face, but it doesn't place the blame on anyone but them, either.
I thought Thomas did a great job with this book, making sure it wasn't too heavy-handed in its messaging or too extreme in its plot. She created characters you grew to care about, characters you were invested in, so when pivotal events occurred, you were moved by them. This really blew my mind, and I think this is a book which really deserves all of the hype it is getting.
Several times in the book Starr's mother uttered the quote, "Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right." I hope The Hate U Give reaches those despairing whether doing the right thing is still worth it even if it doesn't get the result they want. Because it really, truly is.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
In my life so far, I've had the opportunity to experience many different things, but there are certain things I'll never get/have to experience. For example, I'll never experience childbirth, not that I'm complaining, although I once had a cortisone shot in my hip flexor, and my orthopedist said she thought those hurt just as badly. (You can debate on that.)
I'm also fortunate enough that I'll never have to worry about the police viewing me as a threat as soon as they see me, just because of the color of my skin. I'll never have to think about the possibility of a routine traffic stop turning into something more dangerous just because a policeman gets nervous. That's something I take for granted, but I won't now that I've read Angie Thomas' searing, powerfully moving The Hate U Give .
Starr is 16 years old. She feels like there are two of her—the devoted daughter who lives in a poor neighborhood and saw her best friend get killed in a drive-by shooting when they were 10, and the student at the fancy prep school her parents sent her and her brothers to in order to get them out of the ghetto, the student who doesn't speak the way she does at home, and lets very few people into her "real world." Even her boyfriend at school, Chris, with whom she watches reruns of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air doesn't know the "real" Starr, although he says he wants to.
"Funny how it works with white kids though. It's dope to be black until it's hard to be black."
One night while Starr is at a party in her neighborhood, she runs into her childhood friend Khalil. Khalil was her first crush, and although she hasn't seen him for a while, it feels good to reconnect. When a fight breaks out at the party, the two leave before things get out of hand. Not long afterward, police pull Khalil's car over, and before they know it, Khalil gets shot and killed by the cop. He was unarmed.
Khalil's death throws Starr and her family into a tailspin. The media has already branded Khalil a drug dealer and a thug. Starr doesn't feel like she can tell her friends at school what happened because that would be exposing them to a part of her she has tried to keep hidden, but she is angered by the attitude of one of her friends toward Khalil's shooting. Starr is afraid of the ramifications of telling the truth of what happened that night to police, prosecutors, everyone—what if police target her family? What if others think she should just keep her mouth shut? And will speaking up make the difference anyway, if most of the time white cops don't pay the price for shooting black people?
"I've tweeted RIP hashtags, reblogged pictures on Tumblr, and signed every petition out there. I always said that if I saw it happen to somebody, I would have the loudest voice, making sure the world knew what went down. Now I am that person, and I'm too afraid to speak."
Starr's involvement in Khalil's death uncovers friction in a number of places—between her parents, who argue about the merits of getting their family out of their neighborhood versus their responsibility to making sure it doesn't die; between her father and his nemesis, the leader of a powerful gang, who is intertwined with Starr's family in too many different ways; between her and Chris, as well as her friends at school; and between the factions of their neighborhood and others in the community, some who riot for the sake of rioting and don't care what destruction they cause, and some who understand the power of their actions.
The Hate U Give is tremendously moving and just so current given what is happening in our society. While certainly it focuses on police brutality and the anger minorities feel when the authorities don't get punished for doing wrong, it is quick to point out that not all police are bad, just as not all black people are drug dealers, gang members, or looking to do harm. This is a book about racism, but it's also a book about family, friendship, loyalty, community, and how often it truly does take a village to save someone. This is a book that addresses the plight that many young black men face, but it doesn't place the blame on anyone but them, either.
I thought Thomas did a great job with this book, making sure it wasn't too heavy-handed in its messaging or too extreme in its plot. She created characters you grew to care about, characters you were invested in, so when pivotal events occurred, you were moved by them. This really blew my mind, and I think this is a book which really deserves all of the hype it is getting.
Several times in the book Starr's mother uttered the quote, "Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right." I hope The Hate U Give reaches those despairing whether doing the right thing is still worth it even if it doesn't get the result they want. Because it really, truly is.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
October 28, 2019
Audiobook: A VERY NON-TRADITIONAL REVIEW: - just sharing....not really a review...
My typical days are like boot camp lately -walking between 7-10 miles a day -PLUS an hour circuit weight resistance class ( 4 mile walk to class from my house) -- then I often walk to a cafe - eat & drink something - check-in with Goodreads -- try to touch base with this community- a few 'one-on- one' chatting exchanges--during my sitting break.
Sometimes I try to talk into the phone while I walk. Typos exposed!
Before walking to my weight residence class - I'm often at the gym at 5 AM-- a few weights & stretching to begin - then an hour to 90 minutes of cardio 'while' reading from my paper white -
BEFORE THAT....I've read in bed a few hours 'before' the gym....
Exhausted yet? For relaxation-- I've added back an OLD FARTS YOGA CLASS.....AN EASY CLASS .... much too easy for me --but it's perfect! The breathing alone and time for inner blessings -private time to experience being 'one' with the world - hoping to be a better person, is worth the extra time spent in class. I send out blessings to family & friends while I'm in my own space on my own yoga mat. ( very private & personal but real for me)....
Why am I sharing this? I retired from traditional reviews--- but I may write a few NON- TRADITIONAL REVIEWS as my way to feel connected with people here I love and am forever thankful for!!!
After receiving the crappy diagnosis of osteoporosis on July 3rd this year --I knew I had to make changes. Take the yucky medication - and not fight it.. GET THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF CALCIUM in my diet not under-eat... and get out of the chair. Writing reviews that take an hour or more won't build bone density.
So-- I started downloading as many audiobooks I could get my hands on - free- from the library overdrive. I paid for a few too. Getting ready for walking- moving daily boot camp - reading included.
When I finished "The Hate U Give".... taking my turn at this book, which I recommend everyone take THEIR TURN, ....I still had about 1 more mile walk home. I was DYING TO CONNECT WITH MY DAUGHTERS. This book did that to me.
So.... HOW DOES A MOM CONNECT WITH THEIR ADULT KIDS WHEN THEY ARE HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY - and they can't talk at the moment?
Perfect solution: play music that reminds you of them!!!
So-- I immediately listen to Aerosmith, "Don't Want to Miss A Thing", from Armageddon---Ali insisted on playing that song as her 'opening song' at her Bat Mitzvah.....nothing Jewish about it!- and we have a luv/thing with Aerosmith together.
For Katy - I played "Someone Else's Story" from the Broadway Musical "Chess". It's such a beautiful song ( listen to it). Katy use to sing it often! She always brings tears to my eyes when she sings it. Her voice is beautiful.
And how does ANY OF THIS RELATE TO "The Hate You Give"? I have no idea ....
other than all these emotions - thoughts & feelings ARE ASSOCIATED with THIS BOOK.
Somehow they are all tied together!!!!
I'll leave you with one sentence in this book that - for me - represents the context of this beautiful- heartbreaking story.
"A Good Garden Needs A Good Conversation".
5 Strong stars!!! I vote the audiobook!
My typical days are like boot camp lately -walking between 7-10 miles a day -PLUS an hour circuit weight resistance class ( 4 mile walk to class from my house) -- then I often walk to a cafe - eat & drink something - check-in with Goodreads -- try to touch base with this community- a few 'one-on- one' chatting exchanges--during my sitting break.
Sometimes I try to talk into the phone while I walk. Typos exposed!
Before walking to my weight residence class - I'm often at the gym at 5 AM-- a few weights & stretching to begin - then an hour to 90 minutes of cardio 'while' reading from my paper white -
BEFORE THAT....I've read in bed a few hours 'before' the gym....
Exhausted yet? For relaxation-- I've added back an OLD FARTS YOGA CLASS.....AN EASY CLASS .... much too easy for me --but it's perfect! The breathing alone and time for inner blessings -private time to experience being 'one' with the world - hoping to be a better person, is worth the extra time spent in class. I send out blessings to family & friends while I'm in my own space on my own yoga mat. ( very private & personal but real for me)....
Why am I sharing this? I retired from traditional reviews--- but I may write a few NON- TRADITIONAL REVIEWS as my way to feel connected with people here I love and am forever thankful for!!!
After receiving the crappy diagnosis of osteoporosis on July 3rd this year --I knew I had to make changes. Take the yucky medication - and not fight it.. GET THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF CALCIUM in my diet not under-eat... and get out of the chair. Writing reviews that take an hour or more won't build bone density.
So-- I started downloading as many audiobooks I could get my hands on - free- from the library overdrive. I paid for a few too. Getting ready for walking- moving daily boot camp - reading included.
When I finished "The Hate U Give".... taking my turn at this book, which I recommend everyone take THEIR TURN, ....I still had about 1 more mile walk home. I was DYING TO CONNECT WITH MY DAUGHTERS. This book did that to me.
So.... HOW DOES A MOM CONNECT WITH THEIR ADULT KIDS WHEN THEY ARE HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY - and they can't talk at the moment?
Perfect solution: play music that reminds you of them!!!
So-- I immediately listen to Aerosmith, "Don't Want to Miss A Thing", from Armageddon---Ali insisted on playing that song as her 'opening song' at her Bat Mitzvah.....nothing Jewish about it!- and we have a luv/thing with Aerosmith together.
For Katy - I played "Someone Else's Story" from the Broadway Musical "Chess". It's such a beautiful song ( listen to it). Katy use to sing it often! She always brings tears to my eyes when she sings it. Her voice is beautiful.
And how does ANY OF THIS RELATE TO "The Hate You Give"? I have no idea ....
other than all these emotions - thoughts & feelings ARE ASSOCIATED with THIS BOOK.
Somehow they are all tied together!!!!
I'll leave you with one sentence in this book that - for me - represents the context of this beautiful- heartbreaking story.
"A Good Garden Needs A Good Conversation".
5 Strong stars!!! I vote the audiobook!
February 2, 2018
When you read a 444 page book in one day bc you can’t put it down. Powerful.
Yeah, I don’t think I can write a review for this one other than to say everyone (of a certain age/maturity) should read this. Poignant, important and timely.
Yeah, I don’t think I can write a review for this one other than to say everyone (of a certain age/maturity) should read this. Poignant, important and timely.
June 13, 2018
congratulations, 2017 goodreads choice winner in both best YA fiction AND best debut goodreads author!!
i rarely read realistic YA - if i’m going to read YA, i prefer fantasy or survival stuff where teens are in peril. but this was recommended to me by too many people to put aside "for later,” and while there are plenty of teens in peril, this sure ain’t fantasy.
it earns every one of its rave reviews; it’s an important, timely book that doesn’t feel as though it was thrown together in order to cash in on its timeliness. something like this could’ve easily skewed exploitative or preachy, and it doesn’t. at all. this was not thrown together, this was crafted. the voice is there, the emotional depth is there, it’s got strata for days, and its adaptation potential is a no-brainer - the family and neighborhood warmth-with-warts of spike lee (and my heart recognizes none but delroy lindo as maverick carter), and the focus of kids caught up in/on the outskirts of the game of the wire with a female gaze both of those (largely) lack.
it’s smart, occasionally subtle food for thought with plenty of appeal for adult readers. i’d go on, but i’m so late to reading this, i’m just one more admiring voice in a sea of positive response, and if you are even later than me, reading my garbage-words is just keeping you from reading this, and that’s no good.
two thumbs down for that prom scene, but everything else is gold.
come to my blog!
i rarely read realistic YA - if i’m going to read YA, i prefer fantasy or survival stuff where teens are in peril. but this was recommended to me by too many people to put aside "for later,” and while there are plenty of teens in peril, this sure ain’t fantasy.
it earns every one of its rave reviews; it’s an important, timely book that doesn’t feel as though it was thrown together in order to cash in on its timeliness. something like this could’ve easily skewed exploitative or preachy, and it doesn’t. at all. this was not thrown together, this was crafted. the voice is there, the emotional depth is there, it’s got strata for days, and its adaptation potential is a no-brainer - the family and neighborhood warmth-with-warts of spike lee (and my heart recognizes none but delroy lindo as maverick carter), and the focus of kids caught up in/on the outskirts of the game of the wire with a female gaze both of those (largely) lack.
it’s smart, occasionally subtle food for thought with plenty of appeal for adult readers. i’d go on, but i’m so late to reading this, i’m just one more admiring voice in a sea of positive response, and if you are even later than me, reading my garbage-words is just keeping you from reading this, and that’s no good.
two thumbs down for that prom scene, but everything else is gold.
come to my blog!
April 11, 2020
”Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
- Martin Luther King Jr.
If you ask me there is no quote that would describe the essence of “The Hate U Give” better than this one. Heaven knows, to speak up for yourself and your beliefs is never easy, but if you don’t do it your voice won’t be heard and things will continue to go on the way they were before.
It’s a lesson our heroine Starr learns the hard way and it’s a more than just important lesson as well.
”I always said that if I saw it happen to somebody, I would have the loudest voice, making sure the world knew what went down.
Now I am that person, and I’m too afraid to speak.”
I could understand Starr’s internal battle and I could relate to her so much. To admit that she’s the witness, to speak up for Khalil and to say what truly happened... well, it takes guts to take that step. Especially because she was smack in the middle of it all. On the one hand there were the King Lords and the gang members at Garden Heights and on the other hand there was the police. Neither of both sides was all too keen on hearing the truth about what went down that night (and this is putting it mildly), but the truth needed to be heard and I think it was very brave of Starr to find her voice. Truth be told, I actually enjoyed watching her journey.
”Oh, we know the truth, that’s not what we want,” says Daddy. “We want justice.”
Of course her family tried to protect her from harm and wanted to keep her identity anonymous but the more things happened, the harder it got to stay out of it. You might say that Starr eventually ended up in all that mess her family tried to protect her from, but then again it wasn’t really like she had a choice. If your best friend would have been murdered in front of your eyes, if he would have been unarmed, his back to the police officer that shot him, the only thing he did a concerned glance into his car because you were the co-driver and he didn’t want you to get hurt. What would you have done after you held him dying in your arms?
”The truth casts a shadow over the kitchen – people like us in situations like this become hashtags, but they rarely get justice. I think we all wait for that one time though, that one time when it ends right.”
Yes, you would have wanted to get justice too! At least I would have wanted it because there’s nothing in this world that makes me feel more helpless and angry than injustice and the injustice that happened in this book was outrageous!!!
”But Khalil didn’t stay put, did he?” she says.
“He didn’t pull the trigger on himself either.”
I loved Starr so much for that statement alone! There were two police officers interrogating her and all they tried to do was to put the blame on Khalil. Because of course it was his fault that he got shot! He was a drug dealer after all, right? NO!! HELL, NO!!!! Even if he would have been a drug dealer this wouldn’t have made things right! He was unarmed, he didn’t do anything wrong, he only checked on his friend and he had to die for it. THIS IS NOT OKAY!!! THIS IS NOT RIGHT!!! THIS IS WRONG!!! And no matter how much people tried to discredit him, nothing of what they said about him was the truth!!!
”Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.”
The truth is that he was just a normal kid, driving home his best friend after they left from a party. End of the story. Or it should have been... What I really liked about this book was that it made you think. I mean Starr’s own uncle is a policeman and a good and righteous one at that. Yet there were also those officers that treated her father so badly and tried to intimidate her. Just because you’re a cop you’re not automatically a good person, just because you’re black you’re not automatically a drug dealer. Just because you go to a private school you’re not automatically rich.
Angie Thomas plays with ingrained prejudices and subjective perceptions. In “The Hate U Give” she shows us that supposedly good people can be bad and that people who seem to have a bad reputation can have a kind heart too. There occur at least as many prejudices against white people as there appear against black ones. For instance Starr’s father Maverick doesn’t like her boyfriend and is distrustful of him because he’s white. And Starr is the cool kid at her school because she’s one of the few students that attend the school and are black. Quite honestly, if I go by Starr’s and her friend’s definition of being black I’d be black through and through. *lol* I don’t like green bean casserole and for me Macaroni and cheese is a snack that comes out of the oven (thus a side dish) So I guess according to their reasoning that makes me as black as them! XD
”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.”
Despite all the humour that can be found in here, the message of this book is quite clear though: We’re all human, we all make mistakes, family is important and got your back, justice must be practiced and lived, we shouldn’t be judged for our skin colour and we should always stand up for our beliefs, no matter how hard it is.
I think that’s a great message and one that should be heard! So thank you Angie Thomas for writing this book, for giving Starr a strong voice, for allowing us to get a glimpse of other people’s lives and for showing me that Starr’s family is as funny, caring and crazy as mine.
A great book with an important message! Read it and let it be heard! =)
__________________________________
I’m probably the last person who reads this but I finally got a copy from my library!!!
I wanted to read “The Hate U Give” for ages but as it seems this book is still in high demand.
Also a fun fact that probably makes me one hell of a super oaf:
When I was at the library I was always looking for “The Hate U Give” and about two months ago I was skimming through the book shelves and saw a book spine that had “THUG” written on it.
I was like: “Huh? That’s a strange book title!”, but eventually continued to skim the shelves.
Erm, well yeah. I get a feeling I could have read this book way sooner if I would have known this was the shortcut! *lol*
This said, let’s finally do this! XD
- Martin Luther King Jr.
If you ask me there is no quote that would describe the essence of “The Hate U Give” better than this one. Heaven knows, to speak up for yourself and your beliefs is never easy, but if you don’t do it your voice won’t be heard and things will continue to go on the way they were before.
It’s a lesson our heroine Starr learns the hard way and it’s a more than just important lesson as well.
”I always said that if I saw it happen to somebody, I would have the loudest voice, making sure the world knew what went down.
Now I am that person, and I’m too afraid to speak.”
I could understand Starr’s internal battle and I could relate to her so much. To admit that she’s the witness, to speak up for Khalil and to say what truly happened... well, it takes guts to take that step. Especially because she was smack in the middle of it all. On the one hand there were the King Lords and the gang members at Garden Heights and on the other hand there was the police. Neither of both sides was all too keen on hearing the truth about what went down that night (and this is putting it mildly), but the truth needed to be heard and I think it was very brave of Starr to find her voice. Truth be told, I actually enjoyed watching her journey.
”Oh, we know the truth, that’s not what we want,” says Daddy. “We want justice.”
Of course her family tried to protect her from harm and wanted to keep her identity anonymous but the more things happened, the harder it got to stay out of it. You might say that Starr eventually ended up in all that mess her family tried to protect her from, but then again it wasn’t really like she had a choice. If your best friend would have been murdered in front of your eyes, if he would have been unarmed, his back to the police officer that shot him, the only thing he did a concerned glance into his car because you were the co-driver and he didn’t want you to get hurt. What would you have done after you held him dying in your arms?
”The truth casts a shadow over the kitchen – people like us in situations like this become hashtags, but they rarely get justice. I think we all wait for that one time though, that one time when it ends right.”
Yes, you would have wanted to get justice too! At least I would have wanted it because there’s nothing in this world that makes me feel more helpless and angry than injustice and the injustice that happened in this book was outrageous!!!
”But Khalil didn’t stay put, did he?” she says.
“He didn’t pull the trigger on himself either.”
I loved Starr so much for that statement alone! There were two police officers interrogating her and all they tried to do was to put the blame on Khalil. Because of course it was his fault that he got shot! He was a drug dealer after all, right? NO!! HELL, NO!!!! Even if he would have been a drug dealer this wouldn’t have made things right! He was unarmed, he didn’t do anything wrong, he only checked on his friend and he had to die for it. THIS IS NOT OKAY!!! THIS IS NOT RIGHT!!! THIS IS WRONG!!! And no matter how much people tried to discredit him, nothing of what they said about him was the truth!!!
”Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.”
The truth is that he was just a normal kid, driving home his best friend after they left from a party. End of the story. Or it should have been... What I really liked about this book was that it made you think. I mean Starr’s own uncle is a policeman and a good and righteous one at that. Yet there were also those officers that treated her father so badly and tried to intimidate her. Just because you’re a cop you’re not automatically a good person, just because you’re black you’re not automatically a drug dealer. Just because you go to a private school you’re not automatically rich.
Angie Thomas plays with ingrained prejudices and subjective perceptions. In “The Hate U Give” she shows us that supposedly good people can be bad and that people who seem to have a bad reputation can have a kind heart too. There occur at least as many prejudices against white people as there appear against black ones. For instance Starr’s father Maverick doesn’t like her boyfriend and is distrustful of him because he’s white. And Starr is the cool kid at her school because she’s one of the few students that attend the school and are black. Quite honestly, if I go by Starr’s and her friend’s definition of being black I’d be black through and through. *lol* I don’t like green bean casserole and for me Macaroni and cheese is a snack that comes out of the oven (thus a side dish) So I guess according to their reasoning that makes me as black as them! XD
”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.”
Despite all the humour that can be found in here, the message of this book is quite clear though: We’re all human, we all make mistakes, family is important and got your back, justice must be practiced and lived, we shouldn’t be judged for our skin colour and we should always stand up for our beliefs, no matter how hard it is.
I think that’s a great message and one that should be heard! So thank you Angie Thomas for writing this book, for giving Starr a strong voice, for allowing us to get a glimpse of other people’s lives and for showing me that Starr’s family is as funny, caring and crazy as mine.
A great book with an important message! Read it and let it be heard! =)
__________________________________
I’m probably the last person who reads this but I finally got a copy from my library!!!
I wanted to read “The Hate U Give” for ages but as it seems this book is still in high demand.
Also a fun fact that probably makes me one hell of a super oaf:
When I was at the library I was always looking for “The Hate U Give” and about two months ago I was skimming through the book shelves and saw a book spine that had “THUG” written on it.
I was like: “Huh? That’s a strange book title!”, but eventually continued to skim the shelves.
Erm, well yeah. I get a feeling I could have read this book way sooner if I would have known this was the shortcut! *lol*
This said, let’s finally do this! XD
August 29, 2018
"We are with you not against you
We only hope you got the common sense to
Realize we're unified
And realize we are here to back you
And not let anybody else attack you
So you know we're on your side
We're unified"
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The Hate That U Give is an important story about humanity. As much as we think life is "us against them" it is really "us against us". Across all races there are good and bad people, wise and reckless decisions are made, opinions formulated, etc. But, in the end, there is not much difference between all of us.
This book does a great job of opening the discussion with fairness and open-mindedness. While the setting was inner city in the midst of racial tensions, the book was well written to be accessable to all readers. This is awesome because I think all people should give this story a try. Even if you don't care for YA or worry the subject matter might make you uncomfortable (in which case, you probably need a little uncomfortableness in your life) you should still give it a go.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was fantastic. If you tend to prefer audio or are thinking of reading this and wonder which format to try, the audio is definitely worth it. Bahni Turpin gives Angie Thomas' already lively dialogue an extra bump of passion with superb delivery and characterization.
Again, we all live together on this planet and there will not be enough room for us if we continue to let the hate between us grow. This book not only shows what happens if the hate grows, but also what happens when we work together to overcome it.
We only hope you got the common sense to
Realize we're unified
And realize we are here to back you
And not let anybody else attack you
So you know we're on your side
We're unified"
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The Hate That U Give is an important story about humanity. As much as we think life is "us against them" it is really "us against us". Across all races there are good and bad people, wise and reckless decisions are made, opinions formulated, etc. But, in the end, there is not much difference between all of us.
This book does a great job of opening the discussion with fairness and open-mindedness. While the setting was inner city in the midst of racial tensions, the book was well written to be accessable to all readers. This is awesome because I think all people should give this story a try. Even if you don't care for YA or worry the subject matter might make you uncomfortable (in which case, you probably need a little uncomfortableness in your life) you should still give it a go.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was fantastic. If you tend to prefer audio or are thinking of reading this and wonder which format to try, the audio is definitely worth it. Bahni Turpin gives Angie Thomas' already lively dialogue an extra bump of passion with superb delivery and characterization.
Again, we all live together on this planet and there will not be enough room for us if we continue to let the hate between us grow. This book not only shows what happens if the hate grows, but also what happens when we work together to overcome it.
April 5, 2017
More like a 4.5 :).
I loved this book so much. It made me see things from a different perspective. It educated me.
I loved this book so much. It made me see things from a different perspective. It educated me.
September 29, 2020
Wow, what an amazing book
Watch my video review here: https://youtu.be/ZtwrVrPeAIw
Watch my video review here: https://youtu.be/ZtwrVrPeAIw
Read
June 3, 2020Edit: I am removing this review as well as the star rating. In the wake of recent events I have realized that I was (and still am) incredibly uneducated about racial issues in the US and honestly should not be sharing an opinion on something I do not understand. I am ashamed and embarrassed that it took something like this to happen for me to realize that. None of this is about me and this review is probably pretty inconsequential in the larger scheme of things, but I simply do not feel comfortable leaving it as it is or even just deleting it without explaining why.
On a simply literary level, I still do not think this book was particularly well written. But that’s really all I can speak on when it comes to this book. On all other matters I and others should rather be listening to the people who actually know what they are talking about.
On a simply literary level, I still do not think this book was particularly well written. But that’s really all I can speak on when it comes to this book. On all other matters I and others should rather be listening to the people who actually know what they are talking about.
June 12, 2018
Wow. This book was phenomenal. it completely lived up to the hype.
I have a lot of thoughts on this so here they are (keep in mind this is coming from an Asian American from the Bay Area):
I loved how educational it was. It really made you understand the Black Lives Matter movement and the reality of it. It hit every single point and put you right in the middle of it.
I also liked how Angie Thomas made brought up big points in really subtle ways. For example, “Funny how it works with white kids though. It’s dope to be black until it’s hard to be black” (11). That is so true. People only like black culture when it’s cool , but the minute something bad happens to the black community, they distance themselves from it. But the quote that really hit hard was, “Funny. Slave masters thought they were making a difference in black people’s lives too. Saving them from their ‘wild African ways.’ Same Shit, different century. I wish people them would stop thinking that people like me need saving” (246). I read that quote and was like, damn, preach it girl!
The minority alliance between Starr and Maya made me so happy. It was so good to see a black girl and her Asian best friend team up. Angie Thomas could have done a bit more with it, but it was still nice to see it included. Personally, I think we need more minority alliances because there is more that unites us than divides us and together we can make a big impact. #Asians4BlackLives
I also liked that this tackled interracial dating. It added an extra layer to the complexity of this novel.
The pop culture references were a really nice and unexpected touch. I was definitely not expecting High School Musical and the Jonas Brothers to be mentioned in this book.
Overall, this book was everything. It should be taught in schools because despite being fiction, it was so informative, thought provoking, and leaves the door open for a lot of discussion.
I have a lot of thoughts on this so here they are (keep in mind this is coming from an Asian American from the Bay Area):
I loved how educational it was. It really made you understand the Black Lives Matter movement and the reality of it. It hit every single point and put you right in the middle of it.
I also liked how Angie Thomas made brought up big points in really subtle ways. For example, “Funny how it works with white kids though. It’s dope to be black until it’s hard to be black” (11). That is so true. People only like black culture when it’s cool , but the minute something bad happens to the black community, they distance themselves from it. But the quote that really hit hard was, “Funny. Slave masters thought they were making a difference in black people’s lives too. Saving them from their ‘wild African ways.’ Same Shit, different century. I wish people them would stop thinking that people like me need saving” (246). I read that quote and was like, damn, preach it girl!
The minority alliance between Starr and Maya made me so happy. It was so good to see a black girl and her Asian best friend team up. Angie Thomas could have done a bit more with it, but it was still nice to see it included. Personally, I think we need more minority alliances because there is more that unites us than divides us and together we can make a big impact. #Asians4BlackLives
I also liked that this tackled interracial dating. It added an extra layer to the complexity of this novel.
The pop culture references were a really nice and unexpected touch. I was definitely not expecting High School Musical and the Jonas Brothers to be mentioned in this book.
Overall, this book was everything. It should be taught in schools because despite being fiction, it was so informative, thought provoking, and leaves the door open for a lot of discussion.
October 18, 2022
While attending a house party over Spring break, high schooler, Starr Carter, runs into her childhood best friend, Khalil.
They haven't seen each other in a while and Starr is happy to have the chance to catch up with him. They used to be real close, but drifted apart once Starr started attending a private school out of their neighborhood.
After a violent incident erupts, Khalil offers to give Starr a ride home, which she accepts. On the way, they get pulled over.
A nightmarish scene then plays out in front of Starr's eyes. Khalil is removed from the car and ultimately gunned down in the street by a police officer.
Badge number 1-1-5.
The rest of the book follows Starr in the aftermath of this killing; what she, her family and her community go through.
There is nothing I can write here that hasn't already been written in regards to this book.
It's so important, so well written and so needed. I loved it beginning to end.
Believe the hype.
If you haven't picked this up yet, please do.
I'm so glad that I did.
As an aside, I listened to the audiobook while following along in my hardcover edition. As I already knew, but maybe you don't, Bahni Turpin is a goddess. She is such a great narrator, bringing stories to life.
I will definitely be picking up On the Come Up very soon!
Thank you for writing this, Angie Thomas.
They haven't seen each other in a while and Starr is happy to have the chance to catch up with him. They used to be real close, but drifted apart once Starr started attending a private school out of their neighborhood.
After a violent incident erupts, Khalil offers to give Starr a ride home, which she accepts. On the way, they get pulled over.
A nightmarish scene then plays out in front of Starr's eyes. Khalil is removed from the car and ultimately gunned down in the street by a police officer.
Badge number 1-1-5.
The rest of the book follows Starr in the aftermath of this killing; what she, her family and her community go through.
There is nothing I can write here that hasn't already been written in regards to this book.
It's so important, so well written and so needed. I loved it beginning to end.
Believe the hype.
If you haven't picked this up yet, please do.
I'm so glad that I did.
As an aside, I listened to the audiobook while following along in my hardcover edition. As I already knew, but maybe you don't, Bahni Turpin is a goddess. She is such a great narrator, bringing stories to life.
I will definitely be picking up On the Come Up very soon!
Thank you for writing this, Angie Thomas.
April 29, 2023
I don't think another book will be as good as this in a very long time to come.
I am so happy right now... because it feels like I have found a missing piece I didn't know I needed. This book is so amazing!
I just love how real the story is. I just love how real the main protagonist's family is. It definitely defines a family.
The main themes of the plot, that is, racism or cop violence or shootings has not been overdone. The writing is just to the point and so damn enjoyable. And the best part about the writing which I rarely find in fiction is the humour that is on spot!
The trauma is real. The struggles of being a witness, to make our voices heard and how a tragic incident brings out the true colours of the people around us and also how people try to manipulate the situation have been presented so realistically and vividly that it seems like you have been witnessing everything right in front of your eyes. The characters are alive! Whether it's the child parent relationship, boyfriend girlfriend one, friendships fake and real, hatred or just plain mundane relationships in the book, I feel like all these are pretty dynamic and real.
At times, I was expecting some cliché parts as it is a young adult fiction but damn, this book went far beyond my expectations. I am so damn happy.
And the ending was so well done. All the drama and the tension. All the young adult chaos. Everything wrapped up beautifully! I got so overwhelmed (good kind!) that I ended up crying as the book ended.
*I would nominate this one for the best young adult fictional parents characters, best fictional half-brother character, best interracial dating trobe, best family dynamics in YA fiction. And also, one of the cutest best young adult boyfriend character. Chris rocks. Seven, the brother, is so amazing. And the parents! I got jealous cos ... Damn. Everyone deserves parents like them.
Oh, this book still needs more hype than it already is being overhyped!
I am so happy right now... because it feels like I have found a missing piece I didn't know I needed. This book is so amazing!
I just love how real the story is. I just love how real the main protagonist's family is. It definitely defines a family.
The main themes of the plot, that is, racism or cop violence or shootings has not been overdone. The writing is just to the point and so damn enjoyable. And the best part about the writing which I rarely find in fiction is the humour that is on spot!
The trauma is real. The struggles of being a witness, to make our voices heard and how a tragic incident brings out the true colours of the people around us and also how people try to manipulate the situation have been presented so realistically and vividly that it seems like you have been witnessing everything right in front of your eyes. The characters are alive! Whether it's the child parent relationship, boyfriend girlfriend one, friendships fake and real, hatred or just plain mundane relationships in the book, I feel like all these are pretty dynamic and real.
At times, I was expecting some cliché parts as it is a young adult fiction but damn, this book went far beyond my expectations. I am so damn happy.
And the ending was so well done. All the drama and the tension. All the young adult chaos. Everything wrapped up beautifully! I got so overwhelmed (good kind!) that I ended up crying as the book ended.
*I would nominate this one for the best young adult fictional parents characters, best fictional half-brother character, best interracial dating trobe, best family dynamics in YA fiction. And also, one of the cutest best young adult boyfriend character. Chris rocks. Seven, the brother, is so amazing. And the parents! I got jealous cos ... Damn. Everyone deserves parents like them.
Oh, this book still needs more hype than it already is being overhyped!
July 6, 2017
After reading this book, I can certainly see what all the uproar is about. 'The Hate U Give' addresses the very sensitive issues of race relations and police brutality in a time when the nation is torn over these issues. Most of my friends are at one extreme or the other when it comes to the #Blacklivesmatter movement. Since I don't want to incite an online mobbing, I'm going to do my best to avoid that movement specifically, while sharing my thoughts and opinions on this wonderful book.
First of all, this is a very moving story. It centers on a teenage black girl, Starr Carter, who leaves her crime-riddled neighborhood each day to attend an affluent school across town. In both settings, she feels a need to conform to the social norms. This means that she lives a double-life of sorts -- she has one persona with her black family and friends in her neighborhood and another one with her wealthy, predominantly white, friends from her school.
One night she attends a party in her neighborhood that turns violent. After leaving the party with her childhood friend, Khalil, her life and her community is forever changed. A routine traffic stop turns tragic when an unarmed Khalil is repeatedly shot by a police officer after failing to follow police instructions.
The events of that night serve as the spark that sets off an explosion. Starr's neighborhood has a long-standing animosity for the police, citing multiple instances of police brutality and harassment. The death of Khalil is only the latest in a long line of atrocities.
Begrudgingly, Starr is forced into the center of a media feeding frenzy. Part of her wishes that she could just hide and return to her "old" life, while another part wants to be brave and stand up for what she believes is right. She was in an extremely difficult situation for a young girl.
Although she initially tries to remain anonymous, as the sole witness of Khalil's murder she eventually speaks out publicly. Doing so, Starr learns a lot about herself and the people that she surrounds herself with. Some will stick around to support her, others will reveal that they were never really who she thought they were.
While this book certainly highlighted the issue of police brutality against blacks, there were several other takeaways for me. I applaud the author for not shying away from other issues that are controversial. For example, racism - against multiple races - was prevalent throughout this story. I appreciated that the author was forthcoming in addressing this topic, even knowing that it would likely be controversial. Two wrongs don't make a right. Racism is still racism and it is wrong, regardless of the race.
Although I did find the danger of Starr's neighborhood to be exaggerated, the author also highlighted the issue of violent crime, drugs and gang warfare. Several times, there were drive-by shootings or other crimes committed in Starr's neighborhood by the residents against the residents. It was sad and the author did a good job of highlighting this issue/cycle of violence.
One notable, older man in the story commented on this and I couldn't have agreed with him more. There was a lot of senseless violence and crime in Starr's neighborhood. As he said, the government needn't look further than that neighborhood to find a real terrorist. The people lived in fear, not only of the police, but of the crime lord in their midst.
The conflict in Starr's family over whether to stay in the neighborhood, despite the danger, or move to a safer neighborhood, also was enlightening. There were a lot of mixed feelings and a sense of betrayal that accompanied her parent's desire to "better" their situation and that of their children. It reminded me of that saying about crabs in a bucket, always trying to pull one back in before they can get out. There was certainly plenty of pressure and resentment, both within and outside of her family where this was concerned. They had to balance their desire to improve their situation against the repercussions of being viewed as sell-outs. The same was true for Starr's uncle, who was a police officer.
Overall, this was a wonderful book. I'd definitely recommend it to others, regardless of their views. It provides plenty of food for thought and raises awareness of several important social issues.
First of all, this is a very moving story. It centers on a teenage black girl, Starr Carter, who leaves her crime-riddled neighborhood each day to attend an affluent school across town. In both settings, she feels a need to conform to the social norms. This means that she lives a double-life of sorts -- she has one persona with her black family and friends in her neighborhood and another one with her wealthy, predominantly white, friends from her school.
One night she attends a party in her neighborhood that turns violent. After leaving the party with her childhood friend, Khalil, her life and her community is forever changed. A routine traffic stop turns tragic when an unarmed Khalil is repeatedly shot by a police officer after failing to follow police instructions.
The events of that night serve as the spark that sets off an explosion. Starr's neighborhood has a long-standing animosity for the police, citing multiple instances of police brutality and harassment. The death of Khalil is only the latest in a long line of atrocities.
Begrudgingly, Starr is forced into the center of a media feeding frenzy. Part of her wishes that she could just hide and return to her "old" life, while another part wants to be brave and stand up for what she believes is right. She was in an extremely difficult situation for a young girl.
Although she initially tries to remain anonymous, as the sole witness of Khalil's murder she eventually speaks out publicly. Doing so, Starr learns a lot about herself and the people that she surrounds herself with. Some will stick around to support her, others will reveal that they were never really who she thought they were.
While this book certainly highlighted the issue of police brutality against blacks, there were several other takeaways for me. I applaud the author for not shying away from other issues that are controversial. For example, racism - against multiple races - was prevalent throughout this story. I appreciated that the author was forthcoming in addressing this topic, even knowing that it would likely be controversial. Two wrongs don't make a right. Racism is still racism and it is wrong, regardless of the race.
Although I did find the danger of Starr's neighborhood to be exaggerated, the author also highlighted the issue of violent crime, drugs and gang warfare. Several times, there were drive-by shootings or other crimes committed in Starr's neighborhood by the residents against the residents. It was sad and the author did a good job of highlighting this issue/cycle of violence.
One notable, older man in the story commented on this and I couldn't have agreed with him more. There was a lot of senseless violence and crime in Starr's neighborhood. As he said, the government needn't look further than that neighborhood to find a real terrorist. The people lived in fear, not only of the police, but of the crime lord in their midst.
The conflict in Starr's family over whether to stay in the neighborhood, despite the danger, or move to a safer neighborhood, also was enlightening. There were a lot of mixed feelings and a sense of betrayal that accompanied her parent's desire to "better" their situation and that of their children. It reminded me of that saying about crabs in a bucket, always trying to pull one back in before they can get out. There was certainly plenty of pressure and resentment, both within and outside of her family where this was concerned. They had to balance their desire to improve their situation against the repercussions of being viewed as sell-outs. The same was true for Starr's uncle, who was a police officer.
Overall, this was a wonderful book. I'd definitely recommend it to others, regardless of their views. It provides plenty of food for thought and raises awareness of several important social issues.
February 3, 2023
The hate you send out into the world... it always comes back.
In this novel we learn the story of "Starr Carter", a young african american girl who lives in the poor and dangerous suburbs of Garden Hights, and one of the only color people in a privileged school. One fateful night, after leaving a party, she and a friend are stopped in a random police vehicle stop. A death will change young Starr's life forever, and, ultimately, the life of everyone in her neighborhood.
A very, very memorable read, with a lot of moments and quotes to remember. A novel that faithfully depictures the vicissitudes of living as an afro-american minority, the racial prejudices, discrimination and the failings of a system designed to create racial injustices.
**** The movie is an very good book-to-film adaptation. As always, differences were noticed and some depth was lost, but even still it keeps a very faithful representation of the book. Amandla Stenberg delivers a very powerful performance, truly remarkable. Little Rue has grown up.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2017] [454p] [Young Adult] [Highly Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
El odio que mandás al mundo... siempre vuelve.
En esta novela conocemos la historia de "Starr Carter", una joven afroamericana que vive en los suburbios pobres y peligrosos de Garden Hights, y una de las únicas personas de color en una escuela privilegiada. Una fatídica noche al salir de una fiesta ella y un amigo son detenidos por un control policial. Una muerte cambiará para siempre la vida de Starr, y a la larga, la de todos en su barrio.
Una lectura muy, muy memorable, con muchos momentos y frases para el recuerdo. Una novela que refleja fielmente las vicisitudes de vivir como una minoría afroamericana, los prejucios raciales, la discriminación y las fallas de un sistema diseñado para provocar injusticias sociales.
**** La película es una muy buena adaptación del libro. Como siempre se pierde cierta profundidad y existen algunas diferencias, pero se mantiene muy fiel al espíritu de la obra. Amandla Stenberg hace un papel muy poderoso, realmente destacable. La pequeña Rue ha crecido.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2017] [454p] [Joven Adulto] [Altamente Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
In this novel we learn the story of "Starr Carter", a young african american girl who lives in the poor and dangerous suburbs of Garden Hights, and one of the only color people in a privileged school. One fateful night, after leaving a party, she and a friend are stopped in a random police vehicle stop. A death will change young Starr's life forever, and, ultimately, the life of everyone in her neighborhood.
A very, very memorable read, with a lot of moments and quotes to remember. A novel that faithfully depictures the vicissitudes of living as an afro-american minority, the racial prejudices, discrimination and the failings of a system designed to create racial injustices.
**** The movie is an very good book-to-film adaptation. As always, differences were noticed and some depth was lost, but even still it keeps a very faithful representation of the book. Amandla Stenberg delivers a very powerful performance, truly remarkable. Little Rue has grown up.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2017] [454p] [Young Adult] [Highly Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
El odio que mandás al mundo... siempre vuelve.
En esta novela conocemos la historia de "Starr Carter", una joven afroamericana que vive en los suburbios pobres y peligrosos de Garden Hights, y una de las únicas personas de color en una escuela privilegiada. Una fatídica noche al salir de una fiesta ella y un amigo son detenidos por un control policial. Una muerte cambiará para siempre la vida de Starr, y a la larga, la de todos en su barrio.
Una lectura muy, muy memorable, con muchos momentos y frases para el recuerdo. Una novela que refleja fielmente las vicisitudes de vivir como una minoría afroamericana, los prejucios raciales, la discriminación y las fallas de un sistema diseñado para provocar injusticias sociales.
**** La película es una muy buena adaptación del libro. Como siempre se pierde cierta profundidad y existen algunas diferencias, pero se mantiene muy fiel al espíritu de la obra. Amandla Stenberg hace un papel muy poderoso, realmente destacable. La pequeña Rue ha crecido.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2017] [454p] [Joven Adulto] [Altamente Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
May 12, 2018
Wow, talk about a book that can hit you with every emotion possible. Starr's character was so well written that every time she had to interact with her high school friends I cringed at their responses. This is an incredibly powerful book, not just for its political message but for the internal conflict Starr is struggling with. The story was so much deeper than that initial conflict, it really dug into who Starr is and why she feels guilty even though the reader is screaming at the pages "You have nothing to feel badly about! You did nothing wrong!"
Though I know there are other authors out there with stories like this to tell, it's so great to see this sort of coming of age story receive the commercial success it has.
I wish Angie Thomas nothing but success and good fortune in all her future endeavors.
Though I know there are other authors out there with stories like this to tell, it's so great to see this sort of coming of age story receive the commercial success it has.
I wish Angie Thomas nothing but success and good fortune in all her future endeavors.
February 7, 2021
This is the most meaningful and remarkably impressive story truly reflects the tragic events we’ve been going through.
So I’m rereading some parts and taking deepest breaths, calming my nerves. This books and the chaotic days we’re getting through made me think that: We need to learn how to fight fairly against injustice actions and decisions and speak freely about our feelings, thoughts and our bottled up anger we keep inside. But we also have to do act like civilized, thoughtful, respectful human beings to differentiate ourselves from the violent animals who disguised in human furs.
I wanted to end my thoughts with this meaningful quote which may be guidance for us to a better, hopeful, healthier and fair future:
“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believed that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.” Martin Luther King Jr.
So I’m rereading some parts and taking deepest breaths, calming my nerves. This books and the chaotic days we’re getting through made me think that: We need to learn how to fight fairly against injustice actions and decisions and speak freely about our feelings, thoughts and our bottled up anger we keep inside. But we also have to do act like civilized, thoughtful, respectful human beings to differentiate ourselves from the violent animals who disguised in human furs.
I wanted to end my thoughts with this meaningful quote which may be guidance for us to a better, hopeful, healthier and fair future:
“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believed that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.” Martin Luther King Jr.
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October 19, 2023From the first chapter, it seems stunningly clear how badly we all needed this book and it's also clear just how insane it is that we are only getting it now.
Angie Thomas makes it all seem so easy. She has managed to write about something fraught and hard to face with free flowing language, immense vulnerability and humanity, and a staggering honesty of the world of this book.
It is neither bleak nor sugarcoated - just an authentic portrayal of a community that is rarely reflected with the honor and pathos that it should be.
I cannot recommend this book enough for absolutely everyone -- but most of all, of course, teens.
Angie Thomas makes it all seem so easy. She has managed to write about something fraught and hard to face with free flowing language, immense vulnerability and humanity, and a staggering honesty of the world of this book.
It is neither bleak nor sugarcoated - just an authentic portrayal of a community that is rarely reflected with the honor and pathos that it should be.
I cannot recommend this book enough for absolutely everyone -- but most of all, of course, teens.
January 12, 2021
UPDATE DEC 4/5, 2017
Yesterday I found out that this book has been banned in a Texas school district (Katy ISD). And honestly??? I’m so angry right now. Y’all probably don’t know this, but I was born and currently live in Texas (hence my use of the word “y’all”), so I’m just extremely!! frustrated!! with the state I call “home”!!!!
The hypothetical reasons for this ban are really, truly, insanely stupid. They say that it might be because of sexual content―sex was literally mentioned only TWICE in this book!!! And I’m sure that some books in Katy ISD’s library have more sexual content than this!!! They also say that it might be because of language, and yeah, THUG has a lot of swear words. But again, I’m sure that there are some books in school libraries with just as much language as THUG, and perhaps even more.
The last reason is just so SO stupid that I can literally feel my face turning red with anger: The book is banned because of its heavy topics of police brutality. Okay, yeah, it makes total sense for a school library to ban a book that is educating people about issues going on in the country they live in!!!
When I read this book, my eyes were opened. Of course I knew that police brutality was happening in America; I just didn’t really grasp its extent. I can’t believe that a school district is banning people’s right to read a book so incredibly important in today’s world, that talks of issues happening RIGHT NOW and need to be addressed. Every student in Katy ISD is being denied this book from their school libraries, when they have every right to be allowed to read it, ESPECIALLY because of the topics that it handles.
A school district should be working towards educating their students in a way that they will grow up to be people who will want to change the world for the better, and banning THUG isn’t going to achieve that. The subjects discussed in this book are so so important, and I honestly cannot believe that someone had the audacity to ban such an influential book. They are smothering the voices of almost 3 million black Texans, 45 million black Americans, all because the topics are [raises voice to a whine] “too heavy”.
Banning a book does not make the truth any less real, nor any less uncomfortable; it only makes you ignorant.
“Texas, o Texas, all hail the mighty state”?? No thanks.
P.S. As a form of protest of this stupid ban, you can enter HERE to win 20 copies of THUG for your library or school of choice!!! (US only)
ORIGINAL REVIEW-------------------------
4.5 stars.
This is a book that everyone needs to read. No matter what race you are, this is just SUCH an important book, and if there’s one book that needs to be assigned to all school reading, it’s this one. It has been a New York Times bestseller for MONTHS, and all for good reason.
● It has such an important message. The Hate U Give talks about police brutality in America, and how white policemen are shooting innocent, unarmed black men. It offers a view point from Starr Carter, who witnessed her black friend Khalil’s death at the hands of a white police man.
● It is just so eye-opening. Many people know about this issue. But THUG allows you to perceive the story from a personal viewpoint. It opens your eyes to how some black people are living because of stereotypes and discriminations—and often, they’re not the best lives. Starr has a unique perspective, being from a black neighborhood in a white school, and witnessing racism at its worst, and it just is so enlightening to see this.
● I live in America, and while I knew that incidents like this were happening, I didn’t think it was to this extent. I was clueless and oblivious and blind. So for me to read this book and realize the horrors that are going on in my country… it was shocking. But that’s just another reason why you HAVE to read this book. Because it truly opens your eyes to how far racism towards black people go in America.
● It is so true and realistic. I honestly almost cried several times because of how unfair and unjust the discrimination was. I got so so frustrated?? Not with the book, but with the world—of how something this inhumane and horrifying can happen, and is happening. I’m not even kidding, it was EXTREME frustration, as in I-want-to-throw-this-book-across-the-room-but-I-won’t-because-it’s-a-book frustration, and if a book can make you feel deep emotions like that, you know it’s good. (My BR partner also was frustrated many times, so you know it’s not just me!)
● It’s written… beautifully?? I don’t know, I just find Angie Thomas’ writing style so easy to read and honest and raw. Or maybe it’s just Starr’s voice. Whatever it is, the book was just super enjoyable to read, which helped balance out the fact that the topic it was talking about was so HEAVY.
● The characters are amazing!! Starr is so precious and I just love her. Even tho she wants people to speak up when they witness things like she did, she just can’t find the courage to do it herself. That fear makes her so realistic and relatable and you just root for her the entire book. Her family is JUST as amazing, too. They all have such great relationships with each other—they may have their rough spots but they love each other (and it’s great to see such good family dynamics in YA).
● The pacing is A+. Usually I have lots of problems with the pacing of contemporaries, but this was just perfect. Although I do feel like some of the novel could be cut out because it was so long, I understand that this novel was meant to be very character-focused.
● The ending is just beautiful. It’s not exactly the
This book has such high praise from everyone, and it’s not for nothing. This truly is one of the most powerful YA books I’ve ever read, and the message it has so inspiring. In a world today where so many people face racism—even if it’s in the form of a “joke”—this is a book that everyone needs to read. It is SO SO eye-opening and influential. I can’t say it enough, god, just READ THE BOOK.
Yesterday I found out that this book has been banned in a Texas school district (Katy ISD). And honestly??? I’m so angry right now. Y’all probably don’t know this, but I was born and currently live in Texas (hence my use of the word “y’all”), so I’m just extremely!! frustrated!! with the state I call “home”!!!!
The hypothetical reasons for this ban are really, truly, insanely stupid. They say that it might be because of sexual content―sex was literally mentioned only TWICE in this book!!! And I’m sure that some books in Katy ISD’s library have more sexual content than this!!! They also say that it might be because of language, and yeah, THUG has a lot of swear words. But again, I’m sure that there are some books in school libraries with just as much language as THUG, and perhaps even more.
The last reason is just so SO stupid that I can literally feel my face turning red with anger: The book is banned because of its heavy topics of police brutality. Okay, yeah, it makes total sense for a school library to ban a book that is educating people about issues going on in the country they live in!!!
When I read this book, my eyes were opened. Of course I knew that police brutality was happening in America; I just didn’t really grasp its extent. I can’t believe that a school district is banning people’s right to read a book so incredibly important in today’s world, that talks of issues happening RIGHT NOW and need to be addressed. Every student in Katy ISD is being denied this book from their school libraries, when they have every right to be allowed to read it, ESPECIALLY because of the topics that it handles.
A school district should be working towards educating their students in a way that they will grow up to be people who will want to change the world for the better, and banning THUG isn’t going to achieve that. The subjects discussed in this book are so so important, and I honestly cannot believe that someone had the audacity to ban such an influential book. They are smothering the voices of almost 3 million black Texans, 45 million black Americans, all because the topics are [raises voice to a whine] “too heavy”.
Banning a book does not make the truth any less real, nor any less uncomfortable; it only makes you ignorant.
“Texas, o Texas, all hail the mighty state”?? No thanks.
P.S. As a form of protest of this stupid ban, you can enter HERE to win 20 copies of THUG for your library or school of choice!!! (US only)
ORIGINAL REVIEW-------------------------
4.5 stars.
This is a book that everyone needs to read. No matter what race you are, this is just SUCH an important book, and if there’s one book that needs to be assigned to all school reading, it’s this one. It has been a New York Times bestseller for MONTHS, and all for good reason.
WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK
● It has such an important message. The Hate U Give talks about police brutality in America, and how white policemen are shooting innocent, unarmed black men. It offers a view point from Starr Carter, who witnessed her black friend Khalil’s death at the hands of a white police man.
● It is just so eye-opening. Many people know about this issue. But THUG allows you to perceive the story from a personal viewpoint. It opens your eyes to how some black people are living because of stereotypes and discriminations—and often, they’re not the best lives. Starr has a unique perspective, being from a black neighborhood in a white school, and witnessing racism at its worst, and it just is so enlightening to see this.
● I live in America, and while I knew that incidents like this were happening, I didn’t think it was to this extent. I was clueless and oblivious and blind. So for me to read this book and realize the horrors that are going on in my country… it was shocking. But that’s just another reason why you HAVE to read this book. Because it truly opens your eyes to how far racism towards black people go in America.
● It is so true and realistic. I honestly almost cried several times because of how unfair and unjust the discrimination was. I got so so frustrated?? Not with the book, but with the world—of how something this inhumane and horrifying can happen, and is happening. I’m not even kidding, it was EXTREME frustration, as in I-want-to-throw-this-book-across-the-room-but-I-won’t-because-it’s-a-book frustration, and if a book can make you feel deep emotions like that, you know it’s good. (My BR partner also was frustrated many times, so you know it’s not just me!)
● It’s written… beautifully?? I don’t know, I just find Angie Thomas’ writing style so easy to read and honest and raw. Or maybe it’s just Starr’s voice. Whatever it is, the book was just super enjoyable to read, which helped balance out the fact that the topic it was talking about was so HEAVY.
● The characters are amazing!! Starr is so precious and I just love her. Even tho she wants people to speak up when they witness things like she did, she just can’t find the courage to do it herself. That fear makes her so realistic and relatable and you just root for her the entire book. Her family is JUST as amazing, too. They all have such great relationships with each other—they may have their rough spots but they love each other (and it’s great to see such good family dynamics in YA).
● The pacing is A+. Usually I have lots of problems with the pacing of contemporaries, but this was just perfect. Although I do feel like some of the novel could be cut out because it was so long, I understand that this novel was meant to be very character-focused.
● The ending is just beautiful. It’s not exactly the
This book has such high praise from everyone, and it’s not for nothing. This truly is one of the most powerful YA books I’ve ever read, and the message it has so inspiring. In a world today where so many people face racism—even if it’s in the form of a “joke”—this is a book that everyone needs to read. It is SO SO eye-opening and influential. I can’t say it enough, god, just READ THE BOOK.
// buddy read with the actual sweetest ever
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