Book Review: The Hate You Give

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Hate You Give lives up to the hype. It is a well-written beautiful story that is both timeless and topical. Starr Carter’s character is on one hand a very relatable teenage character who like most teenagers has an identity crisis and is trying to find a place to belong between the kids in her neighborhood and the kids in her predominantly White school. On the other hand, Angie Thomas puts Starr’s character through extremely difficult and tragic situations that are a reality for many African-American kids growing up in this country today. In addition to her typical teenage problems, Starr also has to deal with being the only witness in the brutal murder of her best friend at the hands of a police officer. Her family also deals with issues within the community where Maverick Carter, Starr’s father is a leader, role model, and a target for a local gang. The extreme situations that Starr and her family face in this book are unimaginable for many Americans, but also a reality for many. Not only does this book raise awareness for the issues of police brutality and excessive violence in our country, but it also humanizes these issues so the readers can understand them from a more sympathetic perspective. I highly recommend reading this book before the movie comes out in October!

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