The Hate U Give: Global bestselling sensation and multi-award winning YA novel about race, power and prejudice – now a major motion picture

The Hate U Give is, without a doubt, the number one most important novel that I’ve read so far in 2018, and it’s very unlikely that anything is gonna take its crown by the time December rolls to a close. The realistic characters, put together with the heart-wrenching plot made it a fantastic read. I found that if I wasn’t laughing I was crying, and if I wasn’t crying, I was seething. Thomas sends readers on an emotional rollercoaster with this book and I absolutely do not regret jumping on for the ride. I’ve already agreed to borrow this to my older brother and my dad, hoping that they’ll enjoy it as much as I did. I’ll definitely be seeing the movie adaptation once it’s released in the UK and I hope it does the book – alongside the many families who unfortunately can relate to this text – justice. One of the biggest reasons I enjoyed THUG so much, was the Carter’s family dynamic. They’re filled with so much love and care for one another that it brought the entire story together. To go through something so difficult at such a young age, it’s no surprise that Starr ends up struggling immensely with guilt and her sense of belonging. Even though she doesn’t know anybody who understands what she’s going through, the support she receives from her mother, father and brothers was beyond beautiful to read. They may have been strict and didn’t at all hold back in asserting their role as her parents, it’s clear that their only concern was Starr’s happiness and safety. In addition to that, was the character development. We see the main character go from this teenage girl who feels like she has to have two personalities to fit into the two different social groups she belongs to, to someone who becomes comfortable enough to allow all of their friends into their world completely and learns to be proud of who they are deep down. It wasn’t only Starr’s personal journey that we get to witness though. It was also her father, her brother and her friend, DeVante, who by the end of the novel were all different to how they started. To have a front seat in the story of their growth as individuals and as a group was amazing. The amount of stereotypes in the novel made me question it at first. However, I realized that they played a huge role in the story. Yes, Thomas portrays black characters as having their own dialect, being drug dealers and basketball players, their neighborhoods being incredibly violent and dangerous, but, none of this justifies the fact that the police officer murdered an unarmed child – Khalil. In real life, the media (and the system in general) label black victims of racism with all these stereotypes and more, using them as reasons why they were targeted or seen as suspicious, reasons why police officers (who spend years training for how to react in volatile situations without ending a life), panic out of fear. I interpreted the author’s inclusion of the stereotypes as a way to show that although this all may have been true in Khalil’s case, the police officer is still nothing more and nothing less than a murderer. If it isn’t obvious, the book made me very, very angry. It got to the point sometimes where I had to put it down and take a break. Something about me is that I get really invested in things that aren’t real, whether that be a novel or a TV show or a film, or even a news story that has nothing to do with me. That same thing happened here. Certain moments made me want to grab a bullhorn and scream at the top of my lungs, others made me cry so hard I couldn’t even see the page. Starr’s interview with the police, the murderers father speaking out, Hailey – all these things had me reaching for a pencil and scribbling inappropriate words into the margins. The Hate U Give, made me feel. A lot. And I loved that. There were some aspects of the novel which I appreciated, but that others may be put off by. One of these, was the fact that none of the characters were perfect. Every single one was flawed, and the reason this only made me fall even more in love with the story is that it’s so realistic. We’re all human and we all have faults in our behaviors and beliefs. Much like the use of the stereotypes, this only goes to show that no matter what, murder is murder, and murder is wrong. The second thing that some readers may consider a deal-breaker, was the dialect. The novel is written from Starr’s perspective, and she talks like the stereotypical Black-American teenager. Despite the fact that I myself am used to hearing people talk this way, it was still a little strange getting through the first chapter as I’ve never read the voice before. However, it was easy to get used to and eventually I didn’t even notice it. The plot is so intense that the style of writing was like background noise. All in all, The Hate U Give was a wonderful book. Heartbreaking, hilarious, infuriating and wonderful. I’m giving it 5 out of 5 stars and telling you with an aggressive amount of passion to read it as soon as you’re able. Tell all your friends I said to read it, tell your family I said to read it, and then read it again yourself. Thanks for stopping by! P.S. Don’t forget the tissues!

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is a book that has been on my TBR for such a long time and one that I have been continually putting off reading because of the MASSIVE hype that surrounds this book. There is a reason that there is so much hype around it and why it is so heavily popular and I can't believe how long I have left this book sitting unread on my shelf. I am now thankful to have read it and I can appreciate it so much and it is an important read and one of the few books that 100% deserves all of the build up that surrounds it. This book has such a powerful and impactful message within Every. Single. Page. As a white reader, and as a reader from a different country, this book gives me an important insight into a world that where discrimination and hate is in the forefront of peoples minds and something they have to fight against daily, which is why books like this are extremely important. Reading this book when I did, with the death of needless death of George Ffloyd, Breonna Taylor and countless others, made this books and the events taking place within it, that much more powerful, truthful and overall heart-breaking. Even though the story and plot are current with what is happening with today's events, what makes this book even more relevant and devastating is the fact that this wasn't written for or about the things that are happening at the moment, but about things that have been happening for decades and are STILL happening! How Black people have always been discriminated against and where justice has always failed them! This book is a great example of what can happen when you are doing everything right, but that still doesn't matter, only that you still only get judged and suffer, because of the colour of your skin. When I was younger, I was taught that the police were there to help protect me and if I was lost, scared or in trouble, then they were there to help me, first and foremost. However, reading this book and listening to stories, that is not always the case for everyone. Within this book Starr states how she was sat down when she was young and had 'the chat' from her parents about the police, the same chat as a lot of other black children. A completely and opposite chat to the one that I had. Whereas I was taught that the police were there to protect me, Starr was taught that Police are dangerous, who look at the colour of her skin and prejudge her, and that there is no justice for what they may do. That their actions will be classed as 'Justified' and they can get away with murder. And history as proved that to be true! This book is a great piece of writing that not only opened my eyes to the injustice. With Starr, you get to see her character trying to deal with the aftermath of this needless shooting, trying to deal with grief, all while trying to fit in to a school that only has one other black student. How friendships change and develop, how to find your true self, and yet you still get some moments in this book that make you laugh, which loosened the build up of tension, that was definitely needed and were perfect. The Hate U Give is a book that I strongly recommend to everyone and anyone of all ages!

Book Review: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas The Hate U Give is a powerful and poignant debut novel by Angie Thomas that addresses the critical issues of race, identity, and social justice through the eyes of its protagonist, Starr Carter. Starr is a 16-year-old African American girl who witnesses the fatal shooting of her best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. The story unfolds as Starr grapples with the aftermath of this traumatic event and navigates the complexities of her life in two different worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the prestigious prep school she attends. Thomas’s writing is both accessible and impactful, weaving together elements of realism and emotion in a way that resonates deeply with readers. The narrative is rich with cultural references and the authentic voice of Starr makes her journey relatable and compelling. The author does an exceptional job of portraying the internal conflict that many young people face when dealing with issues of race and identity, highlighting the importance of speaking out against injustice. The themes of activism, friendship, family, and courage are woven throughout the story, encouraging readers to reflect on their own beliefs and the societal structures that shape our world. The book does not shy away from the harsh realities of systemic racism and police brutality, making it not only a gripping read but also a crucial conversation starter for young readers. The ideal age range for The Hate U Give is typically considered to be 14 and up, due to the book's mature themes and language. It’s particularly suitable for teens who are beginning to explore social issues, identity, and the complexities of life in a diverse society. Overall, The Hate U Give is a must-read that challenges its audience to confront uncomfortable truths while offering hope and resilience. Angie Thomas has crafted a modern classic that speaks to the hearts and minds of readers and encourages them to find their own voices in the fight for justice

When your 14 year old boy, who doesn't read fiction, tells you to read The Hate U Give because "I think you'll like it, Mum", you don't decline. You pick that book up and you devour it. And it wasn't hard to like this book although in a lot of ways, there's not a lot to like. With that contradictory statement, let me explain. The book concerns itself with Starr who witnesses the shooting of her childhood friend, Khalil. That in itself is a heartbreaking tale, only it's not some street killing: he's killed by a cop. A white cop and Starr and Khalil are black. Yes, this opens up a whole other story. Add that it's in a deprived neighbourhood called Garden Heights, plagued by drugs and gangs and you're reading a novel of our times, for sure. Angie Thomas' book covers many things. It is a book about a shooting and injustice but it is also a book about family and community and coming together; it's also a coming-of-age book and all of the awkwardness, excitement and anxiety that comes with being a teen; it's about roots and identity and hopes and aspirations and whether wanting a better life means leaving behind what you know and moving elsewhere, although it may be seen as betrayal; it's a book about desperation, violence and having nowhere to turn and what do you do when you have nothing and no-one to help you but you still have to live somehow? So when I say there's not a lot to like, it's because a mirror has been held up to society and there's a whole lot of ugly reflected back. The book is good. It is a great read and Thomas' storytelling is vivid, right; her characters are rounded and the narrative flows. It's a book you can read quickly and fluidly. But it is hard-hitting in what it depicts and doing it through the eyes of a black teenage girl heightens that vulnerability. It is a social treatise for things to change; for a long hard look to be taken to see the people behind statistics and the families who are struggling, in communities that receive no investment, and to not give up on them or leave them to decline. Read it. You won't be disappointed. I was especially pleased that Starr is depicted as strong, despite being scared. She has integrity and emotional intelligence and Thomas shows her conflicted emotions adroitly. Despite its subject matter, it is a hopeful book. Light is hitting that mirror of ugly like a searchlight and showing there's nowhere to hide and in these dark days in which we live, we need to read books like this to see the human element that we all share beneath our skin.

Starr Carter, a black American teenager, leads something of a double life. She lives with her parents, brother Sekani and half-brother Seven in a poor, black neighbourhood, Garden Heights, where gang membership, drug dealing and shootings are rife. But every day, 16-year-old Starr makes a 45-minute journey to a private school in a predominantly white, affluent suburb where she has almost no black friends. The issue is not that she can't fit in there - she has plenty of mostly white friends and a steady relationship with her white boyfriend - but rather that she's acutely aware that she's constantly modifying her behaviour in order to do so. Her wealthy friends don't come to her house in 'the ghetto' for sleepovers. She speaks differently at school. And although she can recite the Black Panthers' Ten-Point Programme off by heart, she's reluctant to be seen as the 'angry black girl'. One evening, Starr gets a lift home from a Garden Heights party from her childhood best friend, Khalil. When their car is pulled over by a white police officer, Starr is instantly fearful - and she's right to be. The officer shoots Khalil dead, and Starr is the only witness. The relative stability of her life is shattered, both at home and at school, and the implications of Khalil's death and Starr's testimony against the police have an alarming ripple effect as tension mounts and danger builds. This is a powerfully honest and important book, seemingly inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. It has Starr's strong and distinctive voice - bright, perceptive and funny - at its heart and a vivid cast of characters who feel real and credible from their very first appearances on the page. There are few absolutes here: you'll be hard pushed to find a character who is 100% saint or sinner and motives and circumstances are often complicated. Starr's Uncle Carlos, for example, also happens to be a cop; her father Maverick, who now runs a successful grocery store, is a former gang member. The Hate U Give raises many questions, some of them uncomfortable, and it's rightly uncompromising in its portrayal of racism, whether it's outright victimisation, institutional prejudice or casual assumptions. The Hate U Give is aimed primarily at teenagers (and I'd make it compulsory reading in schools, personally) but it's every bit as thought-provoking and absorbing for adults: it's a remarkably detailed exploration of the black working class experience in the US. This book made me angry and it made me sad (and if you're a white person like me and you feel neither of those things when you read this book, you really ought to take a long hard look at yourself), but it also left me feeling hopeful that the future is in the hands of activists as smart, brave and passionate as Starr.

This book isn't just a story, we can't read it, put it down and forget. Yea the names might not be real but the events are real. Black lives are taken by white police because of the colour of their skin! This book is a necessary read for everyone, this is an important story that everyone needs to hear and if you aren't outraged and angry and upset then you need to take a good hard look at yourself. Starr is incredible, I like to think that I would be as brave as her, but if I was in that same situation I don't know if I could be that brave. Her best friend died and she called out the policeman who did it! This book is an incredible reflection of life as it is now. The killings and the riots and the injustices. Angie Thomas made me ugly cry multiple times throughout this book and that's a good thing. She made me think about myself and how my actions affect people of colour. This is a hard book to read because you know what's going to happen but you wish and wish that it's not going to happen but there is nothing you can do to stop it. The characters are really well thought out and they all have depth, I came away from this book feeling as if I know each of them. I watched the film just after I read the book and the film was pretty good, I'm glad that they kept some of the lines the same and the main story the same, but I am upset that DeVante wasn't in it and they left out Maya's storyline. Amandla Stenberg is absolutely incredible! Black lives matter isn't just a hashtag. Breonna Taylor isn't just a name, George Floyd isn't just a name. These are people's lives. As a white person I need to hear their voices, I need to know their stories, I need to educate myself and change. I need to help, I need to read black authors I need to hear their voices as well. booksforall245.wordpress.com

I wanted to take my time reading ‘The Hate U Give’, as it is so important, relevant and hard hitting. This book is quite famous now, and they are currently filming a movie based on it (as they should), but if you haven’t heard about it then PLEASE READ IT! This is the synopsis: ‘Sixteen-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she was born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy her community. It could also get her killed. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a powerful and gripping YA novel about one girl's struggle for justice.’ I just loved ‘The Hate U Give’ so much. It was so well written, I could visualise all of the places and people really clearly. The characters all felt so real and well rounded and I felt really invested in Starr, her life, family and friends from the very first page. I cried many times reading this, and also felt really angry. I’m white so have no personal experience of racism, but like others, I have seen and heard racist acts all of my life. I’ve seen racism in the news, on social media and in real life unfortunately, and it still very much exists. It’s all too easy to see the hash tags and reblogs, and then forget, but these are real people, who face this kind of abuse on a daily basis. As Starr said, “people like us in situations like this become hashtags, but they rarely get justice.” I really wish with all my heart that not only would racism disappear, but all forms of prejudice. All we can do is educate our children, family and friends, and books like this help. It seems like there are so many intolerant people out there right now, but I like to think that one day we will be a more tolerant world... Anyway this book was amazing and I’m so happy that I read it. I will definitely watch the film.

nless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, then I’m sure you’ve heard about The Hate U Give. At the time of writing this post, the book is celebrating its sixth week at the top of the NYT Bestseller list and is still receiving overwhelming positive reviews. The Hate U Give is a debut novel following Starr Carter who is stuck between two worlds: she goes to a posh predominantly white school during the day but she lives in a rough neighbourhood. One night Starr witnesses her friend, Khalid, being shot by a police officer. Inspired by the black lives matter movement, this is a raw and brutally honest narrative about what it means to be on the other side of a media story; to be mourning the loss of yet another person to police gun violence in America. Starr is an utterly compelling character, bound to keep the reader hooked through the emotions she feels after Khalid’s death and the events that follow; including the court case at which she has to testify. Every time the police showed up in the plot I found myself staying still and even holding my breath as if somehow breaking either would have an effect on the story. It shocked me into the reality of the situation. There are groups of people out there who fell threatened by the police and see them as something to avoid, not do anything to provoke, rather than someone they can go to when they need help. And that is truth: there are people out there when The Hate U Give is their everyday lives and that is terrifying and needs to change. Starr’s friends at her school also need their moment in the spotlight because they added extra layers to this story. Hailey is a textbook High School girl and openly makes racist comments and refuses to apologise for them. She reflects so many people I’ve come across in the past few years as I’ve opened myself up to learning about other cultures and experiences. The other friend, Maya, is Chinese and also suffers a Hailey’s sharp tongue. I feel she represents a lot of people I know personally and I related to her a lot. She’s the type of person that acknowledges bad things but stays quiet. In a world of Maya’s we need to endeavour to be a Starr. It’s very rare that I find a Young Adult contemporary where the protagonist drives the story. The Hate U Give is the opposite. I was walking along with Starr Carter every step of the way and I will continue to carry her story in my soul.

JUST DUCKING READ IT

This book definitely lives up to all the hype it gets. For that alone it deserves a 5 stars as I found it engaging, authentic with a definite story to tell. For a debut novel especially this is an excellent feat as the writing is poised and displays a felicity for the craft which was refreshing. This is a young adult novel which people need to be aware of. Other than the protagonist being a 16 year old black girl, Ms Thomas employs the first person point of view throughout and keeps the writing simple. Since we see everything from Starr’s POV we can get asides and commentary which set tone for other characters and a lack of detail in other people motivations. Usually this would be an issue but not here - as an example some of my favourite characters were Starr’s momma and Daddy who get the most space in the book after Starr. They speak, fight, flirt with each other, love their family and bicker. But we never get their internal history and motivations. In most cases this would bother me as they are the idealized versions of parents - supportive and engaged where even their bickering is cute and funny. But this makes sense since we are seeing them through a loving daughter eyes. The POV helps here as Ms Thomas can avoid detail and monologues and keep the story clipping along. The parents are the most detailed characters but this is true of most - the boyfriend, the best friends etc. They appear and have personality but this is Starr’s story through and through. Here the narrative techniques of YA help the novel - the personal tone, the young protagonist, the lack of detailed perspectives prevent the story from getting cluttered or, surprisingly, too dour. Despite the subject matter this is an optimistic book. Again the choice of a younger girl who has the love and support of her family allow for this. I found myself rooting for Starr and her drive. In an older character I would have expected more weariness and that drive and passion would have become naiveté. Even incidents like a chapter on the prom and mean girls in high school were additive. I also must commend the environmental details Ms Thomas put into the novel. The internalized understanding that Starr has of poverty, gang violence and racism was both heartbreaking and real. It’s not subtle and Starr explains it a little too much but perhaps it is needed. Be prepared to be bludgeoned - it made me uncomfortable in parts and made me stop and argue on my head for and against but I think that’s the intent. At time’s Ms Thomas seems to be responding to every criticism made against protests again police violence or the racism black Americans face. Also, this is a very American book. The racial experience that Starr faces is American so it takes a little while in the novel to internalize if you’re not American. So, for example, the Asian experience in North America will be different, modes of speech will be different etc. But that’s ok - after a while none of this matters as the story grows into a more universal one about the response to violence and finding the courage to try to change society. Frankly, for all the analysis I could do for the novel, around 40% on the emotional hook caught me and I sped through the rest. I found that the book is more contained in the beginning as Starr is effectively in shock at the shooting and trying to keep a buttoned down attitude. But as the novel progressed the “feels” come and I was swept along. I could speak about the themes about the courage to speak up your truth in the face of fear, which is the part that spoke to me the most and made me choke up but I think the parts which will speak to each person will be different. Highly recommended. Believe the hype; read it as as it gives a small voice to the people whose lives have been lost. Irrespective of race that matters.

Eis que, na reta final de 2018, eu acabei encontrando um dos livros que mais me impactaram neste ano. O Ódio que Você Semeia era um romance que já estava no meu radar desde o ano passado - mas, devido à alguns contratempos (vocês sabem qual), eu acabei conseguindo ler ele apenas agora, graças à Black Friday (e em uma esperança vã que a adaptação chegasse no Brasil em circuito nacional... Algo que NÃO aconteceu). No livro de estreia de Angie Thomas, nós vamos conhecer Starr, desde a sua vida na periferia de uma cidade americana até a sua vida "dupla" em uma escola particular de maioria branca. Se só isto fosse o ponto de trabalho da autora, já teríamos tantas discussões que o volume continuaria sendo relevante... Mas The Hate U Give vai além, e esta é uma história sobre violência policial, apagamento social e, obviamente, racismo. o ponto de virada, assim como é dito na sinopse, é ela testemunhar o assassinato brutal de um amigo de infância nas mãos de um policial despreparado... E isto vai levantar tantas transformações na vida e no ambiente da protagonista que cada capítulo do livro é um murro na cara em forma de palavras. Mesmo retratando uma realidade americana, o livro possui tantos paralelos sociais com o que acontece aqui no Brasil, aqui no Rio de Janeiro, que chega a ser assustador. Uma das principais feridas expostas na narrativa é como uma população pode se acostumar com as injustiças, com a violência diária, e simplesmente parar de se importar - e isto tocou tanto em mim que entendi por completo o arco pelo qual Starr precisa passar para encontrar sua voz e não se calar. Mesmo sendo um livro com temas tão crus, tão necessários, a autora ainda consegue conduzir tudo de uma forma tão fluida que eu não conseguia largar o livro enquanto ele não terminava. A narrativa sincera empregada aqui não poupa palavras - e isto foi primordial para a credibilidade do texto. Enfim, esta é uma história que te faz refletir, que sacode os seus ombros e te abre os olhos. Não sei se ainda tem quem ainda não conhece esta história, mas se por acaso estiver neste grupo... Por favor, leia. Esta é uma experiência de empatia tão profunda e contudente que poucas obras são capazes de lidar.

一気に読める傑作です。アメリカ社会に関するある程度の知識がないと分かりづらい部分もありますが、トータルでは理解できると思います。f**k や s**t などのスラングはほとんど見開きごとに出てきますね（笑）。 この本はアメリカの人種差別問題 Black Lives Matter を知るには格好の材料ですが、Young Adult Novel の分野で、よくここまでリアルな内容にしたものだと思います。若い人向けと言うことで、最後はいくらかの希望を持たせる終わり方になっていますが、決してご都合主義の予定調和的な結末にはせず、読者に対する問題提起がされています。映画化もされていて、そちらも素晴らしい。映画と原作ではいくつかの違いがありますが、それぞれの表現の特徴を生かして作っています。 黒人コミュニティーの日常生活が丁寧に描かれている点も、この本から学んだことの一つですが、私個人は、主人公が外界と自己の内面との間にズレを抱きながら葛藤して生きていく姿に共感を覚え、そこがこの小説の大きな魅力でした。 母親が主人公に語る素敵な言葉があります。 “Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.”

I know I’m a little late to the program with this one as I’ve been hearing people gush about this book for quite a while already — and rightly so! I just finished it and what an amazing story! Though The Hate U Give is marketed as a Young Adult book, I feel that this inspiring book that should be on everyone’s TBR list — regardless of age, gender or race. --The Setting -- The story revolves around and is told from the point of view of Star Carter, a 16 year old black girl who is trying to live in two different worlds: one being Garden Heights, the all black crime-ridden neighborhood where she lives and grew up in — and the other being Williamson Prep, the predominately white upper middle-class high school to which her parents send her and her two brothers. While at school, she carefully measures her behavior, limits her slang and generally portrays an easy-going attitude as she tries to fit in with her rich white schoolmates. She even has a white boyfriend, Chris, whose existence she’s not yet told her father about because she’s worried he’ll judge her for dating a boy who isn’t black. Though it can be challenging at times, Staar is always careful to keep her two worlds separate. --Her Family -- Staar has a great relationship with her family and it’s evident that she loves them. Her mother works at the hospital and is an excellent role model of a strong, no-nonsense woman. Her father, a former gang member, is now a respected member of the community having left his gang life behind and now works hard to provide for his children and be a positive role model for them. He owns the neighborhood grocery store at which Staar helps out from time to time. But things aren’t easy for Staar and her family. She lives in a neighborhood where drive-by shootings, drug lords, gang leaders, and turf wars are a part of everyday life. --The Incident -- But one night her world is shattered when she and her childhood best friend Khalil are pulled over by a policeman for a routine traffic stop. The officer pulls Khalil out of the car and, even though Khalil was unarmed and made no threatening moves toward the officer, the policeman shoots him in the back three times, killing him. So Staar ends up being the only witness to what actually happened — and her life and the life of those around her entirely change as a result. Though traumatized and enraged, Staar is faced with a choice: stay silent or accept who she truly is in order to obtain justice for Khalil. Now I will say that the scene of Khalil’s murder is horrifying and gut-wrenching, and regretfully, not uncommon, as many of us have seen on the news far too often in recent times. Still, that didn’t make it this part of the book any easier — or less heartbreaking — to read. The young man’s funeral was equally heart-hurting, as we saw firsthand how destroyed his family and friends were. Instead of reading a byline in a newspaper or hearing a brief clip on the television, we are fully immersed in the situation in this story and are placed in the shoes of those who are directly involved. In this way, the story was so raw and so real that at times, I forgot that I was reading fiction. The author did an excellent job of bringing this story to life, allowing us to empathize with everyone involved. We read about the challenging issues facing the black community in the news, but this novel brought them to life for the reader, allowing us to see the lives behind the new bylines. In this way, we can’t help but realize that things are often a lot more complicated and multilayered than portrayed by the media. --The Aftermath -- Still grieving Khalil’s death, Staar is put in an extremely tough position given that she’s the only witness to the incident. Though it may seem clear to an outsider of what the best course of action is for her to take, things are not always as easy and clear-cut as they may seem — and it’s uncertain how we would react or not react if we found ourselves in a similar situation. Following the aftermath of the shooting, I felt the author did an excellent job of portraying the fear, confusion, rage, and mistrust that Staar experiences as she processes her friend’s brutal murder and through it all, tries to find herself and her voice in the middle of the fallout. But not only that, we see firsthand how such a violent, tragic and senseless loss can shake a community to its core. --The Police -- Though the officer clearly was at fault here, I felt that the author didn’t demonize the police or place all of the blame on them. Yes, there are definitely some bad police officers out there, but there are also good ones. In fact, Staar’s uncle was a police officer who, on more than one occasion, let her know that not all of the officers at his precinct are trigger-happy racists and that many of his fellow officers vehemently disagreed with the action of their corrupt colleague and those like him. --My Verdict -- The Hate U Give is phenomenal. This is the brutally honest kind of book that will stay with you for a long time after having read it and perhaps may cause you to look at life differently after having read it. At the very least, it may cause us to question that which we’ve come to accept as “normal”. This was a gripping story that not only packed an emotional punch but was also an excellent fictional treatment of real-life racial issues facing America today. Though Ms. Thomas openly treats the issue of police brutality, she also demonstrates in a very real way the day to day violence plaguing inner-city neighborhoods. This is a timely book whose importance cannot be overstated. Though the book deals with heavy issues and is not always comfortable to read, there are plenty of light and fun parts as well — especially the often amusing scenes in which Staar interacts with her friends and family. While the book will make you cry, it will, in places, make you laugh with joy as well. Throughout the book, the author weaves in themes of police brutality, racial profiling, hard choices, injustice, white privilege how young black men get pressured into dealing drugs, the challenges of living in gang-ridden neighborhoods, the everyday violence and danger that people living inner-city neighborhoods face — and does it with expert storytelling. This is an honest and compelling book that I hope will be around and in people’s minds for many years to come. Definitely a 5-star read for me. Recommended!!! This review was originally posted on my blog at rogerhyttinen.com.