Book Reviews

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The book opens when Starr Carter witnesses the murder of her life-long friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. The ripple effect of this tragedy, transforms Starr and those close to her.

Grappling with this horrific event, Starr is hesitant to use her voice and defend Khalil’s innocence, until her friend confronts her and challenges her to speak. She begins to recognize the importance and value her words have.

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Happy weekend! If you have had a long week, it is the perfect time to start a new book. February’s book club is highlighting one of my new favorite books: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

This book dominated charts and has won several awards; it shows as it is phenomenally written. It is challenging to read, but it tells an important story. This is a great book to pick up in the midst of Black History Month.

The Hate U Give will shake you and provide a perspective you may not want, but may likely need. As a white female, I was struck by the conversations the family had with their children. In the opening chapters of the book, Starr’s father instructs his young children how to behave when interacting with a police officer. These are, obviously, conversations my family never needed to have.

This book teaches lots of valuable lessons and is a remarkable read. I strongly recommend this book as your next read. The movie, released in 2018, is certainly worth watching. Though it hardly compares to the book, it is well-cast and tells the story well. Add it to your 2019 ‘to read’ list.

“That’s the problem. We let people say stuff, and they say it so much that it becomes okay to them and normal for us. What’s the point of having a voice if you’re gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn’t be.”

  • Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give

PUBLICATION DETAILS: Balzer + Bray; February 28th, 2017, 0062498533; Fiction/Young Adult