THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas

THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas

When we talk about books that have the power to change the world, this one should be at the top of the list. While it is a young adult novel, I believe every person—young or old—should read this book. It’s hard to capture the power of such a story in a review, but I will try my best. ⠀

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First of all, Angie Thomas’ writing is absolutely flawless. Phoebe and I have talked on the podcast about how sometimes YA fiction tries too hard to sound young, with an adult writer trying to channel being young but their very adult perspective still permeates the pages. This is the opposite of what Thomas does in this novel: Starr’s teenage-ness feels raw and real, from the way she talks about her Jordans matching her backpack, to her confusion about love and desire. ⠀
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The real crux of this story though is the truth of police brutality and of being Black in America. Starr’s experiences in this novel are raw and painful and, unfortunately, not uncommon. I recommend reading this book alongside a text like THE NEW JIM CROW or CHOKEHOLD to put Starr’s story in context of American history and current reality. ⠀
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On its own, however, THE HATE U GIVE should be required reading. It is painful and real, funny and hopeful, and teaches through showing. 5 stars are not enough. ⠀
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Audiobook listeners: 10/10 recommend the audio from Libro.fm. The narrator is FANTASTIC. ⠀
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Lastly and most importantly, thank you to @haleyberrys_books for getting me to pull this off my shelf last month, I’m forever indebted to you. Per Haley’s rec, I’ll be reading DEAR MARTIN next!