Reviewing: The Hate U Give

This young adult debut novel by Angie Thomas came out in April 2017 and it was certainly a gripping read!

The recent announcement that it is going to be made into a movie, starring Amandla Stenberg (The Hunger Games), is testament to how great a story it is.

The Hate U Give is a novel that highlights a very real and pertinent issue in the USA, police brutality. Khalil is shot dead by a police officer after having his car pulled over, with his childhood friend Starr as the only other witness. It becomes a tale of Starr vs the officer. Thomas deftly and convincingly entwines a scenario we witness too often, such as with the tragic deaths of Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile to name a few; the public anger and protest, labelling the victim as a criminal, gang member, weed smoker, thief; juxtaposed with the cop who was scared for his life.

This hotly anticipated book gives a harrowing perspective of what it is to be black in America. Written in first person, the reader quite literally feels the sorrow, fear and anger of Starr, and also her awkwardness as she navigates round her, private, majority white school, an environment where she can’t appear “too black” and where her peers sympathise with the officer more than the deceased.

It is exceedingly well written, containing the juiciness expected of a young adult novel whilst also addressing real and relevant issues. The Hate U Give was number one on Amazon for the longest of times, and I 100% see why.

Thomas wrote this book because like the character Starr, she was also hearing all the reasons why *insert black Americans name* life was somehow disposable, why h/she was lesser or uncooperative and thus implicitly deserved death. Writing this story, and creating these characters was a way of her penning words she couldn’t find a way to say aloud, “in hopes that I would give a voice to every kid who feels the same way I do.”

The novel doesn’t have a happy ending, it concludes in a way that reflects the verdict given in every trial in these cases. However, it is hoped that in reading such a real account, more and more people, particularly those far removed from such experiences can see and understand the injustice and demand change!