Book Review - 'The Hate U Give' by Angie Thomas

2022 EDIT: I was so worried, with my recent deluge of disappointing reads and rereads, that it will continue on to 'The Hate U Give'.

It did not.

Far, far from it.

In fact, I love it more than ever. It's more than a great book. It's an experience. It is reality. It is life. It is a living, breathing, human encapsulation, that's also brilliantly written.

It is more relevant than ever. It will continue to be relevant, to even save lives; including when, at last, something, anything, does actually change.

Absolutely everyone should read it. Everyone.

I was absorbed into this book to the point where, once briefly out, I kept being surprised by how many pages I'd read in a short time; to the point where I didn't even notice or acknowledge when one of my cats was right on top of me, up to my face, as I was reading. I adore my cats, and this is the one whose annoyingness and naughtiness extends to her fur, molting everywhere and all the time, no matter the season, so that should tell you something.

It's just...it's been so long since I'd read good writing like in 'The Hate U Give'. I was never bored, distracted, confused or baffled. It truly is how literature - modern and classic, fiction and fact - should be. It entertains as well as educates. It endears and endures, forever. It is all heart, love, fear, anger, outrage, and righteousness. It is all the emotions and thoughts.

Read my original review of 'The Hate U Give' below for more.

'The Hate U Give' is a revolutionary. Thank you, Angie Thomas, and everyone in your position.

Everyone should have a voice. Everyone, but most especially minorities in our fucked up society, should be heard. Everyone has the power, the bravery, the determination, the "fuck that, yes I'm fucking mad and I'm not taking this fucking bullshit anymore", to act; to make a change.

To keep doing what's right, no matter what.

Final Score: 5/5





Original Review:



As my 350th review, I know I probably should try to make it stand out, at least. But with 'The Hate U Give' by Angie Thomas, I find I am incapable. Hundreds of other reviewers have already said what needs to be said about this 2017 release. Its importance, its relevance, its truth - for a fictional account with fictional characters - cannot be overstated enough.

'The Hate U Give' is one of the most harrowing, real novels I have ever read in my life. A lot of book lovers have said at some point that a certain book needs to be read by everyone - me included - but 'The Hate U Give' is 100% justified in that statement. Everybody, and I mean everybody, needs to read this. Such a powerful, remarkable debut. Like the previous book I reviewed, 'Dreadnought', it could literally save lives. (They also highlight how YA lit should be written.)

'The Hate U Give' is about the Black Lives Matter movement. Here it is called the Just Us For Justice movement, but it is clearly inspired by real life events. It is about justice, silenced voices being heard, standing up to deadly, normalised bullshit.

It is about family and community.

Racism is systematic, with unchecked roots going back to past politics like all prejudices. 'The Hate U Give' breaks down how the "ghetto" in the US economy is a dumping ground and gutter for underprivileged black people, who will be forced into drug dealing, gang banging and gang violence, just to make a living for themselves and their families. Other opportunities are full of near-impossible obstacles for them. No matter where they go or who they turn to, they are in danger. Trust is such a delicate issue, fragile and changeable. And an unfortunate amount of white people feel the "ghetto" black people's early deaths to be justified - blaming them for circumstances they have no control over, and which white politicians put them in in the first place.

There are people in America with a dark skin tone who are terrified of the police, the very people who are meant to protect them, and it is not unreasonable. Unarmed African-Americans being killed by so-called law enforcers has become a common occurrence. When even black children are murdered by white policemen for no real reason and the justice system offers no indictment and doesn't care, something needs to change. Nothing is going to change unless enough people speak out loud enough about it.

Nobody deserves to die because of the colour of their skin. Whatever way it is looked at, the facts - reality - all point to systematic racism. It is why Black Lives Matter, and this novel, exist.

'The Hate U Give' tells the story of Starr Carter, an African-American teenager who witnesses the shooting and killing of her unarmed childhood friend, Khalil, by a white police officer. It is about her slowly discovering the strength to speak up about it through her PTSD. It is also about her beautiful, imperfect family. Starr's life speaks to many black people in America.

'The Hate U Give' isn't only powerful in its message. The writing is superb; Starr's voice, her constant inner struggle over how much of her "black" and "white" personalities she feels safe showing in front of white people (like the officials wanting to discredit her and a racist, whitesplaining friend), rings--no, it is bang-on authenticity. She comes to realise she hasn't even been her true self with her white boyfriend; understandably her fear is so deeply ingrained. Starr is an angel, with constellations of dimensions to her. Her tome is over 400 pages long, and it can be read in two days tops.

The characters are so strong, so real, they leap off the pages; I liked all 30+ them, flaws and everything. There is perfectly-placed symbolism of peace (loving parents, tended garden flowers etc.), and destruction (in various forms). It's not all doom-and-gloom, either; the references to 'Harry Potter' and 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' offer a refreshing and funny catharsis.

Readers will learn much from 'The Hate U Give' - it is a beacon, a mirror on society. Get angry, for you have the right to be. It is a story that needed to be told, and hopefully it will help give more attention to the many, many true stories from black communities living and dying in the US today.

One of my new favourite books, I love the whole package to pieces. Hateful and violent, yet loving and beautiful. When it comes to living our lives, and surviving injustices, there is no such thing as black and white.

Final Score: 5/5