Scott reviewed The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
.
4 stars
Great characters
paperback, 480 pages
English language
Published Sept. 4, 2018 by Balzer + Bray.
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT INCLUDES Angie Thomas in conversation with Amandla Stenberg and director George Tillman, …
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT INCLUDES Angie Thomas in conversation with Amandla Stenberg and director George Tillman, Jr. Full-color stills from the film An excerpt from On the Come Up, Angie Thomas's second novel
Great characters
Absolutely outstanding book.
16-year old Starr Carter is a black teenager who goes to a white school. One night she is witness to a cop killing her friend Khalil for no reason, and this event changes her whole life.
Absolutely engaging cast of characters, told in a gripping way, wish every teenager read this book. Or anyone really.
I don't have the words to praise this book enough.
Absolutely outstanding book.
16-year old Starr Carter is a black teenager who goes to a white school. One night she is witness to a cop killing her friend Khalil for no reason, and this event changes her whole life.
Absolutely engaging cast of characters, told in a gripping way, wish every teenager read this book. Or anyone really.
I don't have the words to praise this book enough.
This story is about a girl who witnesses a traumatic event and in the end finds her voice is the best weapon she has to fight oppression. She and her family also learn that solidarity is stronger than silence and knuckling under to authority, whether gangs or police.
This young adult novel tells everything from Starr's point of view. Some internal dialog is great at establishing character and climate, describing her family or her school or her history. There are points when there is a little too much, though, and the book feels long at times.
That minor complaint aside, this book presents a strong female character who grows throughout the narrative. As mentioned above, her family also grows stronger. Contemporary situations and references and occasional humor are welcome, balancing the strong story of oppression. Recommended.