Review: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give
by Angie Thomas
February 28th 2017
Balzer & Bray/Harperteen
Hardcover
453 pages
Young Adult / Contemporary / Realistic Fiction

Synopsis
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.

Rating: A- – Obsessed

By the time I post this review, I’m pretty sure everyone has read or at least read a review of this novel. It took me quite some time to wrap my mind around this one and seriously, I pretty much have nothing more to add on to others’ praises for this book. So, I’ll just leave this right here. The Hate U Give is such an important read and everyone – and I really mean EVERYONE – should read it.

What I Liked

Thought-provoking. There has been a lot of controversy regarding extrajudicial killings, human rights and the war on drugs here in my country. I had my own opinion about it but to be honest, this book challenged and made me question my own views concerning this matter. That’s really a good thing because this put me into another perspective.

Relevant. A story of everyday racism as timely as ever. It’s the saddest reality. But it’s not just racism and the problems of society that this book dwelled on – poverty as well. And that is something I could really relate to.

Mostly everything. The voice, the plot, the storytelling – you name it. Basically, this book is incredibly written. It’s probably way too early to say, but I think – The Hate U Give may go down as the best book of 2017.

What I Didn’t Like

The teen romance.  There are already too many things going on in this book, so why threw in an undeveloped interracial romance too?

A little too long. There’s really nothing major that I didn’t like in this book aside from it’s a bit longer than it should be. I could’ve preferred a shorter read for a contemporary novel.

This is a rare occurrence but guys, I’m telling you – believe the hype.