the hate u give by Angie Thomas

20th book of 2021

Reading period: Mar 01st 2021 – Mar 03rd 2021

Summary

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

Review

I finally read this excellent book. I wanted to read this for a long time, but due to the hype (totally deserved btw) and to make my opinion without intrusion, I postponed it.

I don’t know what to say about it except that I advise you to read it. I know that it’s young adult fiction, but it’s still relevant today, and it’s for everyone.

I love most of the characters, even those that I don’t particularly like, impact the story and the events. I especially connect to Starr. The way the author writes about how Starr “become” another person when she is at school is so well done, and it comes from someone who has done that for a long time.

I also like the coming-of-age side of this book. It’s not only about Starr but the whole cast; they all evolve through the events (personal or shared) and the help they have or give.

Now I need to read the other books wrote by Angie Thomas.

Liz.