I applaud Angie Thomas for creating such a well written, provoking and impactful novel. Whenever you have books that are really, really hyped, you run the risk that the hype might inflate everyones expectations so much that the book has trouble living up to them. This book will make you uncomfortable it will challenge you and it will inspire you. Of whom lived, loved, were loved and mattered.
We’ve been yelling at the top of our lungs, requesting justice for Sandra Bland, Mike Brown, Tamir Rice, Freddie Gray, Eric Garner, Tanisha Anderson and hundreds of other people. While reading this story, I felt like I was there, in Garden Heights yelling “Justice for Khalil!” Why does this feel familiar? Then reality sets in that # blacklivesmatter and # sayhername are more than just hashtags. So realistic that a reader can get caught up in Starr’s world. The Hate U Give is culturally accurate and painfully realistic.
Thomas’ portrayal of Starr is dynamic and as a reader you will witness her growth you will cry with her you will laugh with her and you will stand up with her! We never find out how this affects the friends and families of those victims. The stories we hear are usually one sided and romanticized by the media. This is a result of multiple deaths of people of color by the hands of police officers. It’s no secret that the racial tension has increased within the past few years. But how could she with the media victim blaming her friend who was unarmed and fully compliant with the officer? According to them Khalil deserved to die because he was a “thug.” As Starr struggles to find her own voice she learns that she is the only one who can speak up for Khalil. After such a traumatic experience she tried to live life as normal. In The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas gives a detailed view into the life of a 17 year old girl named Starr, whose best friend was shot and murdered by a police officer right in front of her. Why is this still relevant today 20 years after his death? The hate given by the media, society, the prison industry, the war on drugs and to each other is what gives birth to these “thugs.” In homage to the great Tupac Shakur, “The Hate U Give Little Infants F**ks Everybody,” is the meaning of the acronym “THUG LIFE” which is tattooed across his stomach. Society is quick to use this label and never think about why some people choose to look or act this way. We all know the attributes: baggy pants, expensive sneakers, gold chains, gold teeth, urban vernacular, etc. She's dating the sweet but kind of clueless Chris (KJ Apa), whose naive love of black pop culture she tolerates while keeping the realities of her neighbourhood out of sight.The word “Thug” is thrown around often to describe a certain type of person.
Necessarily, she adopts different personas in each place, partying with Kenya (Dominique Fishback) on the weekends and playing video games at school friend Hailey's (Sabrina Carpenter) upscale home during the week. Starr Carter (played by Amandla Stenberg, in an utterly captivating performance) lives in the lower class, predominantly black neighbourhood of Garden Heights but attends school in the wealthy white neighbourhood of Williamson. Given the fraught politics of conversations around race, it's refreshingly direct and sets the tone for what is to come: this film will voice things that aren't often spoken in studio pictures.
#THE HATE YOU GIVE BOOK SUMMARY HOW TO#
Read moreĪnd while the resulting film speaks clearly about America's racial divisions, its core themes are relevant to teenagers everywhere: What does it mean to be a friend? How will we contribute to building a just society? And what actions can we take toward dismantling white supremacy?Īs the film begins, Maverick (Russell Hornsby) instructs his three young children on how to behave in a stop and frisk. Author Angie Thomas shares the stories, places and people that inspired her debut novel The Hate U Give.