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The Hate U Give
Summary
8 starred reviews ∙ Goodreads Choice Awards Best of the Best ∙ William C. Morris Award Winner ∙ National Book Award Longlist ∙ Printz Honor Book ∙ Coretta Scott King Honor Book ∙ #1 New York Times Bestseller!
"Absolutely riveting!" —Jason Reynolds
"Stunning." —John Green
"This story is necessary. This story is important." —Kirkus (starred review)
"Heartbreakingly topical." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A marvel of verisimilitude." —Booklist (starred review)
"A powerful, in-your-face novel." —Horn Book (starred review)
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.
And don't miss On the Come Up, Angie Thomas's powerful follow-up to The Hate U Give.
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Reviews
Sometimes I read a book that I have no idea how to review. A book that’s so remarkable, so moving and affecting, that anything I have to say will feel hollow by comparison. But I’m going to give this a go anyway.Most of what I review is either science fiction or fantasy, so The Hate U Give is a rarity for me – a contemporary YA novel! I honestly can’t remember the last time I’ve read one of these. Anyway, I kept hearing about how amazing it was, as well as how timely – it was inspired by the Black Lives Matter Movement – so I decided to get a hold of a copy. And boy, am I glad I did.Starr Carter attends a fancy, majority white prep school in the suburbs, but she and her family still live in the same poor neighborhood where she grew up. Her life is an uneasy balancing act of these two worlds, but everything is shattered when she sees her unarmed childhood best friend, Khalil, shot and killed by a white police officer.“I’ve seen it happen over and over again: a black person gets killed just for being black, and all hell breaks loose. I’ve Tweeted RIP hashtags, reblogged pictures on Tumblr, and signed every petition out there. I always said that if I saw it happen to somebody, I would have the loudest voice, making sure the world knew what went down.Now I am that person, and I’m too afraid to speak.”The Hate U Give is about more than just Starr. It’s about her friends, her family, her home. Her community. Standing up for Khalil and her community could endanger herself and her family, but in her heart, Starr knows she has to do what she thinks is right.There’s just so much too this book. I know that if I reread it, I’ll get more out of it. It’s a little thing, but I kept thinking about her father’s rose garden. I have the feeling its symbolic, but I think I’d need to reread to say more.I really hope this book gets taught in schools. I was talking about it with a friend, and she pointed out that all the books about racism typically read in high school are all set in the past. Namely, To Kill a Mockingbird, which is told from a white perspective besides. I don’t think my high school English courses ever addressed present day racism. It was all at a remove.The Hate U Give is not at a remove. It is heart strikingly close to real life, today. It doesn’t present racism as something that’s “over now,” but instead shows how it manifests in the modern United States. The media and the police keep trying to blame Khalil for his own murder, painting him as a dangerous thug to “justify” his death. As Starr points out, even if he was in a gang, that doesn’t mean his death was acceptable.The portrayal of Starr’s white classmates was uncomfortably accurate. Largely, they just don’t care about Khalil’s murder, but many of them use it as a pretext to get out of class in “protest.” Plus, there’s the issue of Starr’s friend Hailey. Their friendship has been on the rocks ever since Hailey unfollowed Starr’s tumblr because she didn’t want to see the race related posts Starr was reblogging. Hailey’s constantly enacting microaggressions, and when she gets called out on it, she won’t address her own action – just insists that she’s not a racist and how dare you call her one.I really loved how The Hate U Give dealt with female friendship. I’m sure everyone’s been in the position of realizing there’s another side to a friend of yours and having to decide whether or not to walk away from the relationship. Sometimes friendships end. And maybe it’s for the best, but it still hurts.“At an early age I learned that people make mistakes, and you have to decide if their mistakes are bigger than your love for them.”Thankfully, Starr had other friends besides Hailey. She ends up strengthening her friendships with two other girls, neither of whom are as callusly hurtful or as unreflective of their own biases as Hailey.The Hate U Give is the book America needs right now. It’s also just a darn good book generally. I hope that it gets taught in schools, but if it does, I know that it will receive challenges and end up on banned book lists. But we need books that address the experiences of black kids, and we need books that force white kids to think about modern day racism, even if it makes them uncomfortable.This review doesn’t begin to convey how meaningful and moving The Hate U Give is. The ending had me tearing up, which rarely happens to me while I read. Even writing this review, I am still emotional about this book.Please, go read it. You won’t regret it.Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
Lord knows the internet has enough reviews of this incredible, important book; you don't need mine. Everybody who's thinking about race in America -- which should be everybody in America -- needs to read this book. It's not just Important; it's also a lively, engaging, sometimes funny novel you won't be able to put down.
Star is pretty successful at bridging the two worlds of her family and neighborhood on one hand, and her private high school on the other. When her childhood friend is shot during a police traffic stop, she witnesses the whole thing from the front seat. How she grapples with her knowledge, and the reactions of her two communities makes for a powerful story.
This was an excellent story that has you walk several miles in the shoes of a teenage girl who is witness to the police shooting of a childhood friend. It's sad and sweet and there is plenty of dancing.
I love Love LOVED this book! It was really engaging - I was immediately drawn into the story and cared about the characters. No one was all good or all bad, and I really appreciate that because I feel like that can be hard to portray. I think this showed a unique side to senseless shootings - a side that needs to be heard and read and understood. Beautiful book, and I’ve heard the audiobook is amazing as well, so I might actually re-read it as an audiobook. HIGHLY recommended.
This by far is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Starr is witnessed to her best friend being shot and killed by a policeman for virtually nothing. The effects of which are felt by Starr, her family and the entire community. I found this book to be very powerful and very realistic. I felt the emotions of every step Starr took living in both the inner city and trying to manage to survive in the her private school miles from her home.
Sometimes, you're lucky enough to read history as it's happening. Sometimes, a classic is made right before your eyes. I don't want to jump the gun, but I do believe The Hate U Give is on its way to becoming a very important book in black literature, if it isn't already.
What makes The Hate U Give so special and important is not only its subject matter, but also the authenticity. Everything and everyone in this book feels so refreshingly real-- which also makes it frightening but, I hope, will also move people to movement.
If anything, this book should remind you to speak up, and that the power of a voice can be wondrous indeed. Black lives matter, my friends. Do not forget it.
What makes The Hate U Give so special and important is not only its subject matter, but also the authenticity. Everything and everyone in this book feels so refreshingly real-- which also makes it frightening but, I hope, will also move people to movement.
If anything, this book should remind you to speak up, and that the power of a voice can be wondrous indeed. Black lives matter, my friends. Do not forget it.
I'll never know what it's like growing up in a part of America that is poverty stricken and full of gang violence, but "The Hate U Give" allowed me to see into that world. This is a great book for teens wanting to understand what it's like is another's shoes. There's a lot of bad language and violence, but that's part of the story. A strong YA novel with an incredible, black female main character.
A MUST READ BY EVERY PERSON IN THE USA! deeply affecting, brutal and hopeful. An amazing book!
Star has to find her own voice in her life journey. This task is compounded by her dual exhixtance i her home neighborhood (the hood) and her school life (white kids school).
She has a great family and support from her community. The people around her want change as much as she and her family want it. Can she really be the catalyst for that change?
She has a great family and support from her community. The people around her want change as much as she and her family want it. Can she really be the catalyst for that change?
I loved everything about this novel.The author is a young woman with incredible potential. Her writing, story, empathy, and character development made me feel as though I were Starr (or Lisa, or Chris, or Maya). I would have read this book quicker had I not had to wait for the tears to subside at times.The cover explains the story but the fine lines, dialogue, personal experiences, etc. are difficult to put into words. You will be drawn in. Starr speaks of hugs from her friends, from her nana, from her uncle. It's clear that each hug is different and each is significant. I wanted to be hugged like that, by the way!At the time of my reading the students of Parkland High School are organizing, speaking out and unwilling to accept another murderous school shooting. They have given me such hope for our future. Angie Thomas has given me hope as well. We're in good hands with today's youth!
A beautifully written story that will raise questions for anyone who reads this book. Totally mesmerizing... Will stay with you long after you close the back cover.
Very well done.
Very well written story of a young black girl who witnesses a murder.
I rarely discontinue reading a book, but The Hate U Give, proved to be too harsh for me to read. I understand the need to write using the language of a character, but the profanity in this book could not be overlooked. The language clouded the experience and therefore ended my journey very quickly.
Excellent debut novel by Angie Thomas, about Starr Carter, a 16-year-old black teenage girl, caught between the two worlds she inhabits - the poor black neighbourhood where she lives and has grown up in and the world of the prep school she attends in a predominantly white upper-middle class suburb. All changes one evening when she witnesses the shooting of her childhood friend, Khalil, at the hands of a police officer, even though Khalil was unarmed. Told from Starr's perspective this is vital look at the differences between communities, racism and police violence. A richly told story with well-rounded characters and complex plot. An important read for adults as well as teens.
Book on CD performed by Bahni TurpinSixteen-year-old Starr Carter is the narrator of this contemporary novel that deals with some major social issues facing America. Starr and her friend Khalil are driving home from a party when they are stopped by a policeman, presumably for a broken taillight. Things go badly and Starr is left reeling from the trauma of the event, as well as her guilt and fear. I love the way that Thomas writes these characters. Starr is, in many respects, a typical teenager. She has a boyfriend (who she’s kept hidden from her parents), she works part time in her father’s store, she fights with her brothers, and hangs out with her girlfriends. But she also struggles with leading a dual life: Starr from the hood, whose father is an ex-con and former gang member, vs Starr the good pupil at a predominantly white private school. Thomas gives Starr a relatively stable home environment: a family-owned house (including a fenced yard and vegetable garden), neighbors who look out for one another, and, most importantly, two parents who love one another, work hard, set a good example and try to give their children the education they’ll need to succeed. She also gives Starr a couple of very good friends, both at her high school and in the neighborhood. The realities of living in an urban neighborhood that is stressed by unemployment, gangs, poverty, drug use and broken families are all present, however. Her parents give her “the talk” when she’s about twelve – No, not the birds and the bees talk (though they do that as well), but the “here’s how to behave when the police stop you” talk. Something that most parents never even consider a necessity. Starr is keenly aware of the differences in her own situation as opposed to that of her neighborhood acquaintances; and of the even larger differences between her home and that of her fellow students at her privileged high school. I thought Thomas did a good job showing Starr’s emotional swings; she’s scared, angry, anxious, and numb. But she also experiences love, joy and humor. There are no easy answers here, and in fact the novel raises more questions than it gives solutions. But these are issues than need examining, and this is a great way to start the conversation. Bahni Turpin does a superb job narrating the audio. She really shows the range of Starr’s emotions as the events unfold. I also liked the way she interpreted Maverick and Lisa (Starr’s parents), as well as her boyfriend, Chris. It’s an emotionally charged story, but Turpin never over-acted the story. Brava.
This is an absolute must read.
The Hate U Give has been on my to-read list for several months now, so when faced with 6 hours of travel time I figured I'd give it a whirl... and couldn't stop until I finished it.
THUG (intentional 2pac reference) is a masterful debut by Angie Thomas, set in first person view of Starr Carter, a 16 year old who lives in a poor black neighborhood but goes to an expensive prep academy. Her world is upended when she witnesses Khalil, her childhood friend, being shot by a cop. As I was thinking about this review last night, I almost phrased it as "then the unthinkable happens", but unfortunately it's not unthinkable that black people are shot by police over the slimmest reaction, that people of color are more likely to be pulled over without just cause, that victims are villified as "no angel" in the media circus aftermath.
Although this is a timely story, it's also very much a YA tale- Starr still goes to prom, deals with bullshit at school, and refuses to let her mom join tumblr "because parents already took over facebook". But it's also a great piece of code switching, of trying to figure out if your white partner in an interracial relationship really "gets it", of minority alliances (what's up Maya, I see u girl reppin' for AAs), of what the reality is when someone navigates very different worlds.
While Khalil's death is fictional, I still felt the dread and tightness when the inevitable failure to indict happens. The names of others who've died at the hands of police brutality may seem like a bit to connect it to real life and take you out of the story... but that's really our reality.
[I also enjoyed the shade thrown twice at a particular network without actually naming it for the way they frame things]
An absolutely important read, not just for the YA crowd but for everyone, especially if you still don't understand why "all lives matter" is a disingenuous cop out that avoids historical and statistical evidence.
The Hate U Give has been on my to-read list for several months now, so when faced with 6 hours of travel time I figured I'd give it a whirl... and couldn't stop until I finished it.
THUG (intentional 2pac reference) is a masterful debut by Angie Thomas, set in first person view of Starr Carter, a 16 year old who lives in a poor black neighborhood but goes to an expensive prep academy. Her world is upended when she witnesses Khalil, her childhood friend, being shot by a cop. As I was thinking about this review last night, I almost phrased it as "then the unthinkable happens", but unfortunately it's not unthinkable that black people are shot by police over the slimmest reaction, that people of color are more likely to be pulled over without just cause, that victims are villified as "no angel" in the media circus aftermath.
Although this is a timely story, it's also very much a YA tale- Starr still goes to prom, deals with bullshit at school, and refuses to let her mom join tumblr "because parents already took over facebook". But it's also a great piece of code switching, of trying to figure out if your white partner in an interracial relationship really "gets it", of minority alliances (what's up Maya, I see u girl reppin' for AAs), of what the reality is when someone navigates very different worlds.
While Khalil's death is fictional, I still felt the dread and tightness when the inevitable failure to indict happens. The names of others who've died at the hands of police brutality may seem like a bit to connect it to real life and take you out of the story... but that's really our reality.
[I also enjoyed the shade thrown twice at a particular network without actually naming it for the way they frame things]
An absolutely important read, not just for the YA crowd but for everyone, especially if you still don't understand why "all lives matter" is a disingenuous cop out that avoids historical and statistical evidence.
This ones a heart breaker. Sheesh. Angie Thomas writes a vivid story of teenager Starr's life and the quick and unjustified shooting by cop of her friend Khalil. Starr is there with him. The world sees Khalil as a thug and Starr must tell the world who the true Khalil is. Not that being in the "thug category" in any way shape or form tips the scales towards a reason for a person to be unjustly murdered. But man, it seems like this happens a lot in real life, many cops walking after shooting innocent people. Has any cop ever been punished for doing this? And why is it almost always black people that are shot? But doesn't that mean cops feel like they have a pass to get away with whatever they do, whatever happens? I'm sure WAY more white people carry guns around that cops should be worried about. On the other hand, I don't want to be the white girl who says "cops don't have easy jobs". I know I personally could NOT be a police officer... I realize that this book is not the story of the cop who shot Khalil, but no one knows what he could have went through in his life. Starr and Khalil were at a party where another teenager was shot and killed... what if that officer had just seen the aftermath and was rattled, or 1,000 other similar situations? There are always two sides to a story, just like the cop not knowing Khalil's life and basing his actions on presumptions. But I guess the point here is the cop wouldn't have been charged anyway, no matter what. These shootings of innocents seem to be happening more often, BUT hopefully it's because they are getting into the news more. I imagine in previous decades they'd be swept under the rug, not spoken of in the news. I really only mention the cops perspective, because otherwise, it's very noticeable what a great job Thomas does at writing about things from many angles to keep things very real. Thomas makes a terrifying thought very clear: sometimes people must live between gangs and the cops who can get away with the death of children. At times that must feel like a very thin line. The system is all in that title. But it's easy to just see COP as it is just as easy to just see BLACK. Also, Starr is one of the few people of color at her high school. I've always admired the kids who had the strength to go through that high school mayhem, because even if the other kids are treating that kid better for their difference, it STILL sets them apart even in a positive way, they are still being put on a pedestal for their difference. So of course Starr needs to be (and is) strong and amazing in many areas of her life. The book is written in a very flowing style and very real... I don't read too many YA books these days but there is a LOT of swearing here. I really hope this book won't be banned from kids... as it's definitely an important and necessary book. The book made me cry a few times. It's just heartbreaking that anyone must go through things like this, STILL. As Starr says "I think it'll change one day... When? I definitely don't know." The existence of this book should (hopefully) make things change faster... especially if some cops read it. Starr is a badass human being. Angie Thomas is a badass writer. Thank you for writing this book.
I love this book. As 'woke' as you think you may be, if you haven't lived this, you should read it and learn. And then pass it on.
I know this book has gotten a lot of hype this year and let me tell you…It has earned every last ounce of hype, and then some. Starr Carter lives two lives. There is the Starr who lives in the gang riddled neighborhood of Garden Heights, whose dad is an ex-con who used to run the streets as a gang lord. And there is the Starr who attends the prestigious, private, predominately white prep school across town. Starr tenuously keeps these two worlds separate, until the day when her best friend is shot and killed by police after a routine traffic stop.First things first, I listened to this one on audiobook read by the immensely talented Bonnie Turpin (she did Yellow Crocus & Mustard Seed), she is definitely on my short list of favorite audiobook readers!I can’t really adequately put into words how much I enjoyed this book. It was so relevant and timely; a story that is all too real and heartbreaking and sheds a much needed light on the issues of police brutality, implicit bias, and white privilege. Perpetrators aren’t always the blatant racists, but can be found in even the most well meaning of people. It is an insidious problem within our culture, one that people of color face on a daily basis, and one that we (i.e white people) need to be more cognizant of and willing to work within our communities to address. Starr straddles this thin line between worlds, always keeping them separate and disconnected from one another; watching her break down these internal partitions around the different versions of her life was both liberating and enlightening. The entire book from beginning to end is addicting. I laughed (Harry Potter houses are actually gangs theory) and cried (no spoilers!) and will be recommending this read to everyone I know. It will also most certainly be on my year end wrap up!10/10 recommend this one!
Best book I've read so far this year. Cried numerously.
Starr is quite possibly the character I have identified with most in a book, ever. It helps that she is a black female and I am a black female. But it is more than that. It is the way that she dealt with pain, with being one of only a few black kids in a mostly white school, and with most of those individuals having far more money than she did. It's living in a neighborhood that you don't want to invite friends to, but also understanding that we all live in the same world. On top of everything else, she is a character that has things happen to her, initiates other things, and merely watches from the sidelines for others. This is real life, this is not always captured in a novel.
So often, writers get trapped into the "formulaic" writing where you need a protagonist, antagonist, rising action, climax, resolution, and they have to occur in a specific order and at a relatively set place in the novel. While this novel clearly had all of these things, there wasn't this static characters going through the motions to get them all on the paper. Events were constantly happening, and the characters were constantly reacting. This is how life actually goes, which made the story that much more relatable.
I would have to say that this book should be required reading for everybody. For us adults, its a young adult novel which means that we can get through it pretty quickly. It also means that we can get a better sense of what teens feel when they have to watch somebody die at the hands of a bullet. I also want to point out that cops shooting unarmed African Americans is far from the only way this occurs. I have read a couple of young adult books about school shootings as well, and I must say that this one was better. Even though it circles around racial disparity, the thoughts, feelings, and actions are applicable to some very real issues that we are facing today. I believe, at the very least, this book teaches empathy for its readers.
So often, writers get trapped into the "formulaic" writing where you need a protagonist, antagonist, rising action, climax, resolution, and they have to occur in a specific order and at a relatively set place in the novel. While this novel clearly had all of these things, there wasn't this static characters going through the motions to get them all on the paper. Events were constantly happening, and the characters were constantly reacting. This is how life actually goes, which made the story that much more relatable.
I would have to say that this book should be required reading for everybody. For us adults, its a young adult novel which means that we can get through it pretty quickly. It also means that we can get a better sense of what teens feel when they have to watch somebody die at the hands of a bullet. I also want to point out that cops shooting unarmed African Americans is far from the only way this occurs. I have read a couple of young adult books about school shootings as well, and I must say that this one was better. Even though it circles around racial disparity, the thoughts, feelings, and actions are applicable to some very real issues that we are facing today. I believe, at the very least, this book teaches empathy for its readers.
One of the most powerful books I read in 2017.
This was an excellent read, and I highly recommend it to both adults and older teens. (Some of the content might be a bit too mature for a young teen/tween audience.) The plot was fast paced, and the characters from Starr's private school world and her Garden Heights world were authentic. After recently reading the nonfiction books So You Want to Talk about Race and Waking Up White, I found the text that much more engaging seeing some of the racial issues explored in those books represented in a YA fiction story.
“Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.”Angie Thomas, The Hate U GiveThe Hate U Give was on my to be read pile for way too long. Since its release in 2017, it has received countless accolades and fantastic reviews. Now I know why! After reading the YA novel, I understand and completely agree with thousands of other readers. The book is relevant, heartbreaking, humorous and important. It reads easily and the story flows at an excellent pace. Although it does have some strong language, I feel it's quite in sync with how teens behave (especially when no adults are around). Thomas gets adolescents and their jargon for sure! Both of my daughters (14 and 26 years old) absolutely loved this book and finished it pretty fast. Also, the movie is quite phenomenal! The Hate U Give is a gripping and thought-provoking book everyone should read!! Especially because it is so relevant in today's world.
Ripped from the headlines this is an important book for teens to read about poverty and black life, not that I would know. I hope the movie will be true to the book.
I was nervous about reading this at first. John Green highly recommended it, dedicated a whole vlog to it. But in the past, he’d recommended "Kendra" by Coe Booth, which I didn’t like. And "The Boy in the Black Suit" was only so-so. So I thought this genre wasn’t for me, because I couldn’t be more white and it’s a big leap to sympathize with… what are we calling them now? Underprivileged minorities? Then I saw it on a bunch of Year End Top Ten lists and thought I’d give it a try.Days later, I was still thinking about it. Yes, it’s an “issue” book, but it’s more about the aftermath of what someone goes through. Other issue books miss the point entirely, skipping over roots & causes and capitalizing on a hot button to sell books (like "13 Reasons Why" or "This Is Where It Ends").Our main character is split between two worlds. By day she goes to school in a white neighborhood full of preppies, thanks to a school voucher. By night, she’s back in the ghetto, with her family of half-siblings and Dad who’s done time and now runs a grocery store. She never lets either side know of her other life because she’d be called a traitor or ostracized for some other reason.That all changes when she witnesses a cop shoot her friend and can’t toe the line anymore. But it’s more about what her neighborhood goes through, how they react, from gang leaders to barbers, and the whites & lawyers reactions. It’s about what it means to be “ghetto” when that’s your life, not just a thirty-minute sitcom. Even when you live among gangs and broken families, a young black teenage girl can still want daddy snuggles. No one is a one-note or ghetto caricature. It’s modern life and helps a great deal with empathizing and sympathizing and, most of all, understanding the POV of “Black Lives Matter”.
I can see why the book and the audio version won so many awards in 2018: Michael L. Printz Honor award for young adult (age 12-18) literature, Coretta Scott King Author Honor award for "outstanding books for young adults and children by African American authors and illustrators that reflect the African American experience," Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production, and Audie Awards for Young Adult and for Best Female Narrator (Bahni Turpin). Outstanding realistic fiction that will likely be a very good movie too.
Should be mandatory reading for all Americans!