'The Hate U Give' by Angie Thomas

‘The Hate U Give’ synopsis from Goodreads –

‘Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighbourhood 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.’

My ‘THUG’ Review –

Wow, wow, wow! I found this to be such an epic read, I rated it 5/5 stars on Goodreads. ‘The Hate U Give’ explores the Black Lives Matter Movement, violence, mild drug references, and racial segregation.

The things I enjoyed most about this novel was the way the author explained the racism faced by African Americans. It was really interesting reading it from a different perspective and to learn how different racial exclusion is different in the US to Australia. I felt like this narrative gave a perfect glimpse into the racial inequality in America, not only faced by African Americans but Chinese and other minorities.

Another aspect I really loved was how the main character Starr, an African American teenager, was able to grow into herself to understand that her differences are what make her unique. Even though she is living two lives, in the “ghetto” and in rich white suburbia, she is still able to understand where she comes from and who her people are.

This contemporary is written as a novel about family hardships and how important relationships between siblings and friends are. It is not another contemporary YA Romance (thank goodness, I’ve moved out of that stage) but more about political instability.

I definitely recommend book lovers to read this novel if you are interested in wanting to learn more about the Black Lives Matter movement and/or racial discrimination within America.

I’m so happy for the success of ‘The Hate U Give’. I cannot wait to read more novels by Angie Thomas in the future!

#BlackLivesMatter #THUGLIFE #Race