REVIEW: The Hate U Give

THE HATE U GIVE
by Angie Thomas


Pages: 438
Publisher: Walker Books
Publication Date: April 6th 2017 (first published February 28th 2017)
ISBN: 9781406372151
Received From:  Walker Books

Summary 


Sixteen-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she was born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy her community. It could also get her killed. 
Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a powerful and gripping YA novel about one girl's struggle for justice.


Review
The Hate U Give is one of the most anticipated books of 2017. It has been the talk of the twitter town and when I was offered a review copy from Walker Books I jumped at the chance to read it. This is one of my favourite books of the year so far, there is something refreshingly honest about it that made me smile at times and at others had me ugly crying. It is one of those books that matter and if you only read one book this year this should be atop of your TBR pile. 

The Hate U Give is the story of Star and the events that follow the death of her friend Khalil. Star lives in 'the ghetto' but her family want more for her that they believe Garden Heights can offer. Star and her two brothers go to school in a predominantly white community and Star finds herself being two different versions of herself. However, when her friend Khalil is shot in front of her by a white cop her life flips upside down. She it torn between the two lives she has created and feeling like she is betraying her roots. Star has to learn to use her voice and speak up for the injustice of her friends death but when her two wolds collide she starts to question everything she knows. But more than that this isn't just a story about race it is a story about friendship, family, loyalty and learning to be true to yourself no matter what. 

I was raised in a house where everyone was equal, I was bought up being told no matter someones race, sex or orientation every single one of us is human and we all deserve respect. However, being bought up with that belief system meant that it never occurred to me that others weren't. I'm the first to admit that I live in a little bubble sometimes where I see the injustice but I don't really feel it because I don't understand how things like this can still be happening. My friends joke that I couldn't be whiter if I tried (I'm as pale as you can get without being dead) but reading The Hate U Give I was able to see a different point of view. I was able to understand on a scale I hadn't before and this book really got to me. I'm a bigger girl, I get judged on how I look rather than who I am and I'm not saying it is the same thing but I do understand being judged on how you look. This book was written in conjunction the the Black Lives Matter movement but there is a universal message within the text that applies to everyone no matter the colour of their skin, 

"Sometimes you can do everything right and things go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right." 

Overall I adored this book, it got to me on an emotional level which you know is my criteria for being an incredible writer. This is one of those books that needs to be in every school library because it has a strong moral centre and talks about a subject too many people are willing to brush under the carpet. This book matters and I hope you all take the time to read it because there is a message in there for everyone no matter your race and its a point of view our generation needs to listen to. 

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