The Hate U Give | A Must Read

5/5 Stars

“‘Oh we know the truth, that’s not what we want,’ says Daddy. We want justice.'”

Starr Carter has two personas. One she uses at home in Garden Heights and one she uses at her prep school in another neighborhood. After she witnesses her childhood best friend, Khalil, get fatally shot by the police, she is thrust into a new role. She must decide if she wants to keep her two personas split and figure out how much power words can have.

Despite its length, I devoured this book in three days. Starr was such a strong character and I felt connected with her throughout the entire novel. Her relationships with other characters and her development were complex and realistic. Just like in reality, you can’t keep everybody in your life and as you learn more about yourself, you learn which people are your genuine support system.

The portrayal of the shooting of an unarmed, Black teen and the aftermath that follows shook me viscerally. This is such a relevant theme and Thomas brilliantly wove together a story that showed multiple perspectives, outcomes, and circumstances that motivated characters’ actions.

The novel was paced well. There were no parts that felt too fast or too slow. And again, just like in real life, nothing was wrapped up in a pretty little bow, but people did find their inner strength and voice. It was the last chapter that really hit home and brought tears to my eyes. It was a reminder that this isn’t just a fictional novel. This is real life and justice is something we all must fight for.

The Hate U Give was a phenomenal story and I cannot think of a single thing that I didn’t enjoy. I highly recommend to everyone.