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The Hate U Give (The Hate U Give, #1)

Angie Thomas

Start date: June 1, 2018

Finish date: June 30, 2018

Discussion: Books of the Month 2019

Why we're reading this: June 2018 Book of the Month
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What Members Thought

Apr 27, 2019 Claire rated it really liked it · review of another edition

When a book is highly praised, I tend to get somewhat sceptical. Too often I found myself disappointed by too high expectations. No need for that here.
what an amazing, thrilling, moving read! Worth 4.5 stars.
The start of the novel was a bit slow, but soon it was anything but slow and the reader is in the midst of a lot of turmoil, both in the book as in him/herself.
Personally I think it should be a read for students at a certain age as it gives an important message without being pushing too muc ...more

16 likes · Like · see review

May 30, 2017 Metric rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I've thought a lot about the rating I was gonna give this book, but in the end, I decided to give it five stars, cause they are well deserved.

This book is so important, and everyone, absolutely everyone, should read it. This book was written for all the Starr's in the world, all the Maverick's, all the Lisa's, all the DeVante's, all the Chris's and all the Hailey's.

I have to be honest here and talk about the fact that the subject matter in this book is pretty far removed from my personal every ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Nov 15, 2017 Cyn rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews-comments, library-overdrive, 2017, abort-abort-abort, i-try-not-to-be-asuckerforpain, iputyouonthathypeshit, hype-gone-wrong, ya-teen, 2017grawards, pov-first

Haaaaa. This book. What to say about this book.

First off, the message/ purpose of the book is A+ material. I'm all for getting justice and #BlackLivesMatter.

But since this is a work of fiction, I will write my opinions of this work of fiction.

I had many ups and downs about this. Honestly, yes, I did pick this up at first because I liked the cover. I did not read the summary and just put the audiobook on hold from the library about 5 weeks ago. (view spoiler) ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Sep 05, 2020 Amber rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Ok. So this is a book that EVERYONE should read! Starr a normal girl trying to divide herself and be two different people based on who she was with, she goes to a party with a friend. She sees her friend Khalil, they have grown up together and have really known each other for a long time. When things go wrong at the party and gun shots are fired Khalil and Starr leave together and are driving down the street when things go very wrong. One police man, the traffic stop, and the two teenagers all h ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 27, 2017 Maria A 🌙 rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I actually don't know how to start this review because this book kind of made me cry in a waiting room at a hospital and people were looking at me and anyway.

Some people will not "get" this book. Just like they don't get Black Lives Matter or any other movement for equal rights for black people. I have read, before and after I read The Hate U Give, reviews and comments that complain this book is "reverse racist" or that the message is lost because mocking white people dancing is JUST AS BAD as I actually don't know how to start this review because this book kind of made me cry in a waiting room at a hospital and people were looking at me and anyway.

Some people will not "get" this book. Just like they don't get Black Lives Matter or any other movement for equal rights for black people. I have read, before and after I read The Hate U Give, reviews and comments that complain this book is "reverse racist" or that the message is lost because mocking white people dancing is JUST AS BAD as shooting innocent black kids in cars.

The people who complain about this do not understand what this book is about, which sucks because they more than anyone need to understand. The are like Hailey, Starr's white friend who disregards her own racist comments as "just jokes" and is tired of "all that black shit" but is super offended you will ever imply she is a bit racist.

And that pisses me off. Because this book is about how a boy named Khalil was murdered by a cop over nothing while his friend Starr watched from the passenger seat. A murder that echoes the murders of many in real life.

This book is about how Starr feels she can't truly be herself in her preppy white high school because being one of the few black girls in school means you represent your entire race, it means she will always doubt if her relationship with her white boyfriend is "right". It's about Starr who is scared for her life, for her family who supports each other like few families I have ever read, for her whole community: a "ghetto" filled with kind, hard working people. She's so afraid and yet feels the need to speak up about what happened in that car because if not her then who will?. She knows that she's against a system that will try, and most likely succeed, in making sure her friend will never get any justice, that will make sure people feel he deserved to die.

Because they are black.

So yes, this book is a "social justice" novel. It's a social commentary on racism and police brutality and a situation that needs to be addressed, urgently.

Among a sea of fantasy or dystopian novels, YA needed a book like this. Because it's young people the ones who need to know the most that change needs to happen, the ones still learning. Even if you support BLM already, you should still read it. Because it shows you just how much a "thug" getting killed actually means to people who knew he wasn't one at all. Even if he was, what gives someone the right and the power to kill someone else over assumptions?.

Everyone should read this book. There will be always people who don't "get" it, people who think a mean comment about Taylor Swift's music is bad enough to disregard a raw and honest story of how hard being black and unafraid is. But there are people who will read The Hate U Give with open hearts and open minds, who believe in using your voice even when you are afraid, to speak up when you know something is wrong. I like to think there's more of us out there. ...more

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Dec 29, 2018 Kirsten rated it liked it · review of another edition

2.5*
I think maybe I expected too much from this YA novel. While I am so glad that so many people found something special in this book, and it is an important book for that reason alone, what I found was not quite so profound. I had expected richer insights into these important topics, more ground covered, more issues raised. I found myself largely bored and left wondering what I was missing that seemed to click for everyone else.

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