THE HATE U GIVE
by Angie Thomas
When I read this book in March it felt painfully current. Sadly its relevance and timeliness have only grown over the past several months as we’ve seen police violence against Black Americans magnified a thousand-fold.
The Hate U Give tells the story of Starr Carter, a Black teen living in an unnamed American city. In many ways Starr has been lucky in her life. But when she witnesses the death of her best friend at the hands of the police, she struggles to determine her role in creating the change she knows is necessary in her neighborhood. Starr deals with all the usual teenage drama including shape-shifting between her school persona and the kid she is at home. But now Starr is also asked to become a voice for justice, at great danger to herself and her family.
Thomas has written a beautiful book that broke my heart over and over again, while, in classic coming-of-age style, it also gave me hope for a brighter future. The book is brutally clear and honest about the way biased and violent policing can create a life of fear in a community and keep people from improving their lives. It is a story I find myself reflecting on a great deal these days, and I strongly recommend it to anyone from 13 to 93. (Lily)
A SECOND HELPING
Thomas’ The Hate You Givemay be classified as a Young Adult book, but it is as powerful a novel about racism and its effects as I have ever read. In a previous edition of L & L, Lily shared her dual feelings of heartache and hope after reading the book. To that I would add that, although I will never know what it feels like to be a teenaged Black girl juggling two vastly unequal and different worlds, The Hate U Give put me in that Black girl’s shoes and allowed me to experience her life for the duration of the book. Read this book. You will thank us both. (Liz)
