Teen Book Review: THE HATE U GIVE

Teen Book Review of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
by Stella S.

This book is about a teenage girl named Starr who lives in a dangerous neighborhood surrounded by gun violence and gangs. And yet it’s home. It might be scary to other people, but to her it’s normal, having grown up there her whole life. Starr is black, like the rest of her family, and most of the neighborhood she lives in. The color of her skin has never stopped her before or made her any different than anyone else. She even attends a prestigious high school that everybody stereotypes as a “white” school. Starr lived the same way every day and she never thought twice about it. That is, until her defenseless childhood friend is shot and killed by a white police officer. Starr begins to question her whole life and how she has been living it. She has always been in between two worlds, never really knowing where she belonged. But there shouldn’t be two worlds at all. Starr realizes just how racially divided her home really is and how unfairly people that look like her are being treated. But now she’s ready to do something about it. Starr will embark on a journey that reveals to her who her true friends are and just what people really think of her. She will also show her courage and passion for an equal society and justice for those who deserve it.

This book is phenomenal. It incorporates the language and culture of two races that have always been at odds. It also represents the racist society that still exists. This book is fiction, but is based on what could actually happen every day. I thought this book was beautiful and influential. I wish that everyone would read this book, especially if they have a very divided opinion about race. We are all the same. We all deal with some really bad stuff and I admire Angie Thomas’s forward thinking-the thinking we should all be sharing. This book made me want to cry with sadness and anger. It sparked a fire in my heart. I’m more aware now of how racist everyone can be despite of their skin tone and how dangerous their stereotypes and opinions can be. I recommend this book for anyone of any age. It possesses knowledge that should be apportioned throughout the country. Similar to powerful books like To Kill A Mockingbird, this book is a guaranteed classic in the future.

You rock, Stella!