The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Young Adult Fiction
2017 Balzer + Bray
Finished on January 22, 2018
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
This timely debut novel is a raw, shocking read. The night I picked it up, I couldn't stop reading even after I hit the 150th page. I went into the novel without knowing anything about the storyline, so I was stunned when I read the details about Khalil's death. This is a compelling story that deals with racial profiling and the unimaginable world in which many minorities live. My only complaint about the book is the over abundant use of profanity. However, it's not gratuitous given the nature of the narrative.
I'm curious about the movie and wonder if I really want to see it. I'm afraid it will only make me more angry about what has become a common occurrence in our country.
We saw the previews to the movie which looked good but, I did;t think I could handle it as I wasn't in the best of spirits to begin with. I'll check it out on tv.
ReplyDeleteDiane, I've read that the movie leaves out a few characters, but it follows the book pretty closely. I know I'll wait to stream it someday.
DeleteI had a similar reaction to this book. My niece selected it for summer reading (entering 8th grade) earlier this year and we had a good talk.... neither of us have seen the movie. She wants to, but I probably won't.
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, I need to see if my granddaughter (16 yrs old) has read it. Maybe she's already seen the movie, but I'm still not 100% sure I want to.
DeleteI really liked this book and do want to see the movie but will probably wait for streaming.
ReplyDeleteKathy, I know a lot of bloggers gave this a higher rating than me, but I still thought it was quite good. Like you, I'll wait to stream it.
DeleteI've got this on my list to try this next year. It's certainly been very popular at the library and hold list is very long. Probably won't see the movie. I can see how there would be lots of discussion points.
ReplyDeleteKay, it's worth reading, but I'm on the fence about the movie. I have a feeling it will be gut-wrenching to watch.
DeleteI'm curious if you did go see the movie? I did not think it followed the book closely and was a little shocked by that but overall it was a very good movie.
ReplyDeletePeaceful Reader, I just read your review for this book and I'm glad that there will be a long enough break between reading and watching the movie since I will probably forget enough of the details to not notice how they differ. I had the same experience as your daughter when I watched The Potato Peel Pie Society, which I had just finished rereading moments before watching the movie. I noticed ALL the changes and omissions! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! I popped over to your blog and your Thanksgiving menu sounds delicious. I'm inspired to make the jicama/mango/avocado salad and that wild rice soup. Yum!
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