The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Reviewed by Kaylee O.
Grade 9

Many books try to capture the impact that racism and discrimination have on our society, but none of them compare to how well The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas does. Thomas is able to capture the essence of a young teenage girl who has just witnessed the murder of her childhood best friend. The story is incredibly moving and will make you see things from a different point of view. Thomas’s debut novel captures your attention from the very beginning and doesn’t let it go. This novel will have you on the edge of your seat, wondering what will happen next.

Sixteen-year-old Star lives in two worlds, the poor neighborhood in which she lives and the fancy prep school she attends. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is an emotion-filled book following the aftermath of the shooting of Khalil. There was only one witness to Khalil’s murder, Star. But no one knows she was there when it happened. In the novel, Thomas is able to capture Star’s empowering journey of dealing with Khalil’s death while trying to keep her identity as the witness hidden, and the shock that follows the news of the murder in her neighborhood.

Angie Thomas wrote this book to show the negative impact that racism and incorrect assumptions have on our society. Thomas’s writing style makes you feel like you’re in the exact situation and setting that Star is. It’s almost as if you’re in the character’s shoes throughout the entire novel. In my opinion, only the best-written books make you feel as if you’ve transformed into a completely different world. There are many different things that everyone can relate to in this book, for example, Star struggles to find a balance between school, home life, sports, and friends as many other teenagers do.

Even though this book addresses a difficult topic, I would still recommend it. This is one of my favorite books. I think it’s very important for others to understand the social injustice and racism that minorities go through on a daily basis. Angie Thomas did an amazing job writing this incredibly emotional book.