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steveatwaywords's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I'll highlight a few areas which stood out for me, though, on the reading side of the book:
--A protagonist delicately placed between several conflicting ideologies and spaces, young enough to be poorly-equipped to navigate them expertly, yet also young enough to develop genuine agency and righteousness. I love a flawed protagonist who muscles (even stumbles) towards justice.
--Characters who--despite everything they directly witness--defy justice and sensibility for their own ideas of safety and power. Ironically and importantly, a comfortable white girl and an older black gang leader serve equally here.
--Families who define themselves--despite marriages, career, and class differences--by their relationships to one another, and that these bonds make them strong.
--Minor characters who themselves visibly fall into completely different positions of internal conflict from our protagonist and Khalil, who themselves struggle (at times unseen) with the decisions they must make.
Thomas, therefore, has crafted a microbrew of American race politics at a time when it was/is sorely needed. Does it sometimes miss a beat, have a stilted moment, too-handily arrange a scene? Remember what purpose the book serves. For me, the largest criticism I have of this work is hardly its fault: that the story is so "timely" (from tech to vocabulary) that the problems it addresses may tragically outlast its currency.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Murder and Violence
emma_b_rhodes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Cursing, Classism, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, and Racism
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Violence, Drug use, and Physical abuse
snipinfool's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Sometimes, when books affect me deeply, I have the most trouble putting my thoughts into words. The Hate U Give was one such book. This was a powerful story. This could have been a story seen in the news many times in real life. Angie Thomas did an excellent job of writing this book. Her words brought the story to life. The scene where Starr and her group were trying to get through the blocked neighborhood roads to her house effectively described the chaos, panic, desperation, and fear they were feeling. My heart was racing as I read of their struggles. Starr was a great main character. She was well written, and her actions reflected what one would expect of a sixteen-year-old. Starr had a great strength of character deciding to push for a detailed statement on the events of the night Khalil was murdered. Her parents, Lisa and Maverick, were very supportive and were two of my favorite characters after Starr. This story reflects the real life for a lot of people. That needs to change.
Graphic: Racism, Gun violence, Police brutality, and Grief
Moderate: Drug abuse and Domestic abuse
dragon_s_hoard's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Blood, Murder, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Grief, Violence, Cursing, Child death, Toxic friendship, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Drug abuse, Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Addiction, Classism, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation
bookdragonkatie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Drug use, Gun violence, Racism, Police brutality, and Grief
Moderate: Physical abuse, Bullying, Addiction, Toxic friendship, Racial slurs, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Domestic abuse
pacifickat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Cursing, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Racism, Toxic relationship, Classism, Child abuse, Blood, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Hate crime, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Minor: Confinement and Alcoholism
PTSD, guilt, shame, fear, gang violence, threats of violencetrashgobby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Grief, Murder, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Police brutality
Moderate: Body shaming, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Child death, Cultural appropriation, Sexism, Misogyny, Classism, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Violence, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, and Emotional abuse
taliatalksbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Violence, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Murder, Police brutality, Death, Physical abuse, Child death, and Racism
paraparx15's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Murder, Hate crime, Police brutality, and Grief
Moderate: Blood, Child death, Death, and Violence
Also mentions Harry Potter and Gang related activity is a huge bit of the book.kerrygetsliterary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Violence, Classism, Alcohol, Child death, Police brutality, Xenophobia, Blood, Physical abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Infidelity