A review by paperbackwh0re
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

  • 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

Wow. Just wow. The reason this book has been deemed “banned” is because it tells the truth. It shows in such an amazing way the institutional racism within a police force and they don’t want to you see that so that you’ll keep supporting them. The only reason this isn’t a 5 star read is because I don’t know if I would reread it. Maybe once or twice, but constant rereads are held for my 5 stars. The reason being is this book is heavy but in such an important way. The fact that this came out years before George Floyd and it shows exactly what happened helps show more of the fact of how true this is/can be. It’s a step up for accountability in the police force and shows such a strong familial bond that is SO important to this story and characters. I highly recommend the audiobook as the narrator, Bahni Turpin is phenomenal and gave such power to Starr’s voice. I laughed, gasped, got angry, and cried all throughout this book. Angie Thomas is a phenomenal writer and I can’t wait to read more of her books. Read more banned books to support minority voices. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings