A review by _fallinglight_
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • 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

4.5

Starr Carter is one of the best YA MCs I've ever read. This book's kinda unconventional writing wasn't hitting the spot for me at the start, but once I fully immersed myself in the story, it captivated everything in me. I loved Starr's inner thoughts and how she detailed and reasoned them. I loved her relationship with both her parents but especially with her dad. It's so wholesome! I also really liked how Angie Thomas showed the every day life Starr lives that is full of happy and wholesome and normal moments but also juggles the moments of sadness where they should be and it doesn't end up contrived. As someone who grew up poor and homeless and living in what folks considered “dangerous” or “ghetto” neighborhoods, I related to this so much. White and/or middle class people some(most)times tend to think that we only wallow in despair and bemoan our life and there's no joy or normalcy. And some even think that's how we should behave all the time, lol! But honestly, fcuk them and fcuk that. I hope they read this book and realize how classist and racist that thinking is. I almost broke down reading the ending, though, and seeing all the names of people murdered by cops knowing so many more could be added in future editions of this book. Which is enraging to me that this book is among the most challenged/banned books list bc none of what Angie Thomas wrote was fabricated with ill intent or a smear. I'm a Latine so I wasn't given the talk in the same way Black kids have, but even then, I think most POC minorities grow up fearing cops one way or another. I know I do. I don't feel safe with cops around. I don't like them. They're nothing but glorified security guards who only exist to “protect” assets. And personally, I have been affected in my life by how cops have stereotyped and harassed my own dad. Reading how Starr has to see her dad humiliated and harassed by those cops messed me tf up. And yet, Angie Thomas went out of her way to be conciliatory and wasn't flat out ACABing pigs which is where she kinda lost me bc actually she should've. There are so many great things about this book and it doesn't matter if you're 16 or in your 30s, this book will speak to your soul and open up many things. It's definitely already a classic. The only thing that's like a me problem that made me take out half star in pettiness was the constant HP references. Like some were even funny, I'll admit it as someone who is not a HP fan and barely has a grasp of the story. And this was published in a time when the HP author was still relatively tolerated and still admired bc she hadn't been openly hostile towards trans people, but still, it was very nauseating tbh. I know I'm not one to talk bc I'm always referencing my favorite book series too, and in REAL LIFE, but I feel I have an excuse, mine is kinda obscure so it's more like a signal to see if someone gets it, but with HP what's the point??? Anyway, that's the only annoying thing going on in the book. 
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