absolutelynotstephanie 's review for:

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
4.0

SHIIIT man. Shit.

I don't even know where to begin with how good this book is, how beautifully written, how real, how raw, how heavy yet so hilarious at times.

Okay, I'll start with what I think is the best part about this book and maybe why it should be mandatory reading for all kids- It frames a conversation about race in a way that is from the eyes of a teenage girl living in the digital age through Starr's thoughts, her conversations with Chris (her white boyfriend), her dad, her friends at both Williamson Prep and Garden Heights, we get a real voice speaking out about system racism, the struggles SO many young & old people of color go through on an everyday basis. Starr's voice is what we need right now. Truly. (And probably will continue to need for future generations.

I grew up with a mixed mother, meanwhile me & my sister are white. My sister also has special needs. We get stared at a lot, for a variety of reasons that you can imagine. SO many times I was reading this, I heard my mom's voice saying some of the typical black parent things that Big Mav was saying to his kids. It was so hilarious & refreshing.

This book really is a coming-of-age story that not only manages to wrap up every conflict really naturally and beautifully, but the character development was INSANE. Every single character goes through some re-workings. I don't want to say too much, but I will say Big Mav's character development was perhaps my favorite.

I really don't know what else to say about this book without spoiling it, but READ IT. READ IT. READ IT. And here are some of my favorite (NON-SPOILER) quotes:

"Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right." -page 154, Lisa

Mav: I want X to have it
Starr: Why?
Mav: You pay bills?
Starr:No
Mav; Then I ain't gotta answer that
-page 203

"Did I always laugh because I thought I had to? That's the problem. We let people stay stuff, and they say it so much it becomes okay to them and normal for us. What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn't be?" -Starr, pg 252

" 'When I was growing up, your grandmother would do and say hurtful things when she was drunk, and apologize the next morning. At an early age I learned that people make mistakes, and you have to decide if their mistakes are bigger than your love for them.' " -Lisa, page 264

"They gave me the hate, and now I wanna fuck everybody, even if I'm not sure how." -Starr pg 389

"Fairy tale? No. But I'm not giving up on a better ending." -Starr, pg 443

"Yet I think it'll change one day. How? I don't know. When? I definitely don't know. Why? Because there will always be someone ready to fight. Maybe it's my turn." -Starr pg 443