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librarylandlisa's review against another edition
5.0
This book was great. I am putting it in my top 10 for the year, maybe top 5. GREAT audiobook
kelliv810's review
emotional
inspiring
tense
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? Yes
4.25
haruko's review against another edition
3.0
I typically don't pay attention to reviews before I read a book but I noticed that the Hate U Give has nearly five stars. After finishing it, I think I understand why.
The Hate U Give discusses racism, classism, gang violence, love, loss, and protest. These are topics that will always be relevant and is a modern commentary on the Black Lives Matter movement, Trayvon Martin, police brutality, and modern-day politics.
These messages are extremely important to convey, especially to young people. They are multi-layered and will take more than one book to truly understand. Regardless of their complexity, Angie Thomas attempted to put them in a digestible format for younger audiences.
What I've found is that it's very hard to take a novel seriously when the author chooses to express emotion and actions through pop culture references, as seen here:
"Before Khalil, I planned to cold-shoulder Chris with a sting more powerful than a nineties R&B breakup song. But after Khalil I'm more like a Taylor Swift song. (No shade, I fucks with Tay-Tay, but she doesn't serve like nineties R&B on the angry-girlfriend scale.)
You know what? I'll Beyonce him. Not as powerful as a nineties R&B breakup song, but stronger than a Taylor Swift."
Reading the excerpt in real time felt like a train wreck; the scene derailed quickly and I still don't understand what the author was trying to convey. Ten, twenty, thirty years from now, the audience isn't going to understand either. Books immediately become dated when pop culture references are used in this way and they don't connect with young readers as well as authors think they do. After this scene, all the forced slang and references are toned way down. They're no longer interrupting the story and more important messages are focused on.
Overall this book was decent and hopefully it encourages young readers to understand African-Americans as individuals and as American citizens who are still being oppressed in this day and age. Change comes in baby steps and can start with a young child's hands holding this book.
The Hate U Give discusses racism, classism, gang violence, love, loss, and protest. These are topics that will always be relevant and is a modern commentary on the Black Lives Matter movement, Trayvon Martin, police brutality, and modern-day politics.
These messages are extremely important to convey, especially to young people. They are multi-layered and will take more than one book to truly understand. Regardless of their complexity, Angie Thomas attempted to put them in a digestible format for younger audiences.
What I've found is that it's very hard to take a novel seriously when the author chooses to express emotion and actions through pop culture references, as seen here:
"Before Khalil, I planned to cold-shoulder Chris with a sting more powerful than a nineties R&B breakup song. But after Khalil I'm more like a Taylor Swift song. (No shade, I fucks with Tay-Tay, but she doesn't serve like nineties R&B on the angry-girlfriend scale.)
You know what? I'll Beyonce him. Not as powerful as a nineties R&B breakup song, but stronger than a Taylor Swift."
Reading the excerpt in real time felt like a train wreck; the scene derailed quickly and I still don't understand what the author was trying to convey. Ten, twenty, thirty years from now, the audience isn't going to understand either. Books immediately become dated when pop culture references are used in this way and they don't connect with young readers as well as authors think they do. After this scene, all the forced slang and references are toned way down. They're no longer interrupting the story and more important messages are focused on.
Overall this book was decent and hopefully it encourages young readers to understand African-Americans as individuals and as American citizens who are still being oppressed in this day and age. Change comes in baby steps and can start with a young child's hands holding this book.
rebeccasreadingrambles's review against another edition
5.0
Wow this book hit hard. Beautifully written, strong vibrant characters and so much emotion. It made me sick to my stomach and my chest hurt. It made me smile and laugh. It made me think. I can't remember the last book that made my cry so many times. The writing was so vivid and well done that I could feel character's emotions like they were my own. Strong strong strong characters. And so many important themes that made this book feel like a true to life story.
Starr's struggle to navigate her world and the extraordinary and life altering situation she is put into. She is amazing. I simply don't think I could step into her shoes. She's a rockstar because she is so real.
I'm not going to start an argument via goodreads reviews, but just state my feelings through this amazing book.
I'm from the suburbs of Baltimore and lived in the city while the Freddie Gray case happened. I remembered the media, the riots, the looting, seeing tanks drive down the streets of my neighborhood. Being on lock down at work and at a baseball game. Walking past armed military men and women who were there to protect some people in the city against others. It's something I hope never has to happen in a city again. Though I did not grow up in the city and have not faced what many people face on a daily basis, I could understand both side of what was going on. And I saw so many of things play out the way they did in this book. Not only the "police vs thug", but the poverty that forced people to live lives they wouldn't have chosen. How the media always picks a side. How truths and perception all get muddled together.
The biggest message for me here was when Starr that even if Khalil was a drug dealer, so what, that doesn't mean his life should be forfeit. And that Starr has hope that these things will change. I hope and pray that they do Starr.
Starr's struggle to navigate her world and the extraordinary and life altering situation she is put into. She is amazing. I simply don't think I could step into her shoes. She's a rockstar because she is so real.
I'm not going to start an argument via goodreads reviews, but just state my feelings through this amazing book.
I'm from the suburbs of Baltimore and lived in the city while the Freddie Gray case happened. I remembered the media, the riots, the looting, seeing tanks drive down the streets of my neighborhood. Being on lock down at work and at a baseball game. Walking past armed military men and women who were there to protect some people in the city against others. It's something I hope never has to happen in a city again. Though I did not grow up in the city and have not faced what many people face on a daily basis, I could understand both side of what was going on. And I saw so many of things play out the way they did in this book. Not only the "police vs thug", but the poverty that forced people to live lives they wouldn't have chosen. How the media always picks a side. How truths and perception all get muddled together.
The biggest message for me here was when Starr that even if Khalil was a drug dealer, so what, that doesn't mean his life should be forfeit. And that Starr has hope that these things will change. I hope and pray that they do Starr.
erikariehigano22's review against another edition
5.0
STUNNINGLY RELEVANT AND HEART-WRENCHING. If you are a practising writer who wants to improve writing the emotion and impact of empathy, this book is a great example to use.
We explore the protagonist Starr Carter, a girl trapped between two worlds in her home at the hood of Garden Heights and attending school at Williamson in the 'white area'. She was involved in the murder of her childhood friend Khalid through police brutality--unfortunately a common occurrence within the Black/African-American community in America.
The book explores Starr's life and how she navigates it through her family, her friends, her community on top of the trauma from Khalid's death and the injustice.
I struggle to vocalise my thoughts on this book, but all I can say is IT'S A MUST READ! Every time I have to drop this book and get back to it again, I never struggle getting back into my reading rhythm. Angie Thomas's writing style is accessible for everyone, especially when Starr is in her natural self when she and her community use the African-American slang/lingo. This writing style had done wonders for representation to Black people and that is already commendable enough, not including the superb plot and unpacking of events!
This might be one of the best books I've read this year. You must read this! And I need to watch the movie adaptation.
tbgr_l57l's review
5.0
5 stars for [b:The Hate U Give|32075671|The Hate U Give|Angie Thomas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476284759s/32075671.jpg|49638190] by [a:Angie Thomas|15049422|Angie Thomas|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1471998209p2/15049422.jpg]!
“Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.”
― Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give
Wow. I have no words, really. It took a lot of time to process and gather my thoughts for this review. The Hate U Give was just simply mind-blowing. This novel has opened my eyes a bit more to the issue of racial discrimination. I really appreciate authors that include issues in their work to raise awareness on them. Thomas's use of the main character's perspective made me understand and picture the situations clearer, as if I was witnessing them first hand.
It was quite difficult and heart-wrenching for me to read about what it's like to be put in the situation of main character, Starr Carter. I really can't imagine what it's like to witness the death of a couple of friends, as Starr had done. Throughout the book, she has a difficult time debating on whether she should fight, or keep quiet. If she chooses to fight, there's a low chance of them actually listening to her, and she could be risking her safety. If she chooses to keep quiet, it would be as if she doesn't want justice for the deaths of her friends, however, she gets to be safer.
The plot itself was beautiful yet heart-breaking. The whole novel was completely honest about the issues and society. I'm so glad I chose to pick this book up, for it is now definitely one of favourites.
“Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.”
― Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give
Wow. I have no words, really. It took a lot of time to process and gather my thoughts for this review. The Hate U Give was just simply mind-blowing. This novel has opened my eyes a bit more to the issue of racial discrimination. I really appreciate authors that include issues in their work to raise awareness on them. Thomas's use of the main character's perspective made me understand and picture the situations clearer, as if I was witnessing them first hand.
It was quite difficult and heart-wrenching for me to read about what it's like to be put in the situation of main character, Starr Carter. I really can't imagine what it's like to witness the death of a couple of friends, as Starr had done. Throughout the book, she has a difficult time debating on whether she should fight, or keep quiet. If she chooses to fight, there's a low chance of them actually listening to her, and she could be risking her safety. If she chooses to keep quiet, it would be as if she doesn't want justice for the deaths of her friends, however, she gets to be safer.
The plot itself was beautiful yet heart-breaking. The whole novel was completely honest about the issues and society. I'm so glad I chose to pick this book up, for it is now definitely one of favourites.
wietse111's review against another edition
5.0
Erg mooi boek over de BLM beweging (fictie). Het volgt een (zwart) meisje van 16 die in de auto zit terwijl haar vriend door de politie wordt doodgeschoten. Vooral de hoofdpersoon Starr was echt een mooi karakter. Haar leven in twee werelden (en privéschool met vooral witte rijke leerlingen & de zwarte achterbuurt waar ze vandaan komt) is indrukwekkend beschreven.
Echt een wereld die heel ver bij mij weg staat natuurlijk, maar dusdanig goed geschreven dat ik me toch echt goed in kon leven. Aanrader
Echt een wereld die heel ver bij mij weg staat natuurlijk, maar dusdanig goed geschreven dat ik me toch echt goed in kon leven. Aanrader
yanloureiroc's review against another edition
5.0
"ÀS VEZES, VOCÊ PODE FAZER TUDO CERTO, E MESMO ASSIM AS COISAS DÃO ERRADO. O IMPORTANTE É NUNCA PARA DE FAZER O CERTO "
Como eu amo quando um livrão se esconde por trás da capa de um young adult (infanto-juvenil). O ÓDIO QUE VOCÊ SEMEIA consegue tratar de um assunto foda, que é brutalidade policial e a morte de jovens negros pelas mãos da polícia, de uma maneira tão ~~leve que a leitura acaba ficando muito mais fácil do que deveria. Mas assim ó, não vai achando que por ser uma leitura fácil que as coisas são tratadas com menos importância ou que vai rolar passação de pano pra branco racista, muito pelo contrário, as coisas ficam beeem claras pra todo mundo. Eu super recomendo essa leitura, especialmente pra galerinha mais jovem se ligar um pouco mais nesse rolê.
Como eu amo quando um livrão se esconde por trás da capa de um young adult (infanto-juvenil). O ÓDIO QUE VOCÊ SEMEIA consegue tratar de um assunto foda, que é brutalidade policial e a morte de jovens negros pelas mãos da polícia, de uma maneira tão ~~leve que a leitura acaba ficando muito mais fácil do que deveria. Mas assim ó, não vai achando que por ser uma leitura fácil que as coisas são tratadas com menos importância ou que vai rolar passação de pano pra branco racista, muito pelo contrário, as coisas ficam beeem claras pra todo mundo. Eu super recomendo essa leitura, especialmente pra galerinha mais jovem se ligar um pouco mais nesse rolê.