In the novel The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, Starr Carter is trying to balance between her two lives; her home life, where she lives in a poor, mostly black neighborhood, and her school life, at a private rich prep school with a white majority. At a neighborhood party, Starr meets up with her best friend from her childhood, Khalil, who she had not seen in a while. But when gunshots are heard, they head out the door quickly to drive home. On the way, a white officer pulls the car over for no apparent reason. When Khalil questions this, he is told to step outside the vehicle to be searched, but in the process, the police officer assumes Khalil is trying to pull a move, and shoots him dead. After this, Starr tries to confide in her school friends, but neither of them understand. When she tries to testify for the police officer to be brought to justice, they do not ask her about the event as much as Khalil’s rough past, which they could use against him.
Throughout the book Starr must find the courage to act in order to find justice for the inequalities her community faces. She struggles to find her voice to stand up for what’s right. She has to fight between fitting in and standing out while doing the right thing. This book inspired me to fight for what is right. This novel’s vivid description allowed me to put myself in Starr’s shoes and feel the whelm of emotions that she felt. I felt her frustration at the unfair treatment she received and how frustrating it is to not be able to change your circumstances. This book offers depth and a viewpoint that the readers may have not considered. This novel uncovers the truth that the readers need to hear, and will change their view of the world around them for the rest of their lives.
Written by Arianna, Teen Volunteer
CBPL Reviews 