#BookReview: The Hate U Give
“You have a deep appreciation of the arts and music.”
4 stars
Genre: YA contemporary
Pros:
A real protagonist
Deep issues
Exploration of family
Cons:
Quite dark for 8th graders
I’ve heard so much about The Hate U Give. It lives up to its hype. I love the setting of this novel and how real it is. The struggle that Starr battles within herself and in her community also feels authentic.
I did take off a star for the beginning portion of this book. The party scene and the girl caught between two worlds felt too similar for my taste to Lilliam Rivera’s The Education of Margot Sanchez. For me, it felt like familiar territory for the first few chapters. Also, even though it’s rated 8th grade and above, I would pause to give it to a middle grader. There is some explosive content in this novel.
Anyway, as the book continued, I got swept into the atmosphere of Starr’s family, friends, and enemies. I enjoyed how Thomas added in the spice of music into the text as well. Also, I’m grateful that Thomas didn’t wrap things up in a nice bow but left it realistic.
An eye-opening book that provides a real-life character braving today’s world of societal clashes.
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