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Hate

Alan Gibbons

3.82 · Rating details · 336 ratings · 54 reviews

Eve's older sister, Rosie, was bright and alive and always loved being the centre of attention. Then one day, she is brutally murdered. Six months later, Eve meets Antony and discovers that he was there the night Rosie died and did nothing to help. Is there any way she can ever get past that? Inspired by the Sophie Lancaster murder in 2007, which saw Sophie and her partner ...more

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Paperback, 304 pages

Published April 10th 2014 by Indigo

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· 336 ratings · 54 reviews

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Mar 17, 2019 16leighk rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 01, 2014 Elizabeth Beverley rated it it was amazing

Very emotionally charged writing about a very scary incident that ended in tragedy. Based on a true story of an awful Hate crime. Mr Gibbons weaves The threads of hate, loss, grieving, justice and surviving into a beautifully accessible story that teens will be able to relate too.

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Apr 02, 2017 Viola Sung rated it liked it

A book that wakes you up with its stone-cold reality. Brings up issues that cannot be ignored.

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Apr 10, 2014 L rated it really liked it

Shelves: first-reads

‘Times have changed,
but some people are
still so full of hate’

Founded on facts this acute, profoundly evocative fictional work is something that lingers upon the mind. Inspired by the tragic murder of Sophie Lancaster this heartrending story is about love, loss, hate and forgiveness and about standing up against prejudice and believing in who we are. Impacting and full of thought-provoking resonance, I was struck by how Alan Gibbons’ extraordinary novel touched me and left me most surprised. I ...more

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Apr 22, 2014 Bookread2day rated it it was amazing

Alan Gibbons novel Hate is inspired by a true story. Hate is a fiction story. The attack on the character Rosie, is based on a real attack. Alan Gibbons came to write this story of Hate after meeting Sylvia Lancaster at a teachers conference. Sylvia told the audience how her daughter, Sophie died after Sophie and her partner Rob were both after a savage attacked in Stubbylee Park, Bacup, Lancashire 24th August 2007.Hate is a heartbreakingly good story. Eve's sister, died after an unprovoked atta ...more

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Mar 19, 2017 Avery rated it liked it

Hate is a very intriguing book. The story is about the loss of a loved one and the ramifications following this ordeal but also about standing up to prejudice in the world. The message behind the story is strong and important. And I can appreciate the attempt of the writer to bring this important message into the world but I found the story a bit lacking.

The main character Eve needed more layers, all you saw of her was the loss of her sister, and that would be a significant part of her life but ...more

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Jul 24, 2017 Letty rated it it was amazing

I could relate to Anthony, The Edge also written by Alan Gibbons, helped me relate to people in a similar situation although that story included race. However, 'Hate' is something I have never read about before,as a result I found it difficult to relate to Eve at first in the end I think I began to understand and empathise. I may not remember this story in a few years time but the message it gave me is something that I would like to remember. Don’t exclude people for being different because the ...more

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Jan 20, 2019 Hope Worth rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A very emotionally charged read.. sometimes hard to handle, but ultimately a beautifully written statement for individuality, free expression, and love.
First read from this author, but I genuinely can’t wait to read more from Gibbons.

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Jan 30, 2020 Jackie rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2020

3.5 stars. Based around the murder of Sophie Lancaster. Short, quick read tackling hate crime. Felt like a YA book but was quite touching in places. Reacquainted myself with the Sophie Lancaster case - shocking. RIP Sophie.

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Apr 04, 2019 Tehreem Tahir rated it really liked it

*4.5 STARS*

This is a book based on true events and serious trigger warnings for assault.

"It takes a hell of a lot of people to do good. It only takes one or two to do evil." ...more

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Nov 20, 2019 Radhika rated it really liked it

Good good that tackles problems people face on the world.

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Nov 30, 2020 Zoe Maree rated it it was amazing

Life isn't always rainbows and smiles. This is such a realistic way of looking at the world, and the evil that inhabits it. ...more

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Dec 21, 2020 Wren added it

Really good, thoroughly enjoyed. Was even better as I met the author beforehand and got an insight to how he approached the novel.

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Aug 28, 2015 Weasel rated it it was ok · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. If I were to recommend this book, it would be with a big disclaimer. I picked it up because it was one of the nominees for a local book award and because it was framed as being based on/around a real life case.

I read it v quickly, but I am going to be honest, I read it quickly because I was hoping that it wasn't going, or doing what it did. I was effectively angry reading.

The choices the author made, from his inspiration of being at a talk given by the mother of the real life victim, to the pl ...more

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Apr 07, 2014 Laurel rated it really liked it

I was lucky enough to win this book via Goodreads First-reads Giveaway!

This book right here! Whoa! The worst part right now is that I wouldn't have read it if I hadn't won it! Not because I wasn't that interested, I was! But my To Buy pile grows every day and there's some books that are more of a priority! If I hadn't read this, I would have missed on an incredible, emotional and gripping story. I read this book in one sitting because it didn't take long for me to be invested in the characters a I was lucky enough to win this book via Goodreads First-reads Giveaway!

This book right here! Whoa! The worst part right now is that I wouldn't have read it if I hadn't won it! Not because I wasn't that interested, I was! But my To Buy pile grows every day and there's some books that are more of a priority! If I hadn't read this, I would have missed on an incredible, emotional and gripping story. I read this book in one sitting because it didn't take long for me to be invested in the characters and the suspense that kept me turning the pages!

I was 13/14 when the murder of Sophie Lancaster occurred. I don't remember much about it or the aftermath. After I finished reading Hate, I Googled the case and the project Sophie's mother started. I was very touched by this tragic case but also infuriated. Sophie and her partner were attacked by drunk youths simply because they were alternative. They were different so those teenagers thought they had a right to abuse them.

So in this book, Rosie is brutally murdered for her alternative appearance and her family is left dealing with their grief. The story is told by Eve, Rosie's little sister, and Anthony, the guy who witnessed the attack but couldn't come forward to say everything he saw. Anthony and his mother are seeking a new start so they move to a new town. Only this town is where Eve lives and when Anthony starts going to Eve's school, the story unravels and we see how much anger and sadness Eve feels but also the guilt Anthony feels.

Although Hate, is about Eve and her family coping with the death of Rosie, it also deals with homophobia. It opens your eyes to how people react to what they don't understand or what is different from them. It shows us what our silence can mean, when we see or hear abuse but don't do anything, even though we disagree with what is being said. But it also teaches us about strength to be yourself and the importance of courage to stand up to hate.

At the end of the books there are pages for reflection that ask you questions about your identity and how you reacted to events in the story. I think ultimately, this book gets you thinking about hate crimes and how we see ourselves and other people. There's an important message ,one that needs to get across to everyone, about accepting people for who they are. It sounds like common sense, but in 2014, there are still racist slurs being used to hurt and homophobia is prevalent. The worst part is people now keep quiet and pretend it isn't happening.

Alan Gibbons is a wonderful writer. The metaphors he used to describe Eve's feelings were beautiful and poetic, and they helped me feel the grief, sadness and anger she felt.

Overall, a heartbreaking and intense read. It's an important book so check it out! ...more

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Feb 17, 2014 Emma rated it really liked it

Shelves: guest-reviews

Review by Beth - 4.5/5

Hate is an exceptionally well executed novel that takes its inspiration from the true, terrible story of Sophie Lancaster, murdered for looking different. Gibbons’ inspiration is clear throughout and he deftly manages to craft a new story that puts the mindlessness of such events into a little perspective.
Hate is a dual narrative with Eve, the sister of brutally murdered Rosie and Anthony, a witness who stood by and did nothing, taking turns to tell their story and come to Review by Beth - 4.5/5

Hate is an exceptionally well executed novel that takes its inspiration from the true, terrible story of Sophie Lancaster, murdered for looking different. Gibbons’ inspiration is clear throughout and he deftly manages to craft a new story that puts the mindlessness of such events into a little perspective.
Hate is a dual narrative with Eve, the sister of brutally murdered Rosie and Anthony, a witness who stood by and did nothing, taking turns to tell their story and come to terms with everything they have been through. It’s hard, to begin with, to feel anything but confusion for Eve, she can’t possibly work out how to continue as before, her entire family has disintegrated. Her mother has been swallowed up by Rosie’s forthcoming court case and fight for justice whilst her father has shrunk into nothingness, afraid and broken. Eve is somewhere in the middle not knowing what to do, only thinking ‘What would Rosie do?’ but this all changes when Anthony arrives.
Anthony’s story is fascinating as it’s clear he is haunted by Rosie too and the events of that night and his inability or choice to do nothing. Whilst Eve is powered by fury and grief, Anthony is engulfed by grief and frustration at his choices.
Scenes throughout this novel are hard to read, especially in light of the story’s inspiration, but Alan Gibbons should be praised for not holding back. The murder scene is very hard going but it’s through this you get a chance to see Anthony’s perspective as well as watch (read?) in horror as both Rosie and her boyfriend are beaten beyond belief, for absolutely no good reason.
As the story progresses the second plot, focusing on Eve’s friend Jess and her recently out homosexual brother is a chance for Anthony to do something he couldn’t do before. I would say it was a little predictable as the cues and hints as the story built were quite obvious but this didn’t detract from its power.
The back of the book features a range of thoughtful questions which would be brilliant for a book group or in a classroom discussion (this novel should be read in classrooms with no doubt).
...more

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Apr 06, 2015 Georgie rated it liked it

Shelves: ya-fic, carnegie-2015

I gave this book three stars because I really respect what the author was trying to do, and the message the whole book has about different kinds of prejudice and the devastating effect it has.

Eve's older sister, Rosie, had a unique, alternative sense of style. Because of this, she was labeled a 'Goth' or 'mosher' and was beaten to death by a savage gang of youths in a local park, and her boyfriend was left fighting for his life. Eve is struggling to cope in the aftermath of Eve's death - struggl I gave this book three stars because I really respect what the author was trying to do, and the message the whole book has about different kinds of prejudice and the devastating effect it has.

Eve's older sister, Rosie, had a unique, alternative sense of style. Because of this, she was labeled a 'Goth' or 'mosher' and was beaten to death by a savage gang of youths in a local park, and her boyfriend was left fighting for his life. Eve is struggling to cope in the aftermath of Eve's death - struggling to understand the prejudice and cruelty that provoked it, with the notion that some of those responsible may not face justice, with the breakdown of her remaining family, and with the notion that she can never be as perfect as her sister was. Things get worse when a new boy, Anthony, turns up at her school and Eve realises he was at the park the night her sister died. But Anthony has a story too...Meanwhile, Eve's best friend Jess and her older brother Oli battle a different kind of prejudice.

The plot to this book sounded gripping, as well as topical. It's important to help readers of all ages understand prejudice in all its ugly forms, and at this Gibbons does a superb job.

My problem lay mostly with the characters of Eve, Rosie, and Anthony. Beyond feeling the natural sympathy for them that is only human, I found them very hard to relate to. Anthony was perhaps the most complex character, if not always sympathetic. But I found Eve to be judgemental and mean, and Rosie was just too perfect. Her constant attempts to be 'different' and 'stand out' did not seem to me to be a young woman genuinely expressing herself (as we were supposed to think) but someone who thought she was better than everyone else. I would also have liked to have the teenage thugs' background developed a little more - after all, prejudice like the kind they exhibit starts somewhere, and I felt that should have been explored more. That said, I adored the characters of Jess and Oli, who seemed much more sympathetic and complex and real than Eve and Rosie. I wish there had been more of their story.

...more

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Apr 10, 2014 Kristy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya-fiction, read-2014

Based on the murder of Sophie Lancaster in 2007, who along with her boyfriend was attacked because of the way she dressed. When this happened it struck a chord with me because in my younger years (some 5-10 years prior to the attack) I was (and in many ways still am!) what you might call 'alternative', I've experienced heaps of verbal abuse and I've also witnessed violence towards friends of mine because of the way they look, though thankfully without the same horrific outcome. It's time this cr ...more

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May 26, 2014 Anton rated it it was ok

Shelves: goodreads-first-reads

A surprisingly high collective rating on here for this book which I can only attribute to the fact that 25 people (at the time of me writing this) have rated 'Hate'. Surely as more people read this lacklustre effort, the rating has to dive. Because it's not a very good read. Nor is it informative, challenging, enlightening, or even at all interesting. It's definitely not entertaining, but then a book based on a real life British murder case, would be in poor taste if it set out to entertain.
Whe ...more

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Dec 17, 2014 Sally rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya

Hate is a hugely powerful book, sadly based on an horrendous personal assault that ended the life of a young woman in 2009 http://www.sophielancasterfoundation....
Alan Gibbons has written a very poignant and thought provoking novel looking at the many ways prejudice and hatred rear their ugly faces in modern Britain. It challenges people’s reactions to such responses, be them verbal or physical. It highlights the power of a united front against social injustice as well as what a difference one ...more

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Nov 18, 2015 Lyra van der Berge rated it it was ok

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 27, 2014 Bella Brown rated it it was ok

I really wanted to like Hate, but I just couldn't manage it.

I've really enjoyed Alan Gibbons in the past, and after recently being underwhelmed by An Act of Love, I was looking forward to reading this. It's based on the Sophie Lancaster hate crime case, and is therefore what you might call an "important" story - it's being marketed as a good way to introduce young adults to this complex subject.

My problem lies in the fact that Hate doesn't present it as being complex at all. For me, it was far ...more

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Oct 26, 2014 Sally Flint rated it it was amazing

Shelves: childeren-s-literature

This book should be on all school walls and be in all school classrooms. A hugely powerful account of the aftermath of the effect that an innocent girl's murder has upon her family and friends. The book explores our inability to accept any kind of difference and doesn't hold back. Knowing that it is inspired by a true story, made it all the more powerful. The author did the family of the girl who was murdered, proud. So sad. Makes you realise how life can be snapped away in an instant and we hav ...more

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Feb 28, 2015 Nicole rated it really liked it

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Jan 03, 2017 L-J Lacey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Hate. There's too much hate in the world. Sadly this book was inspired by the true events of the brutal murders of Sophie Lancaster. In "Hate" two alternative 20 somethings ar beaten in a park just because of how they dressed. One dies. Rosie. This is the aftermath for Rosie's younger sister Eve and Anthony, the boy that stood on the sidelines and did nothing.

This book struck me to the core. I've walked in fear because of how I dress. I know people attacked because of their sexuality or how they ...more

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Jul 13, 2014 Sue Murdoch rated it it was amazing

I read 'Hate' in one sitting and could not put it down. It was a very honest book, particularly I felt from Anthony's role in the story. We would all like to think we'd be brave and do the right thing, but sometimes circumstances or even simply that we are just not as heroic as we'd like to be prevents us. My earlier review crashed and it's difficult to capture those thoughts again, but I do remember saying that this book makes us think about how appalling it must be to be caught up in real hate ...more

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Aug 21, 2014 Jennifer rated it really liked it

I've always liked Alan Gibbons' books (The Dark Beneath is one of my favourite books) and he even visited my school once so I have a bit of a soft spot for him, so when I saw this book I was very eager to read it. Hate is based on the murder of Sophie Lancaster, and I think Gibbons controversial issues (especially homophobia) very well, and I found the topic of hate crimes both interesting and horrifying.

However, I did find the chapters rather short, and it's broken into lots of little sections ...more

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Jul 07, 2014 Barbara Band rated it it was amazing

Wow! I seriously could not put this down ... started it on a train journey to London then sat in my car finishing it when I got back. Inspired by the tragic murder of Sophie Lancaster, who was killed just for looking different, this is a story about prejudice and bigotry featuring abuse, bullying and homophobia. The story is told from the point of view of several of the main characters but this isn't confusing at all as the different fonts make it very clear when the voice changes. It's fast-pac ...more

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Oct 01, 2014 Zoe rated it liked it

I enjoyed the book, it brings light to the issue of prejudice in todays society. A good underlying theme which makes you question the actions you would take if you were to be in the same position. this book takes a look at the way words and stereotypes influence people. However there was a major fault in this book. Almost halfway through this book i had already predicted the outcome (which in fact happened to be correct). I would have enjoyed this book more thoroughly if the ending had not been ...more

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Apr 14, 2014 Caroline rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya-fiction, great-reads

Another great book from Alan Gibbons. Based on the true story of the murder of teenager Sophie Lancaster and her boyfriend for simply being Goths, this adds extra oomph to the story. It is a powerful story of hate crimes and where they lead to, (including homophobia). This book is beautifully written and observed, gives no slick solutions or answers, but shows the terrible consequences of prejudice. Teens will be gripped by the story - a must have for your shelves.

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About Alan Gibbons

Alan Gibbons

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Alan Gibbons is an author of children's books and a Blue Peter Book Award. He currently lives in Liverpool, England, where he used to teach in a primary school. His father was a farm laborer, but was hurt in an accident when Alan was eight years old. The family had to move to Crewe, Cheshire where Alan experienced bullying for the first time. He began to write for his pupils as a teacher, but neve ...more