LIFE’S FLAVORS 2/2- ALLISON LIBBY-THESING OF THE OAKS BED & BREAKFAST
The Hate U Give
By Angie Thomas
Balzer & Bray
444 pages, $12.98 Amazon
5 Stars
I was late to the game in reading this book. I waited until some of the fervor died down and then devoured this book in just a few days. Could have been one day if some soccer games had not gotten in the way. The Hate U Give is an easy to read, well-put together book. Don’t get me wrong the content is in no way fluffy or simple, the author’s writing style is smooth and tells a story that flows well and helps the reader move along the pages in a pace that makes the four hundred plus pages fly by.
Starr is a witness to her best friends murder by a police officer in the neighborhood she grew up in. Khalil was an unarmed youth, whose life as cut short and brought a national spotlight to the issues in Starr’s neighborhood and concerning questions to her life and safety.
Starr struggles with presenting who she is to those around her. She lives in a neighborhood where her family has lived for generations but goes to a private school over forty minutes away. She presents one “Starr” to her school friends and another “Starr” to her neighborhood friends. She tries to keep her worlds separate but finds after the shooting of her friend that might not be the best option for her to survive and make her voice heard.
The police refuse to investigate the shooting which results in protests in the neighborhood and riots. Which affects her life and those around her. Her silence or her words will cause dissent and mistrust. Her school world will rapidly collide with her “real” world, and Starr grapples with choosing between the two in order to decide who she really is and what propels her to be true to herself to those around her.
Thomas’ debut novel hits on several main issues including racism, police violence and self-discovery. If nothing else it is a conversation starter with teens about how the US is struggling with facing these issues today. My daughter was the one who encouraged me to read this novel and I’m glad she did. Each of my kids will read this novel at some point before graduating high school, if nothing else to have a conversation about how lives are different for other people.
Contributed by Allison Libby-Thesing
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpQP8pNzNT5ml9CqehzJEqA
