The Hate U Give is such a powerful, necessary novel. Each person alive will benefit from reading it as it will truly open your eyes. It’s hard to put into words just how powerful and necessary THUG is. I can’t fully express my reaction to this book, but I’m going to try my hardest.
THUG is told from the perspective of 16 year old Starr, but she is often wise beyond her years. Unfortunately, this comes from the trauma she has bore witness to, and the harsh world in which she lives. Her world changes overnight when she witnesses the murder of her childhood best friend. Coming home from a party, the pair are stopped, and Khalil is shot by a White cop. At first, Starr is too grief-stricken and scared to speak up, to be known as the only witness, as she knows that that means danger. People in Garden Heights don’t speak up. Ever.
But as tension grows, both between the gangs in Garden Heights, and in Khalil’s case, her rage begins to bubble up to the surface. She starts to push back; against the gang rules, her racist best friend, those claiming that Khalil was a threat. Starr ignores her fear, exchanging it for determination, in an attempt to honour her friend.
Khalil’s murder sparks a movement. One too many Black kids have been killed by cops. One too many Black kids have become people to mourn. The community begin to rise up. To protest the slander given to Khalil’s name. People are angry. They’re upset. They want justice. And Starr, as the witness, is in a perfect position to rally them.
We see the entire story take place. We get to feel her dear as she watches her friend die, her pain as she grieves for a lost friend. Her determination and anger grow as nightmares are sparked from a childhood loss. We see her struggle between easy and right, between her new friends and old ones, between staying silent and standing up. We see her anger at the justice system, and her growing love for those trying to fight back. We get to witness every shift in this story, each one even more powerful than the last.
This book isn’t just about a movement, it feels like a movement itself. It is so brutally truthful, from the portrayal of a neighbourhood like Garden Heights, to the impact of Police Brutality. It puts up absolutely no facades, and I think that that is one of the factors which makes it so powerful. It came out in 2017 and yet the issues within are still such a massive thing. But I can’t help but feel as though THUG changed lives. It opened up peoples eyes to the reality of Police Brutality and systemic racism, as the reader truly got to feel what Starr did.
I think it’s one of the most powerful books I’ve ever read, and some of that has to do with how real it is. I had chills the entire time, but especially towards the end, when Angie Thomas / Starr pays tribute to other victims of Police Brutality. It was heartbreaking to see the list, especially knowing that more have been added since then, but it was so powerful to see that their names are still being honoured. That people haven’t forgotten.
If you haven’t already, please read this book. It is truly magnificent, and people of all ages will find it incredible and inspiring.
- Louise Collins.
Feminist Book Club 