City News

In the novel The Hate U Give,  Angie Thomas navigates the life of 16 year old Starr Carter as she grows up in a dangerous neighborhood. Starr lives in the sketchy part of her neighborhood where she is the outsider and goes to a all white private school where she excels at basketball and is admired by her friends. Starr’s father Maverick is an ex drug dealer who owns a grocery store in the neighborhood and doesn’t want to move out because he is attached to the people there. Starr’s mother on the other hand wants to leave the neighborhood because she worries for her kids safety and argues with Maverick all the time about moving. The novel is not only about Starr bringing justice for Khalil, but it is about her home life, gangs, racism at school and drama in her friend group.

The story kicks off with Starr being at her neighborhood party feeling as if she doesn’t belong while talking to one of her old school friends who leaves her to go beat a girl up. Khalil, one of Starr’s best friends from the neighborhood comes up and makes small talk with her. They suddenly hear guns and police cars heading towards the party and Khalil decides to give Starr a ride home. On the way home Khalil is pulled over by a white police officer who suspects that he has drugs for no apparent reason. Khalil and Starr are polite and terrified of the police officer because they know that in their neighborhood if you are black the cops are always harsher. The police man shoots Khalil for no apparent reason right in front of Starr who is left traumatized throughout the book.

Starr then starts being the figurehead of the revolts in her neighborhood who believe in justice for Khalil as the news has sympathy on the police officer of all people! Starr starts going on talk shows to give justice for Khalil and her best friend Natalia who died due to another shooting when she was little. Though Starr much bigger issues than bullies in this book, the topic of bullying is touched upon. Khalil’s death is seen as a way to get out of class in Starr’s school and her friends make racist comments and speculate on Khalil’s death. Starr broods on the inside. One of her friends turns out to be racist towards Starr and her friend and they decide it is best to part ways. Starr also struggles with her boyfriend, Chris because she is afraid to tell her dad that she is dating a white boy and is scared to tell Chris that too.

Starr’s family plays a big role in her life and as the reader starts to become more familiar with her, they start to realise that everyone in Starr’s life are family not just friends. This book is a 5 out of 5 because of its powerful message mixed in with a teenager’s life that include cringe-worthy dance moves and car rides with Tupac playing on the radio. Starr is a great character because of how she handles her trauma. She is brave yet is portrayed as how a realistic teen would react in the situations she is put through. 

Check out The Hate U Give at the Newport Beach Public Library.