Just Finished Reading: The Hate U Give (THUG) by Angie Thomas (FP: 2017) [438pp] 

She knew she shouldn’t be there. Her parents, if they ever found out, would throw a fit. But it was THE party and, since she started at that ‘fancy white school’ her friends had starting looking at her funny. So, she HAD to be seen there. Then some fool capped off a few rounds and everyone scattered. Starr’s best friend, Khalil, offered her a ride home (or to drop her NEAR her place) so she took it. She was feeling guilty about not spending enough time with him lately. Then it happened, the lights and a brief blast of siren. SHIT. Cops. Well, only ONE cop. But she knew what to do. Her Mamma had taught her from birth it seemed. No sudden movements. No disrespect. ALWAYS Sir this and Sir that. Khalil leaned back into the car to see if Starr was OK. Before she could even answer – BANG. It was like the world had exploded, and there was K, looking confused. Starr could see the blood on his shirt. The cop then pointed his gun at HER. Later, when her parents had picked her up and she could no longer hear her heart trying to tear itself from her chest part of her brain could think rationally about the whole thing, at least for a few seconds at a time. Obviously, she’d heard SHIT like this go down before. It was a Black neighbourhood. But never had she thought it could happen to her. Naturally, the thought uppermost in her mind was: now what? Her mind was made up when she heard the police officer’s Dad on TV explaining just how scared his son had been that night after stopping a gangbanger & known drug dealer on an empty road, alone. But Starr had a VERY different interpretation of the night's events. Now they were going to hear HER side of things. Now they were going to hear HER story. 

I actually picked this up around 4-5 years ago and it’s been goading me to read it ever since. I haven’t seen the movie though I’d heard about it and I know that Sarah has been waiting for me to read this so we can chat. The first thing I have to say is that this is a VERY accomplished first novel. Told in the first person throughout and with excellent characterisation – especially of Starr herself but also of her parents and close relatives/associates. I really liked both her mother & especially her father to be honest. The pacing of the book was very good, slow where it needed to be and moving along nicely at other times. The aftermath of the shooting (from both the local community and police/authorities PoV) was well handled and rang true from what I’ve seen on American News shows. It was a little preachy at times (as you might expect) but it was a very minor irritation and I let that slide. The only ‘problem’, and again a minor one [in more ways than one I suppose!] I had with the narrative was Starr’s relationship with her “rich” white boyfriend. That never felt ‘real’ to me. I also had a slight niggle with the age of Star and her friends. As far as I can remember they were around 16. I felt it’d be more ‘realistic’ if they were 18. I guess I’m thinking of 16-year old's as children (probably showing my age there!!). Apart from these VERY minor issues (which probably won’t bother many other people) I thought this was an excellent read. “Taken from the Headlines”, as they say – and then some. Definitely recommended. But enough now of death and destruction. Something a bit lighter to come....  

Awards.

Carnegie Medal Best Book (nominee)

Michael L. Printz Award Best Book (nominee)