A few months back, United States witnessed a series of protests and civil unrest throughout the country following the killing of George Floyd, a 46 years old African-American man while being restrained by the police. Frequent cases of racial injustice and police misconduct in the U.S. have long led the civil rights movement and other activists to protest against the lack of police accountability. The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas calls out issues such as police brutality and racism. This seemed like a heartbreakingly honest account of what happened in America in recent months. And that’s why, I decided to read this book to gain a little more insight about the struggles of African American people.
The novel follows the story of Starr Carter, a 16 year old black girl who is torn between her two worlds; her school Williamson Prep, where she is one of the two black people in her grade and Garden Heights, her suburban black neighborhood where she grew up.
The novel begins with Starr going to a party in her neighborhood where she ends up reconnecting with her childhood best friend Khalil. They abruptly leave the party in Khalil’s car when a fight breaks out at the party. On their way home, they are pulled over by a white police officer without any reason. The officer orders Khalil out of the car and searches him. He commands Khalil not to move and returns to his car. Khalil opens the door to check on Starr. And this was the only provocation the police officer needed. He fires three shots at Khalil killing him on the spot. Starr watches him die not able to do anything for him.
Starr is only sixteen and she’s already witnessed the death of two of her best friends – Natasha at ten and Khalil at sixteen. She is the only witness of Khalil’s brutal murder. Khalil is now being labeled as a drug dealer, gang member…a young thug. And this is why his killing is deemed justified. Nobody cares about his back story- a boy who loved his mother so much that he was forced to sell drugs to save her.
The book follows the growth of Starr from being someone who is ashamed of her background and is afraid of speaking up against racism to someone who stands up for her best friend and is not afraid to fight for justice. This is a book about questioning the unfairness of life and fighting for your rights. It’s about racism, the violence, the police brutality and the unjust system where culprits go scot free just because of their colour.
The story not only focuses on being discriminated on the basis of color but also on the casual racism. Sometimes a casual remark or words that weren’t said in a racist sense can affect someone deeply. Starr’s friend Hailey constantly makes racist jokes about her and Maya who comes from an Asian American heritage. Even when Hailey is confronted, she fails to understand what it means to be treated differently just on the basis of culture, colour or heritage.
I also loved the family dynamics portrayed in the book. Starr’s family is so endearing. They don’t always get along but they love each other and always put family first. They know how to stand by their loved ones and are ready to protect one another under any circumstances. Starr’s dad Maverick is not only a protective father but also a man who wants to make a difference in his community. Her uncle, Carlos is a cop and is doing his best to work for his own people while being a part of an unjust system. Her mom, Linda is a tough but caring mother. Her brother Seven is always there for her and his other sisters whenever they need him. And one hell of a character in the book is Nana, Starr’s grandmother.
This book was written to raise awareness against racism and police brutality against coloured people. It definitely succeeds in its goal. The book is real, honest, and quite uncomfortable at times. It’s uncomfortable because it’s difficult to accept the harsh fact that one is assumed as a threat just because of his looks or colour. People with such mentality are a blot on the society but sadly such people exist.
The author has honestly laid bare the systematic racism that runs through society. She does so with a delicate balance of heartbreak and humour. With powerful prose, finely written characters and intricate relationship dynamics, this book will keep you hooked till the end. The book sends out an important message and it is surely worth a read.
My Rating: 5/5
Title: The Hate You Give
Author: Angie Thomas
Page count: 444
Publisher: Harper Collins
Genres: Young adult fiction
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