The Hate U Give was written by Angie Thomas and published in 2017 by HarperCollins Publishers. It went on to become adapted for cinema in 2018 and was later published as an audio book in 2019 by W F Howes (U.K.) The audio book was narrated by Bahni Turpin and has a running time of 11:39 hours.

Deemed ‘necessary’ and ‘one of the most important books of 2017′ the success of Angie Thomas’ debut novel has seen a host of accolades, including the Goodreads Choice Awards Best Young Adult Fiction (2017), the Goodreads Choice Awards Best of the Best (2018) and even an award for the audio book; Turpin’s animated narration earned her the Audie Award for Best Female Narrator in 2018.

The Hate U Give is young adult fiction but speaks to everyone and implores you to not just hear but to truly listen.

Starr Carter is a 16-year-old black girl from Garden Heights, a rough neighbourhood in the projects. Despite her young years and typical adolescent interests, she has seen her fair share of injustice. She carries the emotional wound of seeing her childhood friend, Natasha being shot and more recently, she witnesses the shooting of her best friend, Khalil at the hands of a white police officer.

This grievous event, inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, brings other sensitive issues to light, commonly occurring within poor black coomunities. Above all, it will teach Starr the importance of using her voice to fight against racial inequality and the deeply seated complexities in her neighbourhood.

As well as speaking out against the endless cycle of police brutality against black people, including children, this book also addresses other major problems. Such things as racial stereotyping, internalised racism, pandering to white standards and the intricacies of interracial dating.

It speaks about how Starr often feels like she has to accommodate her personality and speech to the environs of her high school, located in the more desirous Suburbs. Though I rarely enjoy almost anything linked to high schools, the fact that the book analyses these internalised messages, through the lens of Starr’s coveted school, Williamson, was extremely relatable. I thought it was the perfect summation of the black experience in white-dominated surroundings.

Simply put, The Hate U Give is crucial, thoughtful and inciting! A book everyone must read and be attentive to. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#BlackLivesMatter

The Black Lives Matter movement is not just a hashtag or a trend nor does it promote exclusion of any kind. It campaigns for a more equal society, in which black people are not discriminated against because of their race or have to suffer at the hands of racially charged police brutality.

To find resources on how you can help support the Black Lives Matter movement, please visit the website; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/