To read The Hate U Giveas a young black person is to stand in front of a mirror.The No. 1 New York Timesbest-selling young adult novel that’s been swept up under the category of “Black Lives Matter” books is a true reflection of the life of a young person of color in America—and thank goodness, because there really hasn’t been a mirror like this for people to pore over, well, ever.
Angie Thomas’ debut novel (the title is drawn from a Tupac Shakur reference) brings us into the life of Starr Carter, a 16-year-old living in a predominately black neighborhood but going to high school in an affluent white one. She is battling issues that black kids everywhere recognize, from code switching to confronting racists to death's unfortunate and early knock.
SEE ALSO:'History Is All You Left Me,' our next MashReads book, will break your heartAt her all-white school she stresses over how much of her home life to share with friends and her white boyfriend, whose lives are full of drastically different worries. By the time we meet her, Starr has already witnessed the death of her childhood best friend. In the aftermath of a party she becomes involved in an incident with police, who shoot and kill her other childhood friend Khalil—a headline that is all-too-familiar and yet still is painful to read in the pages of a fiction book.
SEE ALSO:A YA tale inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement should be the next book you readThings come to a head when Starr has to navigate how much she is willing to put herself out there for the sake of Khalil’s legacy. By staying silent, she is protecting herself and her family but by speaking up, she has the ability to change the course of justice. It’s a decision no teen should have to make but Starr does so anyway, leaning on her family and community for support.
View this post on Instagram
Thomas doesn't explain everything in Starr’s life, which might be one of the most refreshing experiences as a reader. Pop culture moments that won’t last the lifetime of the book aren’t expounded upon, but their inclusion adds a level of comfort to the painful story and reminds you who this book is intended for—young black kids.
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
While the intended audience is obvious, this book should also be read by people who have never had to deal with these issues themselves. Thomas manages to show a specific pain that Starr deals with in a humanizing manner that hasn't really been tackled before so openly, particularly in young adult fiction.
But even more impressively (and necessary), Thomas is able to paint a world that is not starkly black and white, but rather grey. Starr's Uncle Carlos is a cop, but he still advocates for Khalil. Starr's father might have been in jail, but he's a staple in the neighborhood and the peacemaker between gangs. Readers learn that Khalil may have sold drugs, but when the story gets to the "why" about it, it's heartbreaking.
Stories that I grew up reading about black people in America did not paint such a nuanced picture or reflect the communities that I knew and loved. Despite being fiction, books like this one are a corrective to media coverage that is often one-sided or flat. These dynamic characters—who are similar in age to Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Michael Brown—manage to turn a painful lesson into a fight that rings true to black kids defending their rights today.
In The Hate U Give, Thomas shows us that the black experience contains multitudes and her success (the book is being turned into a film starring Hunger Games' Amandla Stenberg) is paving the way for even more novels that will delve into race and police brutality.
Which is a relief, because in 2017 we still need so many more mirrors.
TopicsBooks
(责任编辑：知識)
Xiaomi accused of copying again, this time by JawboneApple will ditch iPhone's Lightning connector for USBHow one construction company is thinking outside the boxMicrosoft launches Skype Lite for India that works on slow internet and supports AadhaarJ.K. Rowling makes 'Harry Potter' joke about Olympics eventAly Raisman catches Simone Biles napping on a plane like a champion
Simone Biles is exhausted. She won five medals at the Summer Olympics in Rio, posed for selfies with
...[详细]Latest wearables report shows big gains for Apple, losses for Fitbit
With the downfall of Pebble late last year, it looked like the wearables market could be in trouble.
...[详细]This viral picture of a goalkeeper eating a pie isn't what it seems
Wayne Shaw is a 23-stone (322-pound) reserve goalkeeper who became an internet hero after pictures o
...[详细]The year is 2017. 。 Moonlight
。is Best Picture and Disney cartoons have innocent glimpses of same-sex
...[详细]Slack goes down again, prompting anxiety everywhere
Panic briefly took over on Tuesday when everyone's favorite messaging app/millstone went down tempor
...[详细]Sweden's embassy in the U.S. is looking forward to schooling Trump
So as President Donald Trump has already figured out, there were a few things that happened in Swede
...[详细]Denny's tweets pretty clever, internet
Brands, especially fast food brands, are usually pretty terrible at using pop culture references to
...[详细]This app lets you donate wish list items to homeless people you pass every day
Marcellus has lived on the streets of Philadelphia for more than four years, and he wants you to kno
...[详细]Two astronauts just installed a new parking spot on the International Space Station
UPDATE: Aug. 19, 2016, 2:04 p.m. EDT 。 Astronauts Kate Rubins and Jeff Williams are back in the Inter
...[详细]Florence and the Machine's Opera House show fined for being too loud
If you want your new neighbourhood to be quiet, maybe buying a place next to one of the world's most
...[详细]Two states took big steps this week to get rid of the tampon tax
Rich people deserve more nice things, so here's a bowling alley just for them
