young adult
What a relevant novel. The Hate U Give is told from the viewpoint of an African American 16yo girl, Starr, who witnesses the tragedy of her good friend being murdered by a white policeman during a traffic stop for a broken tail light. It covers serious topics such as racial injustices, gang life, inter-racial relationships, underprivilege vs. wealth, family issues and resolutions, teen drama, loyalty, and advocacy. It’s very well done and gives the reader insight into Starr’s life including her complicated family situation, her rough neighborhood, and her private school in a better part of town. It highlights bravery among those who are able to rise above their life circumstances. For example, Starr’s father, Maverick, has improved his life over time to become a better person who looks out for his family and is a leader in his community. And Kenya who, despite her father being the leader of a gang, understands right and wrong and maintains her friendship with her father’s enemy’s daughter. And, Seven, who is willing to put aside his own chance for success at college in order to protect his family. These people are all brave despite adversity. They are an inspiration.
My biggest complaint is that when it’s not hitting the main issues, it’s just a teen drama of the kind that doesn’t generally appeal to me—high school and teen relationships and all the drama that goes with it. Those sections were slow for me. However, I think this viewpoint of Starr’s world is important to read. And Angie Thomas’ choice to make this a Young Adult novel probably allows the story to target an audience who is more likely to receive and internalize the message. I loved that the author was able to inject some really funny comedy into the story--especially three scenes which made me laugh out loud during the second half. It's hard to make me laugh out loud while reading/listening to a book!
The audio book was read by one of my favorite narrators, Bahni Turpin. I believe this is the fourth novel I’ve heard her narrate. She’s terrific, once again—nailing the voice acting and using several unique voices for characters. A+!
My biggest complaint is that when it’s not hitting the main issues, it’s just a teen drama of the kind that doesn’t generally appeal to me—high school and teen relationships and all the drama that goes with it. Those sections were slow for me. However, I think this viewpoint of Starr’s world is important to read. And Angie Thomas’ choice to make this a Young Adult novel probably allows the story to target an audience who is more likely to receive and internalize the message. I loved that the author was able to inject some really funny comedy into the story--especially three scenes which made me laugh out loud during the second half. It's hard to make me laugh out loud while reading/listening to a book!
The audio book was read by one of my favorite narrators, Bahni Turpin. I believe this is the fourth novel I’ve heard her narrate. She’s terrific, once again—nailing the voice acting and using several unique voices for characters. A+!
No comments:
Post a Comment