Strong, harsh and confronting. Tells it like it is. Written from an #ownvoice perspective in 2017.

This is a hard book to read at this time of disruption (though I read it several years ago – in 2018), but more people should. Think I need to re-read it now in 2020.

Starr moves between two worlds – and for some time takes on 2 personas – between school (in a privileged world) and her home (a black neighbourhood). To get ahead, education is important; for balance, friends are vital; to live, family is critical. But where can she be real?

And what can she do, as a witness to an obscene injustice in a black community? How can a black teenager seek justice for a fallen friend?

I loved the characters in THUG – Starr, Khalil (while he lasts), even her flaky white friends at school. The contrast between Starr’s school friends’ aspirations and attitudes, and her home environment is stark. The story itself is a challenging read.

It took a while for me to get into the language and culture of the main characters – but then that’s what the book is all about. [So, language warning…]

Life is not homogenous. People are not all the same. For some life is easy, for others the struggle is real.

There’s a great interview and comments from Angie Thomas here– the call for #ownvoice writers is strong. There’s also a video discussing her inspiration for the book some 6 0r 7 years earlier:

I do now wonder what Angie might say today – in this time of #blacklifematters.

 

Read ‘The Hate You Give’ and reassess what you think.

 

# Is it important for stories like this to be told by #ownvoice writers?