Reading For Justice

Book Review Series

As the 2^nd presidency of Donald Trump gets under way, I have felt horrified at his racist and prejudice actions.  I feel powerless to stop the upsetting news headlines I read daily about Trump’s policies on immigration, the environment, and democracy, to name only a few.  However, I have decided that knowledge is power.  I am therefore entering a period of reading for justice.  By that I mean, reading books that will educate me on the very subjects that Donald Trump is attacking.  Since 2020, I have been purposefully reading more books written by Black authors about the experiences of African Americans and the deep-rooted racism in our country.  I will continue this endeavor, while also adding other books to the mix, such as ones on women’s rights and homelessness.  I will be posting book reviews on The Ladybug of each book for justice that I read to stay accountable. I begin this series on The Ladybug with a book review that I did for The United Women of Faith of The Methodist Church that I wrote back in early 2023.  The chosen book for the review was The Hate U Give, By: Angie Thomas.  I have read this book twice, and plan to read it again, as it thoroughly rocked my world and provided me with a new perspective on Black lives in the USA.  I highly suggest that everybody read this book!!  I have included below an exact copy of the book review I presented in February 2023 to kick us off!  I encourage everyone to read for justice.  Remember, knowledge is power!!

Gaelle McLoud

United Methodist Women

The Hate U Give

            Hello, Good Evening.  Before I begin my review of The Hate U Give, I believe that it is important to note that this novel was written by an African American woman, Angie Thomas, about issues concerning race relations, and I hope that I do her amazing book justice.  I believe that issues of race and ethnicity are important for all of God’s people, regardless of your skin color or background, because we are all sharing this planet and need to help each other thrive and live in peace.  However, with that said, I believe that the experience of Black Americans is important for white people to study and understand, because they have suffered throughout history as a minority that is trampled on by others in power.  I have learned a lot about myself and my own personal biases through reading this novel and others by Black authors.  Please keep an open mind and heart as you hear about the life of 16-year-old Starr Carter.

The Hate U Give is a coming of age story about a young African American 16-year-old adolescent girl named Starr.  Starr has grown up in a rough area known as Garden Heights, but attends school in the suburbs at a wealthy mostly-white private school.  Starr feels conflicted about who she is at home compared to who she is at school, including time spent with her white boyfriend, because she feels tourn in two pieces by the different worlds.  This feeling is put into overdrive when she witnesses one of her best childhood friends get murdered by a white cop on the way home from a Garden Heights party one night.

The young Black adolescent’s name is Khalil, and he drives Starr home from a Garden Heights party one evening.  The car is stopped by a middle-aged white cop who notices that the car’s taillight is out.  The cop is aggressive with Khalil and begins to search him.  Khalil turns around to ask Starr if she is alright, and the cop shoots Khalil in the back, 3 times, killing him instantly.  Starr is horrified and this incident becomes a defining moment in her life.  Khalil was un-armed, not carrying drugs, and was not threatening the cop in any way.  His killing was a tragedy.

This sad incident is the beginning scene of the novel.  The remainder of the book is about the inner struggle that Starr goes through as she tries to understand what happened and how she should react.  To quote the novel, as told through Starr’s voice, “I’ve seen it happen over and over again: a Black person gets killed just for being Black, and all hell breaks loose…I always said that if I saw it happen to somebody, I would have the loudest voice, making sure the world knew what went down.  Now I am that person, and I’m too afraid to speak” (34-35).

Thankfully for Starr, she has a very supportive family.  Her father is a former drug dealer who got out of the business when Starr was a baby, and her mother is a nurse.  She has two brothers as well, one younger, one older.  Starr is not comfortable at first telling her friends about the truth of the evening, that she was the witness of the murder, when the story is first aired on the TV news.  As the novel progresses, Starr finds her voice, and testifies for the DA in a trial of the officer who shot Khalil.  However, the officer ends up being let off with no consequences.  Starr finds consequences in her personal life once the story becomes public, and looses one of her high school friends over the conflict.  Starr’s boyfriend, Chris, remains supportive. Starr finally says the truth to those who doubt her: The truth that her friend Kahlil was a good person who didn’t deserve to die, the truth that his life mattered.  Black Lives Matter.

Finally, I want to address the title of the book.  It is taken from an old Tupac song (he’s a rapper), and is discussed in the novel by Starr and her father Maverick.  To quote the book again: “The Hate U Give Little Infants F**** Everybody (Thug Life).  Khalil said it’s about what society feeds us as youth and how it comes back and bites them later…I think it’s about more than youth though.  I think it’s about us period.  Black people, minorities, poor people.  Everybody at the bottom of society” (168).   

The question that I asked myself after reading this book was “what is the hate that I give?”  Are there groups of people that I am prejudiced against?  What are my true feelings about Black people and all minority groups?  These are certainly uncomfortable questions, but important ones.  Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves.  Are we displaying that love to the world?  Are we giving hate or love?  I suggest this book to everybody as a deep read and as a very thought provoking read.  It helped me to enter a whole new world and examine myself closely.

God Bless.