-
The Hate U Give
- Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
- Series: Garden Heights
- Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins
- Categories: Teen & Young Adult, Literature & Fiction
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Audible Premium Plus
$14.95 a month
Buy for $38.78
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Saving Ruby King
- A Novel
- By: Catherine Adel West
- Narrated by: Kim Staunton, Imani Parks, Ron Butler, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Ruby King’s mother is found murdered in their home in Chicago’s South Side, the police dismiss it as another act of violence in a Black neighborhood. But for Ruby, it means she’ll be living alone with her violent father. The only person who understands the gravity of her situation is Ruby’s best friend, Layla. Their closeness is tested when Layla’s father, the pastor of their church, demands that Layla stay away. But what are his true motives? And what is the price for turning a blind eye?
-
-
Excellent Read
- By Denise Hayes on 06-20-20
-
The Forgotten Home Child
- By: Genevieve Graham
- Narrated by: Alana Kerr Collins, James Langton
- Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
1936: Fifteen-year-old Winny has never known a real home. After running away from an abusive stepfather, she falls in with Mary, Jack, and their ragtag group of friends roaming the streets of Liverpool. When the children are caught stealing food, Winny and Mary are left in Dr. Barnardo’s Barkingside Home for Girls, a local home for orphans and forgotten children found in the city’s slums.
-
-
Great Story
- By Kindle Customer on 04-13-20
By: Genevieve Graham
-
Slay
- By: Brittney Morris
- Narrated by: Kiersey Clemons, Michael Boatman, Alexandra Grey, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By day, 17-year-old Kiera Johnson is an honors student, a math tutor, and one of the only black kids at Jefferson Academy. But at home, she joins hundreds of thousands of black gamers who duel worldwide as Nubian personas in the secret multiplayer online role-playing card game Slay. When a teen in Kansas City is murdered over a dispute in the Slay world, news of the game reaches mainstream media, and Slay is labeled a racist, exclusionist, violent hub for thugs and criminals. Even worse, an anonymous troll infiltrates the game.
-
-
Totally Engrossing!!
- By MizzSkully on 01-20-20
By: Brittney Morris
-
The Escape Artist
- By: Helen Fremont
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the tradition of Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home and George Hodgman’s Bettyville, Fremont writes with wit and candor about growing up in a household held together by a powerful glue: secrets. Her parents, profoundly affected by their memories of the Holocaust, pass on, to both Helen and her older sister a zealous determination to protect themselves from what they see as danger from the outside world.
-
-
The Ties that Bind...Survival of the Misfits.
- By Elisa on 06-18-20
By: Helen Fremont
-
A Life on Our Planet
- My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future
- By: Sir David Attenborough, Jonnie Hughes
- Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
- Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this scientifically informed account of the changes occurring in the world over the last century, award-winning broadcaster and natural historian Sir David Attenborough shares a lifetime of wisdom and a hopeful vision for the future.
-
-
Engaging, powerful, hopeful, visionary.
- By K. Stark on 10-15-20
By: Sir David Attenborough, and others
-
Transformed
- A Navy SEAL’s Unlikely Journey from the Throne of Africa, to the Streets of the Bronx, to Defying All Odds
- By: Remi Adeleke
- Narrated by: Remi Adeleke
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Author Remi Adeleke takes listeners back to stories from his childhood as Nigerian royalty to losing his father early in life and being financially stripped of everything by the Nigerian government. He delves into being raised by a single mother in the Bronx and doesn’t shy away from the illegal activities that threatened to derail his future. Having gone through times of intense struggle, pressure, and failure, Adeleke shares his inspiring story of overcoming the odds, even when it didn’t make sense; and ultimately experiencing true personal transformation.
-
-
The Struggle is real!!!!!
- By Brandon on 05-30-19
By: Remi Adeleke
-
Saving Ruby King
- A Novel
- By: Catherine Adel West
- Narrated by: Kim Staunton, Imani Parks, Ron Butler, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Ruby King’s mother is found murdered in their home in Chicago’s South Side, the police dismiss it as another act of violence in a Black neighborhood. But for Ruby, it means she’ll be living alone with her violent father. The only person who understands the gravity of her situation is Ruby’s best friend, Layla. Their closeness is tested when Layla’s father, the pastor of their church, demands that Layla stay away. But what are his true motives? And what is the price for turning a blind eye?
-
-
Excellent Read
- By Denise Hayes on 06-20-20
-
The Forgotten Home Child
- By: Genevieve Graham
- Narrated by: Alana Kerr Collins, James Langton
- Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
1936: Fifteen-year-old Winny has never known a real home. After running away from an abusive stepfather, she falls in with Mary, Jack, and their ragtag group of friends roaming the streets of Liverpool. When the children are caught stealing food, Winny and Mary are left in Dr. Barnardo’s Barkingside Home for Girls, a local home for orphans and forgotten children found in the city’s slums.
-
-
Great Story
- By Kindle Customer on 04-13-20
By: Genevieve Graham
-
Slay
- By: Brittney Morris
- Narrated by: Kiersey Clemons, Michael Boatman, Alexandra Grey, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By day, 17-year-old Kiera Johnson is an honors student, a math tutor, and one of the only black kids at Jefferson Academy. But at home, she joins hundreds of thousands of black gamers who duel worldwide as Nubian personas in the secret multiplayer online role-playing card game Slay. When a teen in Kansas City is murdered over a dispute in the Slay world, news of the game reaches mainstream media, and Slay is labeled a racist, exclusionist, violent hub for thugs and criminals. Even worse, an anonymous troll infiltrates the game.
-
-
Totally Engrossing!!
- By MizzSkully on 01-20-20
By: Brittney Morris
-
The Escape Artist
- By: Helen Fremont
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the tradition of Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home and George Hodgman’s Bettyville, Fremont writes with wit and candor about growing up in a household held together by a powerful glue: secrets. Her parents, profoundly affected by their memories of the Holocaust, pass on, to both Helen and her older sister a zealous determination to protect themselves from what they see as danger from the outside world.
-
-
The Ties that Bind...Survival of the Misfits.
- By Elisa on 06-18-20
By: Helen Fremont
-
A Life on Our Planet
- My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future
- By: Sir David Attenborough, Jonnie Hughes
- Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
- Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this scientifically informed account of the changes occurring in the world over the last century, award-winning broadcaster and natural historian Sir David Attenborough shares a lifetime of wisdom and a hopeful vision for the future.
-
-
Engaging, powerful, hopeful, visionary.
- By K. Stark on 10-15-20
By: Sir David Attenborough, and others
-
Transformed
- A Navy SEAL’s Unlikely Journey from the Throne of Africa, to the Streets of the Bronx, to Defying All Odds
- By: Remi Adeleke
- Narrated by: Remi Adeleke
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Author Remi Adeleke takes listeners back to stories from his childhood as Nigerian royalty to losing his father early in life and being financially stripped of everything by the Nigerian government. He delves into being raised by a single mother in the Bronx and doesn’t shy away from the illegal activities that threatened to derail his future. Having gone through times of intense struggle, pressure, and failure, Adeleke shares his inspiring story of overcoming the odds, even when it didn’t make sense; and ultimately experiencing true personal transformation.
-
-
The Struggle is real!!!!!
- By Brandon on 05-30-19
By: Remi Adeleke
-
I Tried to Change So You Don't Have To
- True Life Lessons
- By: Loni Love
- Narrated by: Loni Love
- Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Now cohost of Fox's The Real and SiriusXM's Café Mocha, Loni Love hasn't taken the typical path to becoming America's favorite straight-talking girlfriend and comedian. I Tried to Change So You Don't Have To explores all of the embarrassing mistakes, terrifying challenges, and unexpected breakthroughs that taught her how, by committing ourselves to our own path, we can take control of our destiny.
-
-
Awesome Book
- By Tarsha S. on 07-18-20
By: Loni Love
-
Washington's End
- The Final Years and Forgotten Struggle
- By: Jonathan Horn
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Washington’s End begins where most biographies of George Washington leave off, with the first president exiting office after eight years and entering what would become the most bewildering stage of his life. Embittered by partisan criticism and eager to return to his farm, Washington assumed a role for which there was no precedent at a time when the kings across the ocean yielded their crowns only upon losing their heads. In a different sense, Washington would lose his head, too.
-
-
INTRIGUING SNAPSHOT
- By JPALJ on 02-23-20
By: Jonathan Horn
-
The Murmur of Bees
- By: Sofia Segovia, Simon Bruni - translation
- Narrated by: Xe Sands, Angelo Di Loreto
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the day that old Nana Reja found a baby abandoned under a bridge, the life of a small Mexican town forever changed. Disfigured and covered in a blanket of bees, little Simonopio is for some locals the stuff of superstition, a child kissed by the devil. But he is welcomed by landowners Francisco and Beatriz Morales, who adopt him and care for him. As he grows up, Simonopio becomes a cause for wonder to the Morales family, because when the uncannily gifted child closes his eyes, he can see what no one else can - visions of all that’s yet to come, both beautiful and dangerous.
-
-
Beautiful, mesmerizing, heart breaking....and life
- By Addicted to Audible on 07-07-19
By: Sofia Segovia, and others
-
The Last Monument
- By: Michael C. Grumley
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One small handwritten letter, sent from a dark, remote corner of the planet and lost in the system for 60 years, is about to change the entire human race. Outside Denver, Colorado, Joe Rickards stands over a small aircraft wreckage, studying burnt remains still smoldering in a field of freshly fallen snow. He's an investigator for the NTSB, working to carefully roll back the last several hours and identify the cause of the accident. But this time, he can't.
-
-
Hits the ground running!!!!
- By shelley on 06-19-20
-
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
- By: Jenny Han
- Narrated by: Ali Ahn
- Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved - five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.
-
-
AGREE THAT THE MOVIE WAS BETTER...
- By Ocean Journey on 05-08-20
By: Jenny Han
-
Trust No One
- Devlin & Falco, Book 1
- By: Debra Webb
- Narrated by: Donna Postel
- Length: 12 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s the worst possible time for Detective Kerri Devlin to be involved in an all-consuming double-homicide case. She’s locked in a bitter struggle with her ex-husband and teenage daughter, and her reckless new partner is anything but trustworthy. Still, she has a job to do: there’s a killer at large, and a pregnant woman has gone missing. Once Devlin and her partner get to work, they quickly unearth secrets involving Birmingham’s most esteemed citizens. Each new layer of the investigation brings Devlin closer to the killer and the missing woman.
-
-
Good
- By M on 08-28-20
By: Debra Webb
-
The Tribes
- A Novel
- By: Mari Howes
- Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik, Piper Goodeve
- Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A dark and daring debut novel exploring power, control and resilience against all odds, The Tribes tells the story of a cult member accused of a shocking crime and the lawyer who chooses to defend her.
-
-
The Tribes
- By Michelle on 12-12-20
By: Mari Howes
-
The Black Swan of Paris
- A WWII Novel
- By: Karen Robards
- Narrated by: Nancy Peterson
- Length: 16 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Celebrated singer Genevieve Dumont is both a star and a smokescreen. An unwilling darling of the Nazis, the chanteuse’s position of privilege allows her to go undetected as an ally to the resistance. When her estranged mother, Lillian de Rocheford, is captured by Nazis, Genevieve knows it won’t be long before the Gestapo succeeds in torturing information out of Lillian that will derail the upcoming allied invasion. The resistance movement is tasked with silencing her by any means necessary - including assassination.
-
-
Where to Start?
- By celeste curley on 10-05-20
By: Karen Robards
-
The Pagan World
- Ancient Religions Before Christianity
- By: Hans-Friedrich Mueller, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Hans-Friedrich Mueller
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Pagan World: Ancient Religions Before Christianity, you will meet the fascinating, ancient polytheistic peoples of the Mediterranean and beyond, their many gods and goddesses, and their public and private worship practices, as you come to appreciate the foundational role religion played in their lives. Professor Hans-Friedrich Mueller, of Union College in Schenectady, New York, makes this ancient world come alive in 24 lectures with captivating stories of intrigue, artifacts, illustrations, and detailed descriptions from primary sources of intriguing personalities.
-
-
The Pagan World
- By arnold e andersen md Dr Andersen on 03-28-20
By: Hans-Friedrich Mueller, and others
-
The Good Turn
- By: Dervla McTiernan
- Narrated by: Aoife McMahon
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Some lines should never be crossed. Police corruption, an investigation that ends in tragedy and the mystery of a little girl’s silence – three unconnected events that will prove to be linked by one small town. While detective Cormac Reilly faces enemies at work and trouble in his personal life, garda Peter Fisher is relocated out of Galway with the threat of prosecution hanging over his head. But even that is not as terrible as having to work for his overbearing father, the local copper for the pretty seaside town of Roundstone.
-
-
Prefer books without constant f word
- By Elizabeth on 07-27-20
By: Dervla McTiernan
-
The Hate U Give
- Danish Edition
- By: Angie Thomas
- Narrated by: Laura Drasbæk
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
16-årige, Starr, er eneste vidne til, at hendes ubevæbnede ven, Khalil, bliver skudt og dræbt af en hvid politimand. Indtil nu har Starr balanceret mellem det sorte lokalmiljø, hvor hun bor, og den finere privatskole i forstaden, som hun går på. Men da nedskydningen af Khalil bliver forsidestof over hele landet, er hun nødt til at beslutte, om og hvordan hun vil råbe op, særligt da nogle af hendes venner på skolen antyder, at Khalil selv var ude om det.
-
-
Omg
- By Tiffany Morgan on 02-03-20
By: Angie Thomas
-
When I Was You
- By: Minka Kent
- Narrated by: Erin deWard, Will Damron
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After barely surviving a brutal attack, Brienne Dougray rarely leaves her house. Suffering from debilitating headaches and memory loss, she can rely only on her compassionate new tenant, Dr. Niall Emberlin, a welcome distraction from the discomfiting bubble that has become her existence. But Brienne’s growing confidence in her new routine is shaken when she stumbles across unsettling evidence that someone else is living as...her. Same name. Same car. Same hair. Same clothes. She’s even friended her family on social media.
-
-
I Was Flabbergasted By This One
- By Brian on 02-20-20
By: Minka Kent
Publisher's Summary
Eight starred reviews ∙ William C. Morris Award Winner ∙ National Book Award Longlist ∙ Printz Honor Book ∙ Coretta Scott King Honor Book ∙ Number-One New York Times Best Seller!
"Absolutely riveting!" (Jason Reynolds)
"Stunning." (John Green)
"This story is necessary. This story is important." (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)
"Heartbreakingly topical." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)
"A marvel of verisimilitude." (Booklist, starred review)
"A powerful, in-your-face novel." (The Horn Book, starred review)
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does - or does not - say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
And don't miss On the Come Up, Angie Thomas's powerful follow-up to The Hate U Give.
Critic Reviews
"[Narrator Bahni] Turpin's portrayals of all the characters are rich and deep, environments are evocatively described, and Starr's fraught struggles to understand life's complexities are believable." (AudioFile)
Featured Article: The Best Black Audiobook Narrators to Listen To Right Now
A skilled performer has the ability to take the written word to new heights, infusing an author’s work with empathy, warmth, and excitement. And representation matters just as much for audio as it does for any visual medium—listeners should feel and hear themselves in art driven by powerful performers and authentic deliveries. Here are just a few of today’s outstanding Black voice artists with a gift for telling powerful stories.
Editor's Pick: Best of the Decade
Thomas and Turpin are my OTP
"No listen has had a greater impact on me in the last decade than The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. In a word, it’s transformative. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this searing debut will floor you with its elegant and deliberate prose. Our heroine Starr Carter is driving home from a party with her best friend Khalil when they are pulled over by a cop, who ends up fatally shooting Khalil. Khalil was unarmed. Thomas fearlessly handles the narrative that follows with a grace and poignancy that will have you marveling at her talent. Narrator Bahni Turpin manages to give voice to such a broad and rich cast of characters, each with their own authentic perspective, demonstrating the power of performance to bring new depth to a complex social issue. This is the very definition of required listening—and my favorite from the decade."—Katie O., Audible Editor
More from the same
What listeners say about The Hate U Give
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Catherine Saenz
- 02-21-20
One dimensional characters, lazy story writing
I just don’t get the hype - was hoping for a young female perspective Boyz in the Hood or Do The Right Thing, and so disappointed to find a totally predictable plot full of one note characters - from the “good cop” uncle to the “bad cop” shooter to the black pride dad to the white boyfriend, referred to in the book as a ”wigger”. No character evolved or did anything surprising, and since the entire book is written from a single narrator perspective, you don’t get any interesting insights from other characters. I struggled to finish it. The narrators voices, especially the “daddy” voice was annoying. like when your mom read you a bedtime story in a male character voice.
50 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- J Becker
- 10-06-19
Stereotypical Racism - Thank you BLM!
Unfortunately this is a well performed story that emphasizes stereotypical racism. 1) All cops are bad. 2) All whites are racist, whether they intend it or not. 3) Blacks can understand whites, however, none of the whites can understand blacks, black culture or racism. 4) Even the black gang-bangers aren't really responsible for their crime because they don't have a choice. This is a well performed, sometimes emotional evoking story that focuses on the worst in race relations to sell a racist BLM narrative.
26 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Casey Villhauer
- 03-18-19
Exactly what I expected
This story was exactly what I expected. I was really hoping for a story about race to open my mind to a new point of view and put me in the main characters shoes. This was lazy, predictable writing. I've actually never been so disappointed in a plot. If I could give this 0 stars I would.
41 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kiwi
- 08-22-18
Truly a nice listen.
☀️ “Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.” • • • • “At an early age I learned that people make mistakes, and you have to decide if their mistakes are bigger than your love for them.” Quotes from: Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give ——- This book blew it out of the park in a lot of ways. I had the honor of experiencing my first time listening to an audiobook with it too! The performance was absolutely amazing and made me FEEL. Her voice made it so nice. So raw. So real. I enjoyed this book mostly because I LIVE AND BREATHE for books that are from the perspective of a POC. It made my heartache- so much. There were moments where I had to stop the audio and take a break just to get myself together. Instead of saying what this book is about and spoiling it, I’d like to say what I learned from it. That way, if you guys wanna read it you totally should! I learned that there is power in my voice. It taught me that nothing will happen if you just sit there and take the beatings. You have to stand up for what’s right no matter how much you get knocked down. It made me realize that maybe I should also stand up for what is right instead of wishing for changes. I enjoyed the way this book touched on the subject of police brutality. I genuinely believe it is a subject that needs to be talked about more. In general, I didn’t give it the full five stars because I would have really liked to see a lot more of the characters interacting with each other. I feel like there could’ve been a lot more to Khalil’s character so the reader could’ve felt more personal with him. I fell in love with Starr because I learned about her personality. But I would’ve just loved to fall in love with Khalil’s personality as well. I guess that shows the sadness of the whole topic in a way... We see so many people get hurt and just wish we could’ve gotten the chance to know the person behind the tragedy. All in all, it was still a great listen!!! I need to pick up my own copy soon.
19 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Wendi
- 01-14-18
This Book Changed My Entire Perspective
Tupac. THUG LIFE. 'The Hate U Give Little Infants F*&#@ Everyone.' Those are not a bunch of nonsensical words. There is great meaning behind them- a greater meaning that I ever knew.
This book touched my heart and opened my mind to a world I knew nothing of. The book made me think- and I don't mean 'ponder' for a few minutes. This book made me search my soul and look at the world differently. It made me discuss the message with my children.
Without going into too much detail, our heroine grows up in a world where drive by shootings, robberies, and drugs were normal. When tragedy strikes she has a choice. She can speak up or she can keep quiet and say nothing. Keeping quiet in an area where 'snitches get stitches' is probably the best idea, however breaking a long cycle of silence is a very difficult choice.
I think this book should be mandatory reading in high school. I consider myself quite conservative on the political spectrum, but this is a beautiful written and well thought out book that will make you think twice about everything you know when it comes to stereotypes.
5 giant stars- so grateful I listened to this audiobook.
-Wendi
470 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Shines
- 12-03-18
Hated it
Hated it. What a missed opportunity by the author to present a book that challenges misconceptions....ON BOTH SIDES. This book was completely biased and 100% anti-police. So biased I almost quit halfway through but persevered at 2.0X speed on Audible just in case there was some redemption by the end. Nope. Facts: -The fictional victim and his friend have to quickly leave a party WHERE SOMEONE IS MURDERED during a fight. This is the neighborhood at the center of the story. It’s extremely dangerous. (Note that the characters in the book don’t ever discuss or consider that any police in the area that night are likely well aware that a shooting has just taken place at a party...and are probably a little on edge because of it) -The victim was a drug dealer and was, at a minimum, affiliated with active gangs. (Later, they downplay this fact with a story about how he is only doing it to help his Mom. Well, apparently his Mom also wanted him to get those new fancy shoes and jewelry.) Yes, it would not be possible for the policeman to know he was a drug dealer during the traffic stop. No, it’s not directly relevant to the fact that he was shot. But again, context matters, and the context of this neighborhood is one where there are a relatively high percentage of gang members and drug dealers. -Once pulled over the victim was evasive and refused to answer basic, standard questions that are not unusual for a traffic stop (“Where ya coming from” and he answers “Nunya (business)”. The policeman asked him to get out of the vehicle, he didn’t immediately comply and was pulled from the vehicle. -The victim was unarmed -It was nighttime -The victim opened the car door and was leaning back inside while the policeman returned to his vehicle to check the ID -The policeman then clearly overreacted and shot him multiple times. The policeman overreacted. Yes. I think most people will agree with this. The problem I have with the book is the level to which he was proclaimed a Murderer with a capital M. The author doesn’t understand what murder means. I can’t imagine a more dangerous situation for a police officer. It’s nighttime. You are in an area that is known to be extremely violent. Any interaction is going to be possibly dangerous and potentially deadly. All facts that are so well understood by the characters in the story that they MOVE OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY THE END OF THE BOOK DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS. So we establish that the neighborhood is unbelievably dangerous. We also establish that the victim did not deserve to die at any level. But we should also the say that a police officer during a traffic stop doesn’t know a person’s intentions. A police officer doesn’t know who is in the car, doesn’t know what they are going to do. Especially under these circumstances...It is reasonable for me to understand that a police officer thought his life was in danger when the the driver suddenly reached back into his car unexpectedly. The story was fine and the characters were mostly likeable. A lot of cliches. Bad writing (oh, the rose bush that the dad keeps tending to represents the family! ...Eye roll...) It was an easy read. But I was hoping for a book that would challenge preconceived notions on both sides. Total failure. At best, this is a book that should just be ignored. At worst, it is dangerous and furthers a broken mindset where police are the enemy. The central character is a hero at the end for throwing tear gas at the police? The police that are in her neighborhood trying to stop rioters from burning down businesses? Nothing in this book makes sense.
42 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Veronica
- 04-24-19
Amazing!
I haven't been this captured by a book since Sarah's Key. This author has earned my loyalty. There wasn't a single word that felt like fluff or filler. Every moment, every detail gives insight into a world that not everyone understands. I really identified with this character. Although I'm not African-American, I did grow up in a gang infested neighborhood like the main character. I also went to a private school like the main character. And I spent a lot of my life denying where I grew up and denying the people I once knew like the main character. This definitely spoke to me and made me think about how I've reacted towards my start in life. For the first time in nearly 20 years, I felt like I missed my old neighborhood. This book hit that hard. It is heavy. It will speak to you if you know this life or environment, but it will definitely carry you through the neighborhood if you have no experiences like that. I like the mix of characters that are used. Star learns, Seven is a caregiver, Devonte is the one that would get caught up in the hype, and Chris is the outsider looking in. Star's parents were also solid characters. I loved Seven's reaction to his momma. Ok-I'll stop because I can go on and on. The one thing that I didn't like was the narrators voice for the white kids. Ha...it came off as cartoonish.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Michael - Audible Editor
- 06-14-17
What a story!
I'm not normally into YA, but I don't know if you would categorize this book as such, and you definitely couldn't pigeonhole into that one genre. It is something of an allegorical tale about the black lives matter movement, and racist police brutality.
But it's not just a diatribe about what is wrong with the world, and the way things should be. That's where Angie Thomas shines, she doesn't sacrifice her story or sense of character development to send a message. This is a real, holistic story about a young woman's coming of age in a fulcrum of racial and political strife, all while confronting the standard and not-so-standard complications of teenage life: communication issues, identity, family, and responsibility.
Bahni Turpin does a miraculous job giving these characters the voice they deserve. There is a lot of style behind the dialogue that I could see might be hard to pull off, but she does it with ease and it draws you that much more into the story.
257 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mark
- 03-22-17
Amazing, powerful novel for teens and adults
This book starts out with the feel of a Young Adult novel. If it was written for that genre, it quickly transcends it. It is the story of a 16 year old girl, Star, who is a witness to a police shooting that results in the death of her friend. It is narrated by Star, a girl who straddles two worlds - her dangerous inner city neighborhood and her elite, mostly white private school. Star is so believable, as is Star's family and friend groups. The story is riveting, disturbing, sweet, and hopeful. I feel like I have been part of her special and totally believable family. The reader is great. I can't say enough good things about this book. I love coming-of-age novels, and this is a great one. I recommend it for teens and adults, male and female. I am an older white man, and I chose this book because I teach a diverse student body. I thought it might give me better perspective. This important book did do that, and so much more.
122 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Pax
- 10-21-18
I hate this book!
This is the perfect good cop/bad cop, good black people/bad black people narrative, that so much of white America can get behind. I hear the movie, namely the ending, is worse than the book! First, the shooting. Star (our black teenage girl protagonist), witnesses the shooting of her black friend. In both her inner monologue and dialogue with Kahlil, she victim blames him 4 times as the whole thing is going down, by saying the following: “Khalil breaks a rule. He doesn’t do what the cop wants”, Star says, “Khalil, do what he said!” “My parents haven’t raised me to fear the police, just to be smart around them. They told me, it’s not smart to move while a cop has his back to you; Kahlil does. “It’s not smart to make a sudden move; Kahlil does.” And then POW! Kahlil is shot. All of this happens in 6 minutes audio time. The author, Thomas, then decides it’s a good idea to give Khalil a back-story as a drug dealer. This serves to further victim blame, as evidenced throughout the rest of the book by several characters. She tries, and fails, IMO, to explain why Khalil sold drugs. If she had stayed on that point and went deeper into the societal reasons, like racism, capitalism and white supremacy, and how the system is designed to work exactly as it is, then the book might have been somewhat redeemable. Yes, Mav, Star’s father, says something similar in the book, but that short dialogue goes no where with no context or explanation as to why the system is the problem and what ACTIONS we must do to begin to dismantle the system. Moving on… sigh, the Black Panther Party, BPP, mischaracterized once again. The BPP would have HATED this book. I encourage everyone to look up “What we want What we believe”, by the BPP. See the original ten-point program and the amended ten-point program six years later. It’s crucial that you read the, “What we believe” part! Also, read Shirley Williams’, “Black Child’s Pledge”. The BPP was a social change movement that sought to dismantle the existing power structures of the United States. They felt the underlying structures of the U.S. government and corporations were racist and systematically oppressed and exploited the poor, the working class and minorities. The BPP was a revolutionary movement whose agenda was to seek true economic and political equality achieved through mass, grass roots organizing and community programs. This book is not revolutionary in any way. In fact, it’s regressive. Examples of success by the BPP: They correctly identified the source of their oppression and worked towards solutions. They took care of their community, implementing survival programs that offered such things as free health care, clothing and home repairs. They used guns for self-defense, showing up whenever cops did in their community, with a gun and a law book, ensuring the cops followed the law. That tactic was so successful that the NRA teamed up with then governor Reagan to pass the Mulford act, which repealed California state law allowing citizens to carry loaded firearms. And most famously, the BPP created the free breakfast program, which our current National free lunch, and more recently, free breakfast programs, are modeled after. The government was terrified of the BPP. The FBI developed COINTELPRO and vigorously targeted the BPP, as J. Edgar Hoover deemed them to be, “the greatest threat to the internal security of the United States.” The FBI infiltrated the group, planted agent provocateurs intending to create division within the BPP. They carried out targeted assassinations like the one on Fred Hampton and flooded BPP headquarters and poor black neighborhoods with drugs, which in turn created and increased violence and deaths in these communities Yes, Huey P. Newton became addicted to drugs. That doesn’t mean, however, that what he and Bobby Searle started became irrelevant or didn’t work. So much panther ideology and action did survive and we are the beneficiaries of that today. But this book rejects that much needed ideology. Then we have the good cop, Carlos, her uncle. Why the need for this? It appeals to a much wider and whiter audience. The institution of policing was set up to protect the property of the ruling class (slaves were property). And they’re doing a mighty fine job of that today! Where was all the dialogue on this? Would Tupac Shakur have loved this book? His famous Aunt, Assata Shakur, a former BPP member and 20th century escaped slave, would not. Read her autobiography. What would have made this book better - have Khalil do everything the cop demanded, like Philando Castile, and still be murdered. If Thomas set it up this way, then it would have been much harder for people to say he deserved to get shot because he didn’t follow orders. That character didn’t deserve to get shot whether or not he talked back, whether or not he sold drugs. But I guarantee you there are people reading this book who feel he deserved to get shot. In reality, Star should have been shot. When she ran around to the other side of the car after Khalil had been executed, she would have been shot, multiple times and killed. Here, Thomas had the chance to showcase two real world examples of white cops shooting unarmed black people. First, the white cop shoots Khalil who “didn’t follow the rules” and then he shoots Star, who did follow the rules (edit out her trip around the car). Instead, she chose to confirm other people’s negative biases as to why so many white cops are fearful of black people in general and will execute them without due cause. Thomas also blew a golden opportunity to educate ‘X’ number of people, about black radicalism, and revolutionary social change movements. Instead, she chose to mischaracterize both Malcolm X and the BPP ultimately as failures that had little value to contribute. In her words “Intentions always look better on paper than in reality.” Thomas needs an accurate education on the black power movement. Of course a book and/or movie that actually centered on revolutionary change would never be made, not by huge corporate conglomerates like Fox, nor would mainstream audiences praise it. This book should come with warnings: Respectability politics ahead! A book about black people that white people will love! All cops aren’t bad, plus, for added fun, we victim blame! The Protagonist learns nothing of value by the end of the book! Bhani Turpin is a wonderful narrator! But for the content of this book, just 3 stars. PS: There’s a critique of the movie worth reading at the LA Sentinel by Melina Abdullah and Patrice Khan-Cullors, “Why the Hate You Give “is not a Black Lives Matter Movie.
6 people found this helpful