To say that this review is long overdue is an understatement. Author Angie Thomas skyrocketed to YA superstardom back in 2017 when her debut novel The Hate U Give was released. The novel was then adapted into a movie starring Amandla Stenberg in 2018 (which, spoiler alert, was freaking great). Even now, in 2019, the book is still relevant because it is comfortably placed in the #1 spot of The New York Times YA bestsellers list. While several books have stolen the spot over the years, THUG has still been on the list for 132 weeks. Breaking that down, it’s 2 years and 6 months. That, ladies and gentlemen… is crazy.
I read THUG for the first time a few months ago, and I still think about it today. It’s just that kind of book — it stays with you. If you don’t already know, the story centers around a young black girl named Starr Carter who struggles to find her voice after witnessing a police officer fatally shooting her friend. I remember reading the synopsis when the book first came out and thinking, ‘Wow, this author really went there.’ I was pleasantly surprised to see something so dark and raw out there in the YA market. But because it seemed like such heavy material, I avoided it until recently. And I can tell you right now — it’s not overdone and it’s most certainly not overhyped.
People like us in situations like this become hashtags, but they rarely get justice. I think we all wait for that one time though, that one time when it ends right.
Yes, it’s dark. There are kids dropping the F-bomb, kids (and adults) showing racist tendencies, and kids, unfortunately, dying. It can be a lot to take in, especially if it’s not the kind of YA you usually read. I, myself, had to put the book down several times. But I powered through because I knew that Thomas’ words were meant to be read. It’s not a perfect book — the pacing can be a bit slow and the dialogue can be a bit cringey — but its content is important. This may be fiction, but it is also real life.
Thomas’s second and most recent novel On the Come Up also focused on a young black girl in the fictional neighborhood of Garden Heights. But in this case, amateur rapper Bri Jackson has no problem letting her voice be heard; it’s the aftermath that starts to be the problem. While Bri’s story isn’t quite as dark as Starr’s, it carries the same brutal honesty of everyday life as a colored teen. At school, at home, on the streets, on stage. Still, even through all the hardships, Bri manages to have a grand ol’ time, making sure to drag us readers along with her. Admittedly, I have more complaints with this book, the main one being the love triangle. And I usually love love triangles — I’m the type of reader that eats that stuff up. This one, though, just felt unnecessary. *shrugs*
So there ya go. My thoughts on current YA queen Angie Thomas and her two works. And boy oh boy, I can’t wait to get my hands on the third one.
The Hate U Give: ★★★★★
On the Come Up: ★★★★☆
Sara Bechtol 