Reviews tagging 'Cultural appropriation'

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

21 reviews

lolovg__'s review against another edition

informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Police brutality, and Cultural appropriation

hmwoodward's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I've heard so much about this book and seen it as required reading in my high school's classrooms, so I decided to read what some of my students are studying these days. I am so glad I read this book, even though it was often challenging.

This book shows you a side of police brutality that we don't get to see - how those who are left behind process and respond to it. Star grapples with her responsibility to her murdered friend and the risk of speaking about it to the public. You watch as life goes back to "normal" as you follow Star to school and with her family. Though the death is no longer the only focus, it is a grief that weighs on Star and the community, on top of all the other trauma they experience in the form of poverty or drugs or gang activity, etc. The world stops at the news of a death at the hands of the police AND at the trial AND at the decision, but they're gone when the news cycle ends again.

Through the course of the book, you get to know and love (most of) the characters, despite their many flaws. You get to understand why people in challenging situations pick what appears to be a wrong choice since the odds are stacked and no choice is a good one sometimes. You watch as the people around Star grow and hear the stories of others who grew in their challenging environment. 

I listened to this on audiobook and appreciated the narrator because it felt like I was in Star's head. The narrator brought these powerful and emotional moments to life so vividly. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Blood

Minor: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

sophie_the_reader_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

dragon_s_hoard's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

trashgobby's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

mayo_confessionary's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Cultural appropriation, and Classism

demetrius_bennett's review against another edition

emotional informative tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

thatbookishwriter23's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The Hate U Give is a really book about not police brutality, but about racism, protesting and family.

The writing and dialogue in The Hate U Give feels real.</b>I really felt for the characters and the dialogue is authentic. I loved their relationships with each other and how they cared for their neighborhood. They all felt real because of the writing.

A peek into the inner-city neighborhood. I felt like this book gave me a glimpse into inner city life and why things are the way they are. I especially liked what Starr's father said about people leaving, but never coming back. I feel this was the best part about this book.

This book is very important and I'm glad it's getting movie and should be a requirement read for schools.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, and Police brutality

Moderate: Cultural appropriation

sstrawberry_fieldss's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Sexual content, Vomit, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Cancer

plainpaige's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Just a terrific book, I couldn't put it down. A very accessible read, and good insight to the reasons behind a lot of major societal issues, like police violence against marginalized people, the existence of gangs, the illegal drug trade, and more. Non-Black North Americans of all ages would surely benefit from reading this book, and hopefully grow some empathy and understanding from hearing the viewpoint of people that is underrepresented in the mainstream.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Cultural appropriation, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol