I joined a buddy read at the start of July on Instagram to read The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. This book has been getting A LOT of publicity in recent months following the death of George Floyd in America. I originally saw the movie in a Cineworld Unlimited Screening a couple of years ago so I was familiar with the story and it’s importance.

Starr Carter is a teenage girl living in the hood of Garden Heights with her Nurse Mom, ex-gangster turned shop owner Dad, little brother and part-time older brother Seven. She describes herself as having two different lives, the Starr who lives in the hood and the Starr who goes to an elite ‘white’ school in a nice neighbourhood and hyper aware of not being considered an ‘angry black girl.’

Her life is turned upside down when she witnesses her friend Khalil get shot by a cop after he is pulled over for no apparent reason. She starts not daring being exposed as the key witness to the crime, but when she starts to feel the injustice of the system becomes determined to speak out. It’s at that point that her world’s collide.

I felt as if the book allowed me to step into a world that I don’t have any real insight into. I really enjoyed it in a frustrating gritty life sort of way. I just wish it had provided some answers, how does a white British woman like me help to beat institutional racism? I just don’t know.

I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.