7/2/2023 0 Comments The hate u give novelWhat makes this novel so compelling is the way Starr negotiates the relatively safe world of school, where she assimilates despite the soft racism of one or two so-called friends, and how she navigates the dangers of her own neighbourhood, where it’s not uncommon to be caught in the crossfire of rival gangs. “Don’t make any sudden moves.” It’s unnerving to read that part of the toolkit for raising a black child in America is to coach them on the dos and don’ts if confronted by the law. “Keep your hands visible,” her father advised. When she was 12, Starr’s parents instructed her on sex education – and on what to do if stopped by the police. To further confuse things, Starr’s Uncle Carlos is a cop who acted as a father figure while Big Mav served a three-year prison term during her childhood – a point of tension between the two men. Unbeknown to her father, she is dating Chris, a white boy from school who can recite the lyrics to the opening credits of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Starr’s parents have sent her to a school in the suburbs dominated by white middle-class students. The family own a pet dog, Brickz, and Starr gets to wear the expensive name-brand trainers of her choice. For her YA debut, Angie Thomas gives Starr a relatively stable home life – her father, “Big Mav”, is the proprietor of a downtown convenience store, and her mother is a nurse.She has two brothers, Seven and Sekani.
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