Angie Thomas' debut novel „The Hate U Give“ or THUG in short, was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and deals with a topic which is unfortunately only too common in the United States: the shooting of an unarmed black person by police officers.

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter is „the witness“ of the death of her friend Khalil and a very authentic, resourceful and likeable character. Through her eyes the reader goes through the grief, the anger and the hope for justice that goes through America's black community every time a shooting like in the book happens. Will Starr's voice finally be heard and will there be justice?

Angie Thomas has depicted the anger and frustration in the black community about police brutality and everyday racism very well, it was definitely an eye-opener for me. It's a world so different from my daily life and it could have been easy to paint everything „black and white“ but the author managed to show that there are always two sides to a coin and that „assuming“ someone is a criminal by looking at them is absolutely wrong.

Another topic of „THUG“ is the development of Starr's identity. She goes to a posh white school where she behaves differently than at home in the „ghetto“. When her two worlds collide after the shooting, Starr has to stand up for her beliefs, her family and she has to reconcile both ways of living with each other. Her struggle is particularly well depicted by the author. Another bonus of the book is Starr's family. Unlike many YA novels where parents are awful to non-existing, Starr's parents are very supporting and loving, even though they have their flaws and Starr relies on them as well as on her friends. I really liked this aspect.

All in all, THUG offers many topics for discussion, it makes you change perspectives and think about your own attitude towards minorities by giving a voice to them which makes it a very important book, for grown-ups and teenagers alike.