Books2Movies Club discussion

The Hate U Give is a debut novel by Angie Thomas, that helped many young (and adult) readers to raise a better awareness of the social and racial issues behind the Black Lives Matters movement. The movie rights for the book were purchased even before it came out, and the movie itself was in the cinemas a year later.

I believe this subject is important to read, watch, and discuss about. I am glad that both the book and the movie received mainly positive reviews and garnered many awards, so I truly hope you'll like this month's selection and share your thoughts and impressions with us!

Even though I already have this book on my kindle, I realized I won't ever start reading this with so many books waiting to be read by my bedside, so I decided to get an audiobook version to listen to during my commute to work. It would be an understatement to say I was frozen with shock, disbelief and utter fear right away after the first three chapters. In my country police officers do not wear guns, and the biggest trouble a regular driver may get into would be a speeding or parking ticket, and all we feel then is a simple discomfort and embarrassment at being ridiculed by peers.

I've read news articles about police officers in the US overreacting (with deadly consequences) with the people of different looks and color. Yet it is quite another experience reading about it in the book from the first-person point of view, especially of a child. It is at the same time infuriating and scary to be confronted with such fear, anger and frustration, and to feel so helpless. I am eager to find out how this story will continue on. I am aware of some bits, but I do not know the full story.

I hope some of you will get some time to read this book, or at least watch the movie.