The Hate U Give
Score Modern
What it's about
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she grew up and the wealthy, mostly white suburban school she attends. The balance shatters when she's the only witness to a police officer fatally shooting her unarmed best friend, Khalil. As the case becomes national news, what Starr says could tear her community apart, and could put her in danger.
Why it's worth reading
It has spent more than 250 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists, and it's one of the most widely read and taught young-adult novels of the century. Starr's voice is funny, sharp and completely real.
You'll love it if you liked
The Fault in Our Stars, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian or The Nickel Boys
Good to know
It's written for teenagers but read by everyone. It deals directly with police violence and grief, and it's also warm, funny and full of family life.
Quick answers
Is The Hate U Give worth reading?
Yes. It has spent more than 250 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists, and it's one of the most widely read and taught young-adult novels of the century. It ranks #148 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 85.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Hate U Give about?
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she grew up and the wealthy, mostly white suburban school she attends. The balance shatters when she's the only witness to a police officer fatally shooting her unarmed best friend, Khalil. As the case becomes national news, what Starr says could tear her community apart, and could put her in danger.
How long does it take to read The Hate U Give?
About 11 hours (444 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Hate U Give?
If you liked it, try The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie or The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead.
By the numbers
- Readers98 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller76 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
258 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2017.
Where it ranks
- #7 of the 222 young adult books we rank
- #19 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #79 of the 1,575 modern books we rank
- #148 of the 2,819 books we rank
Bestseller
- 258 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2017
