The Hate U Give Buddy Read Update #3

So this week Maria from A Night's Dream of Books and I read chapters 15-21 and I don't think we could have ended on a bigger cliffhanger.  Thank heavens I can read ahead (oops, did I say that?).    Below you will find the questions  Maria sent me this week so continue reading if you don't mind spoilers and then hop over to her blog and see what I asked her. 

1.) At the beginning of Chapter 15, Starr and her mom, Lisa, are having breakfast at an IHOP restaurant. They are also having a conversation about several things. What do you think of their mother-daughter relationship? Do you think Starr's mom is cool? 

I actually kind of have issue with the whole "cool mom" concept.  I think too many parents are worried about being cool and slack off on the parenting. I may be tainted from 14 years of investigative child abuse/neglect cases though.  That being said, I will say I think Lisa is a really good parent.  She is supportive and encouraging of her daughter but isn't afraid to call her out on her crap.  In addition, I think it's good that Starr and her siblings can see the interaction between Mav and Lisa.  They are aware the relationship has not always been perfect, but have also been able to see how they have worked through their personal problems (mainly Mav's) and gotten stronger.  Now as an outside adult, yea I personally think Lisa is pretty cool.

2.) Okay, I'm backing up to Chapter 14. How did you feel about the obvious contrasts between the interview in that chapter -- Officer Cruise's father was interviewed -- and Starr's own interview, in Chapter 16? 

The interview from Officer Cruise's father didn't really surprise me.  And to a point, I can understand wanting to stand up and protect his son.  However, I think his interview was solely focused on what all this has done to his son and his son's family and how he is being treated unfairly.  Starr's interview was primarily about Khalil.  On the whole she didn't make it personal and if I remember correctly, didn't even mention how hard the situation has been on her and her family.  Also, while critical of how the whole incident was handled, she didn't personally attack Cruise and I do feel his father contributed to the character assassination of Khalil.

3.) Were you surprised when Maverick showed his family the new house they'd be living in, which was located in a safer neighborhood? Why do you think he changed his mind about moving out of Garden Heights?

Actually not really.  I figured he would come around eventually on the concept of moving (and honestly don't know that Lisa would have given him a choice in the long run).  I think he saw that moving was actually what was best for his kids and no matter what people said about him, he is all about his kids.  Also, I think the fact that he helped DeVante move out of the neighborhood for safety reasons really put the risk he was placing his kids in by staying in perspective.  Also, I think he realized he could do more for Garden Heights not having to worry about his family all the time than he could if they stayed there.

4.) It's highly ironic that Lisa, who is married to Maverick, is more of a mother to Seven, whom Maverick fathered in an affair with Iesha, than Seven's biological mother is. Do you think this is more Iesha's fault, or King's, whom she's married to? Do you think that Iesha has really been trying to protect Seven from King all these years?

While King is to blame and really is a horrible individual, I tend to blame Iesha more.  It seems like if she wanted, she could have taken the kids and left.  Also, see question one.  I think Lisa works really hard to have a good relationship with Seven and it speaks tons about her character that she accepted him into her life so easily.  I don't see how Iesha has really tried to protect Seven at all. 

So there you have it.  Maria mentioned struggling somewhat to come up with questions this week but I think she did a good job.  We're on the home stretch now!