Absolutely stunning novel that has lost none of its power or urgency this many years after publication. Thomas has crafted a tale that completely holds the reader's attention, and the characters are fully three-dimensional and still manage to surprise the reader. The main character, Starr, goes through some heart-wrenching and painful experiences, and wanting to know how she would handle all that life was throwing at her kept me turning the pages. She demonstrates incredible bravery, and is open and honest about the code-switching dictated by the different parts of her life. The book is bracing and direct about the impact of police brutality on families, witnesses, and neighborhoods like. An astonishing work; the people trying to ban this book should be ashamed of themselves.