Some Kind of Hate

by Sarah Darer Littman

Declan Taylor is furious at the world. After winning state as a freshman starting pitcher, he accidentally messes up his throwing arm. Despite painful surgery and brutal physical therapy, he might never pitch again. And instead of spending the summer with his friends, Declan is forced to get a job to help his family out. On top of that, it seems like his best friend, Jake Lehrer, is flirting with Declan’s crush and always ditching him to hang out with the team or his friends from synagogue.

So Declan ends up playing a lot of Imperialist Empires online and making new friends. It’s there he realizes he’s been playing with Finn, a kid from his class. Finn is the first person who might be just as angry as Declan--he gets it. As the two spend more time together, Finn also introduces Declan to others who understand what it’s like when the world is working against you, no matter how much you try. How white kids like them are being denied opportunities because others are manipulating the system. And the more time Declan spends with Finn, the more he sees what they’re saying as true. So when his new friends decide it’s time to fight back, Declan is right there with them. Even if it means going after Jake and his family. And each new battle for the cause makes Declan feel in control of his rage, channeling it into saving his future. But when things turn deadly, Declan is going to have to decide just how far he’ll go and what he’s willing to sacrifice.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook, Sports, Jewish

336 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2022

About the author

Sarah Darer Littman is an award-winning author of books for teens. She lives in Connecticut, in a house that never seems to have enough bookshelves.

Reviews

[»-daly (leaving)→ · Rating 1 out of 5]

˗ˏˋ 1 star (DNF) 🤢🤮 ·˚ ༘

≡;- ꒰ ° 😭 Thoughts 😭꒱

I would have rather been hit over the head with the bat on the cover than finish this book. I read the spoilers on this book and it looks like I didn’t miss anything :D Please proceed with caution, and enjoy my other hate review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

୨⎯😶‍🌫️ Characters 😶‍🌫️ ⎯୧

╰┈➤ Jake: Yeah okay I don’t even know what to put here. He had wit and so much potential to be a good character… but then he just wasn’t. He should have been Jack, short for jack ass :D

╰┈➤ Declan: … Do I really need to say more? Something about the fact that it went from Jake to DECLAN… but he was so flat and I never got attached to either of these characters.

⇢ ˗ˏˋ 💀 The plot 💀 ࿐ྂ

Sorry… what plot, exactly…?
The major lack of plot was really the cherry on top. As if everything I listed above wasn’t enough, the good portion of this book was just boys being boys until oh no (SHOCKER alert 🚨) Declan breaks his arm trying to impress a girl!
Also am I the only one who thought it was weird when the author used the word “waterfall” when Declan peed…?

[Felixbutcooler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book either dragged on for way too long, or got too entangled in different plots. It was only near the end of which I enjoyed, as it felt real. The rest of the book feels so unrealistic with the way the characters talk. These are high school students. There is only one swear word throughout the whole book (which is understandable if you want this to be kid friendly, but c'mon, these are HIGHSCHOOL students) and the jokes between characters feel phoney and deprived of all joy. The settings are described in little to no detail, usually being one meager sentence long. What I would like to applaud however is that this was thoroughly researched, and makes any sensible person uncomfortable when the main character (Declan) is being fed antisemitic, racist, Islamophobic, and etc rhetoric. The foreshadowing in how each attack towards the Jewish community in the small town of Stafford's Corner keeps getting larger and more prominent is foreshadowing that makes the reader cringe in unease and worry for the future. We know Declan is heading down a dark road, yet we can only sit and keep reading.

[Carli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Scholastic and Edelweiss for the advance Kindle copy of this 11/1/22 release. All opinions are my own.
•
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. This was an intense story, and I absolutely INHALED it. Baseball star Declan, a big deal in his small town, suffers a possible career-ending injury at the end of his freshman year. Feeling sorry for himself, he gets sucked into a video game that is run by white nationalists. When a classmate finds out that he plays it, he introduces Declan to a man who runs a white nationalist group. But when things get out of hand and the group wants to attack Declan’s former best friend’s temple, he realizes too late that he is in over his head. Written by a Jewish author, this brings to light a growing problem in America in an accessible way for teens. I don’t think the hateful language in this book is necessarily for all middle school readers, but it will be on my shelves and I think it’s a story that needs to be shared. Recommended for grades 7+.

[Izzy Kives · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had the potential to be extremely impactful and educational. And while in some aspects it was, I felt like it lacked the nuance that it so desperately needed. While I do appreciate the amount of research that went into this book and the appreciation for Jewish culture, it failed to do what it needed to do.

My first critique is that, while we get the perspective of Jake (the Jewish ex-best friend)… now is it wrong to label him as just Jewish, I would argue that it is. However, that’s what this book does. Yes, Jake liked a girl, played baseball, and has dyslexia. But, those are completely erased from his character. His only purpose in the book was to be Jewish. The emotions and pain that would be felt from losing his friend to a Neo-nazi militia would have seriously f’d him up. And while yes, he was upset about it, everything was bland and surface level.

My second critique is that the plot line for how Declan fell into white supremacy and became part of the neo-nazi militia was just so flat. I don’t know how else to express it. Everything about it was just too on the nose. It was clear that he was already mildly predisposed to the “whiny poor me” attitude prior to his injury and falling into that group. But it was just too simplistic. These groups and how they “recruit” is so much more manipulative and dangerous than how it was portrayed.

The next thing is that Declan’s family is partially to blame for everything that happened. Not for stressing about finances and not giving him enough attention. But his family knew what he was getting into. His parents and his sister. They didn’t even try to stop him from hanging out with his “friends” once they knew. Yes, he is responsible for his actions, but his parents weren’t parents and didn’t take enough responsibility themselves. His dad showed him some old pictures from the holocaust and thought it would fix him. Turns out when your child falls into an extremist way of thinking and so openly shares those thoughts with you; it might be a good idea to address them with a little bit more care and attention.

For writing a book about such a nuanced topic this book was just not willing to go where it needed to go. I completely understand that it’s YA, but it needs to push boundaries. It needs to make us deeply uncomfortable and go more in depth as to how harmful these groups are. Not just “actions have consequences and what we do and say matters”. We need to see just how deep these things go. Overall it just needs to be more developed and thoughtful. Interesting premise, poor execution.

[Lexi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just...not good. Don't get me wrong, I love the message, but wow.

With Dark Room Etiquette being a stand-out book for me this year, I've been open to unique YA contemporaries that feel like they are doing cutting-edge work. When I saw a book about a character being radicalized by the alt-right, i was expecting it to be a little more well done.

Some Kind of Hate might be a solid 'baby's first exposure to the alt-right'...which may work in YA, but unfortunately, it falls into the simplistic and uncomplicated pattern.

Books about real life issues and villains still benefit from nuance, even if that nuance is a still not in favor of the real life evil. In this case, one of the two main characters in this duel POV goes from 1-100- a regular guy to basically talking about globalists within a short time. This is even more frustrating because the book drags for 100 pages of very slow and uninteresting set up.

It's hard to read the book and feel like you really learned anything. The characterizations of these red pilled folks are on the surface correct, but they talk in 2010s internet speak a lot. They are too upfront about what they are doing. The main character is dumb as fuck and seems to be ready to heil Hitler from the second these folks get candid with him. There is little exploration into how young men get radicalized and seems to mostly exist to be a cautionary book of buzz words. Hear your friends talking about 'Chads' or 'globalists'? that means shits about to get weird.

AND THATS FINE, but its wholly soulless and uncomplicated. Its a blunt story meant to be digested simply and vindicate what we already know about the alt right.

I think Some Kind of Hate was trying to go for a teen version of American History X, but its brainless and just can't manage that level of maturity. Most teens who would pick a book like this up probably know about the topics mentioned in the book, but it could help some teens identify a threat better.

Worse than anything, the book is boring. The less dramatic parts are daily lives of flat characters interacting normally. None of them are complex to make this interesting.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Darer Littman’s most important book yet. The subjects of her books are always timely for teens, but this one is particularly so. Well-written and well-developed characters make the difficult subject more accessible. An important read for teens and the adults who want to understand them.

[Sarah Riessen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book. It took a bit, but once this got moving I couldn’t put it down.

[Alexa L · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish this could be required reading in school. So incredibly important, but also absolutely brutal to get through.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read many books about antisemitism but not many from the POV of the person who gets indoctrinated into having those ideas. I think it is important to have these kind of stories so we know how people end up thinking the way they do, especially young people. I also liked that the POV would sometimes switch to the Jewish character because you could see how this was affecting these two boys' friendship from either side. Some parts of this were very hard to read but I think people need to read it. I also appreciated that the dialogue matched with what a 14/15 year old sounds like because a lot of the time, they sound older.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. Listened and read it. I don't know if I would have made it through the book if it didn't have a dual POV though.

[lucy grace ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

good, but sad

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt that this book had the potential to be extremely powerful, but fell a bit flat. I’m keeping it at 3 stars, though, because I think that, given the intended audience, the book accomplishes its purpose. The story approaches the topic of antisemitism and hate groups in a way that is understandable to middle-grade readers, and I found myself learning a lot about how people end up involved in extremist groups.

HOWEVER… I found myself a bit annoyed throughout the story. At times, it seemed to drag on for longer than necessary. While the slow build of extremist acts does seem realistic, it made the book much longer than it needed to be. And while focusing on the “whaa, poor me” attitude from Declan gave more clarity to the trajectory he takes, it was a pretty annoying perspective to be stuck in. Furthermore, it was hard to stomach being stuck in his hateful brain. I can acknowledge, though, that reading Declan’s perspective (while horrifying) gave me more insight into how people like him are especially susceptible to recruitment from hate groups.

My biggest issue was the lack of intervention from Declan’s parents. I found it pretty difficult to believe that they didn’t do more than lightly scolding their son, even after he made clear antisemitic statements at home.

All in all, though, I think this book made me think a lot and would be a great read for middle school and early high school classrooms.

[Sarah Skiver · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know this book was not meant to be “enjoyable” but I didn’t even like ANY of the characters. They weren’t written as real people, to me. Like I don’t feel siblings would let siblings be this way. I often felt like the parents were all idiots. I just couldn’t get on board with the kids. I rolled my eyes more times than I could count. The disclaimer at the beginning said it would be hard to listen to and yes it was. But I mostly found it irritating.

[Janine]

This is a story about antisemitism. I do not agree with the author's POV. Each to his or her own opinion.

[Erin Cataldi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I think this book was good, not enjoyable per se, but necessary and gripping. It's a book for teens that shows just how easy it can be to surround yourself with the wrong people. When Declan breaks his arm after doing a stupid stunt his baseball career is all but over. He is beyond devastated and angry. Baseball was his everything. He starts lashing out at his twin sister, his parents, and his friend Jake. He wants to blame everyone but himself. He starts alienating his friends and family and holes himself up in his room playing video games. When he gets an invite to play an exclusive crusades style game by some new online friends, he is stoked. These guys seem to "get" him. Slowly he starts to think and act like his new online friends and then finds out that some of his co-workers at the grocery store think the same way. Soon he is totally immersed with these "friends." The guys he hangs out with believe that globalists are out to take over the world and that white people need to take back what is theirs. It gets dark quick. The story is told through two alternating perspectives: Declan and his best friend Jake who just happens to be Jewish. Eye opening. For fans of Heroine by Mindy McGinnis.

[Squid · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concept of this book was super unique!! It’s interesting to think about how people can become radicalized and I think it’s important to stop that from happening. Even though it still doesn’t make 100% sense to me I kinda get why Declan got into that world.

[Nicole Painchaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insightful book , heart-wrenching that not only shows how and why the seeds of hatred grow into a destructive force, but also the importance of thinking before reacting and understanding that your actions always affect others around you. So consider this before you react. Something students and adults should learn.

[Maryalice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Content Warning: "The contents include white nationalist ideas based on antisemitic conspiracy theories, Islamophobia, racism, misogyny, and violence."

Declan Taylor is at the top of his game - literally. His school baseball team just won the state tournament, and he was their star pitcher. If Declan just could figure out how to talk to his longtime crush, Megan, he would be set. When an attempt to impress Megan during an end of the school year celebration goes horribly wrong, Declan's summer plans derail. No more baseball means no future for Declan, at least not the future he was envisioning. Drowning in self-pity while the rest of his family is working long hours, Declan spends most of his day gaming. His baseball friends, including his best friend and longtime teammate Jake, are too busy with summer league and don't understand Declan's situation or his anger. Plus Jake seems to be spending more time with his friends from synagogue than worrying about how Declan is doing. With their family's finances crumbling, Declan is forced to get a summer job. Now he's spending more time away from home and with his co-workers. Finn and Charlie introduce Declan to a better way to escape the lack of acceptance from his family and friends. It's in the game world that Declan is able to avoid reality and find understanding: The world needs to wake up to the globalists who are tipping the scale in their favor and stealing opportunities from families like Declan's. Though his twin sister and baseball friends question some of the things Declan has been saying, Declan's anger surfaces and he writes them all off, opting to join his new friends in fighting back. Will Declan lose himself to his anger, or is there hope that he can crawl back and redeem himself?

THOUGHTS: Told in alternating chapters between Declan and Jake, this novel explores how, given the right conditions, one's hate can blossom. Haunting and at times difficult to read, this story will stay with readers and belongs in every YA collection. It would pair well as a modern tie-in to Night, To Kill a Mockingbird, and other classics that deal with social issues. Highly recommended.

[Chloë Geitner · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book definitely tackled the topics of antisemitism and how people can be pulled into hate groups well, the specific language and mannerisms used by the characters seemed to be researched competently. The plot also showed the logical timeline of extremism, as it starts off with hateful statements being brushed off as jokes, the characters actually believing those jokes, saying hateful words, and then eventually escalating into violence (which is always the end goal of fascism)

It was easy for me to understand how Declan was pulled into a right wing rabbit hole, and it didn't seem unbelievable or out of nowhere. Before his accident, he was shown to already be fairly misogynistic and full of himself, so it made sense to me that as things got worse, he got worse. However, I can't rate this higher than two stars, because the writing itself was simply not very good. Descriptions are skimmed over, metaphors were barely used, and a lot of dialogue felt stilted and awkward like it was being read off a script. This had the bones of a good story, but the author failed to give it the fat and skin necessary to create reader immersion. While reading, it felt more like I was being given a PSA or watching a commercial. This isn't bad, given that it effectively delivered its message, I just felt like it could've been much, much better.

[Shilo Parcel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Littman's storytelling exhibits a remarkable blend of power and thought-provocation. She adeptly navigates the intricacies of human emotions, particularly delving into the darker aspects of hatred. Through the alternating perspectives of Declan and Jake, the book offers profound insights into how hatred can thrive in the right conditions.

What truly distinguishes this book is its contemporary relevance. It addresses issues that regrettably remain all too familiar in today's world, rendering it essential reading for anyone aiming to comprehend the complexities of hate and prejudice.

Littman's writing style is marked by both elegance and poignancy, establishing a strong connection between readers and the characters as they grapple with their challenges. This is a book that will captivate your interest from the very first page to the closing chapter.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Littman always writes thought-provoking, discussion-worthy books and this definitely fits the bill. Topics of racism, hatred, white supremacy, how people are recruited to be a part of extremist groups

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew going bald could go so wrong

I love how this book showed how easy it is for young impressionable boys to become red pilled. And another great factor was that there wasn’t a happy ending and it was fairly realistic.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tough subject that that needs to be addressed. So many get absorbed into the world of gaming but many don’t realize that there’s an outside world to gamkng now that many of the young are getting involved with. I felt that it wasn’t realistic as far as what the as said but realistic in what is often online and in social media and for kids that have no other outlets, this is a dangerous world.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5, rounded up. Upsetting story, because it is believable.

[Jaclyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy YA read that I will be sure my kids read and we discuss when they are a bit older. Very important topic, showing how a young person can become radicalized while hardly realizing it themselves. Helpful to read as a parent to know what type of language and other "ins" recruiters might be using, and as an opening to talk to your kids about racism and what to do when they encounter some of these situations.

[Kathyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me sad and made me think a lot… it helped me understand a little bit how someone may be drawn in by a hate group. It was honestly terrifying to see how easy someone might believe the lies and be pulled in to the hate.

[Rylee Barrett · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didnt like it. dnf

[Al · Rating 1 out of 5]

You must have some kind of hate for yourself to actually finish this piece of trash.

[Sally Kruger]

Everything about Declan Taylor revolves around baseball. His skill as a high school pitcher will probably earn him a ticket to college which will be helpful since even with his parents working hard at their jobs, it's difficult to make ends meet.

Unfortunately, Declan's dreams of baseball and pitching come to an abrupt halt when he badly injures his throwing arm while showing off for a pretty girl. After surgery and painful physical therapy, Declan still isn't ready to give up on returning to the pitcher's mound, but his doctor and his family are expressing doubts that he will return to his former strength. Feeling abandoned by his family and friends and feeling blamed for his family's increased financial trouble, Declan sinks into depression and withdraws. Playing video games for hours on end is his escape. While gaming online, he is invited to join a new group who offer a different kind of friendship.

Needing someone to blame for his bad luck, Declan falls in with a group of extremists spouting conspiracy theories and hate. Their hateful rhetoric gives Declan an excuse for his loneliness and pain. When his father gets laid off by a company the extremists say is part of a globalist plot, Declan goes all in and begins participating in terrorist activities planned by the group.

It isn't until the group's leader sends Declan and some others to attack a gathering at the local synagogue that Declan wakes up to the hatefulness of the organization he has joined. Will his warning be enough to save the people he has long called friends?

Author Sarah Darer Littman uncovers the dangers of white nationalism in this unflinching story about how easily a young man is indoctrinated into an evil group plotting to do damage to innocent people. I found Declan's story to be frighteningly believable. The ease with which he is pulled into Ronan's group and brainwashed into thinking they have the answers to his troubles. His own family, busy with their work and financial difficulties, easily overlooks Declan's real pain and suffering making it simple for Declan to find comfort elsewhere. Littman's novel is important for our time and is a must read for both teens and adults.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

2023 ALA, Sydney Taylor, YA Honor book

Wow! Three times I started this book and couldn’t face reading it. Today I tried again, and I haven’t been able to put it down. What an important book to learn how young people can be so alienated, lost, hurt, and that there are people out there, who cultivate them, befriending them, offering, community, belonging, sympathy, and gradually sucking them in and grooming them as soldiers in a world of hate, and prejudice, with the will to do harm to others.

Declan Taylor is an incredibly talented freshman picture who throws the strikeouts to win the state championship for his team. His dreams of his future of summer baseball travel league, college scholarships all go down the drain when he is trying to show off for a girl and climbs a rock face with a sign that says no climbing, and falls landing with multiple injuries to his head to his body but most of all to his pitching arm, which will never be the same again. Anger, isolation, fury at the world, at his best friend Jake, his catcher, feels like he has been abandoned by everyone. His parents and sister are working extra shifts, trying to pay for the medical bills and the physical therapy. Declan retreats into online gaming where he is targeted and sucked into a world of antisemitism, Islamaphobia, and the violence of white supremacy.
Sarah Darer Lipman has done a superb job of showing how this transformation from hero to villain is possible. She shows the anger, the hatred, the self destructive behavior, the desperation, for belonging of Declan, but also of his parents, his twin sister, his best friend, Jake, and the Jewish community he nearly destroys.
This is not an easy book to read, but it is an important book to read.