Book Review: Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

Title: Concrete Rose

Author: Angie Thomas

Series/Standalone: The Hate U Give (Book 0.5)

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 368

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Year Published: 2021

Format: Audiobook

"Internation phenomenon Angie Thomas revisits Garden Heights seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give in this searing and poignant exploration of Black boyhood and manhood.

If there's one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it's that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad's in prison.

Life's not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav's got everything under control.

Until, that is, Maverick finds out he's a father.

Suddenly he has a baby, Seven who depends on him for everything. But it's not so easy to sling dope, finish school and raise a child. So when he's offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he's expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he's different.

When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can't just walk away. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. He'll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man."

My Rating: 4.5/5

I was extremely excited to read from Maverik's point of view especially considering what a large part he plays in The Hate U Give, as well as how heartwarming he is to read about as a father. I loved hearing his story and the struggles he went through. It made me want to reread The Hate U Give. I also think that Angie does a great job of showing stories without throwing lessons at things, instead of giving examples of what people have gone through. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Reread Thoughts: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Title: The Hate U Give
Author: Angie Thomas
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, Hard-hitting, Young Adult
Pages: 444
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Year Published: 2017
Format: Audiobook

"Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between the worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterwards, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. 

But what Starr does- or does not- say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life."

My Rating: 4.5/5

I think that I read this at the start of last year and I will reiterate that I think that this story is so very important for our generation. The fact that so many people have been oppressed and treated horribly for years due to difference in skin, or financial status is horrible in itself, but we're in the 21st century and we haven't really helped anything at this point either. I do hope that one day everyone feels protected by officers and not threatened. I'm glad that I reread this book not only for the important message but also to revisit the family dynamics in this story. I loved that parents in this story and though some of the family aspects were "messy" I think it really shows that family isn't only blood. 
I would strongly recommend this to anyone who is open minded to understanding the lives of others in a different situation then themselves, or for someone who needs to feel like they have been heard after a similiar tragedy.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Title: The Hate U Give
Author: Angie Thomas
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Pages: 464
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Year Published: 2017
Format: Hardcover (Own It)
First Line: "I shouldn't have come to this party."

"Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor black neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend, Khalil, at the hands of a plice officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, Khalil's death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Starr's best friend at scool suggests he may have had it coming. When it becomes clear the police have little interest in investigating the incident, protesters take to the streets and Starr's neighborhood becomes a war zone. What everyone wants to know is: What really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does- or does not- say could destroy her community. It could also endanger her life.
Angie Thomas's searing debut about an ordinary girl in extraordinary circumstances addresses issues of racism and police violence with intelligence, heart and unflinching honesty."

My Rating: 5/5

I understand now why everyone should read this book. This book was eye opening, heartbreaking and inspiring. I think that Angie Thomas's writing style is important to note. It is a story that I think that everyone should read based on the content matter and the way things are shown. I'm aware that as a white woman I have privileges that many others do not. That being said, there were so many things that I never even thought of having to be careful about. For example, I have never feared a police officer, but this book really made me think about how the concept of police officer's can be different for you based on something like your background, neighbourhood, or race. It's horrible to think about, but an important thing for people to understand.
Another aspect that I really enjoyed was the idea of family. I feel like so often in stories like this we see a family life that has become stereotypical, but this book made me wish that I could meet Starr's family.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Spoiler: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

This story was everything I needed and more. I understand now why everyone says that everyone should read this book. This story is so incredibly important for this time period and those in the future. As someone who has a considerable amount of privilege, I was so upset to read about what other people are going through with police violence. This book was an eye opener. There were things that I knew about, but to see how people had to think so carefully about interactions with law enforcement and people of other races.
I also loved the family element of this story. So often you read or see books like this where the main characters family life is horrible and it made me think that perhaps that's some authors ways of saying why certain things happen. Not that that is at all right. Not even close.

Characters:
Starr: I think that seeing her act as she did really shook me. To see someone fear for everyone around them for trying to do the right thing and try to defend a friend. I can't imagine being in her situation, but sadly it happens everyday. People make presumptions about other people, and when guns are available whose to say prejudices wouldn't get in the way. I was frustrated to see that the cop wasn't put behind bars, but I'm sadly not surprised. This book is realistic. 

Maverick: I loved how he took care of his family and those in the community. I loved that he took care of those around him and was willing to put in the work for his community to be a better place. That being said, I think he made a good choice leaving with his family when he did. Especially after all the shit with King went down.

Khalil: Although we don't know all that much about him, it's clear that he was doing some things out of necessacity and not out of want. Unfortunately, this is another incredibly realistic ascpect of this story. People get stuck in the cycle of poverty and drugs, in a system very much stacked against them.

Seven: He's strong in his own right. To give up what he really wanted to try and do better things for his family is a strong move. That being said he puts up with seeing his mother used and abused along with his sisters. It broke my heart at the end to see how he broke inside seeing his mom give him and his siblings a chance to run. 

Chris: He definetly has a type but that's not a bad thing. I think that he's a good guy and he's really trying to understand Starr's world and how it's different from his own. That being said, he would never fully be able to put himself in her shoes. 

Maya: I liked that she finally stood up for herself and opened up about how she felt. Hailey should never have spoken to them that way, and she shouldn't speak to anyone that way at all. 

Hailey: She's not unlike many people who've grown up with a privilege and don't believe that privelege exists. She was so frustrating to read about, but I would assume that there are more people like her than I'd like to believe.

King: People do what they have to do to survive. That being said, he should have gotten more time for everything he'd done to people and his community.

Kenya: Her life isn't all that uncommon. Across every walk of life children are abused physically, sexually and verbally. Until we stand up and fight for the rights of those who cannot speak for themselves these children may never be free.

Momma: She's strong and raised 2 kids on her own while her husband was in jail, and she was able to forgive him after everything that happened. Together they worked to provide a better life for their family, and provide care in their community.


Moments to Remember:

Final Line: "I promise."

Thanks for reading,
Sidny