User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Angie Thomas is such a talented writer and I loved reading more about the backstory behind the parents in THUG. Maverick was a character I really loved in that book so to get a book entirely focused on him and see all he went through it, I really enjoyed it. The plot is definitely quieter than her other books, but I didn’t mind that so much really. I thought that even though there wasn’t a ton of super dramatic moments it still had enough to keep me intrigued and the characters were distinctive enough that I wanted to know where they ended up.
Rating: really liked it
“The apple don’t fall far from the tree, but it can roll away from it. It simply need a little push.”Angie Thomas did it again. Wrote the perfect book. Tens across the board.
Before I get into this a disclaimer that this is a prequel to THUG so unless you’ve read the book or seen the film this includes major spoilers.
I wasn’t so keen on Maverick as a main character in general, mostly because he is this straight, manly man and I’m…not. But I soon realised that he is easily as relatable as Starr and Bri, and this book is just as empowering and important as THUG and OTCU. It’s written especially for Black boys that find themselves in hopeless situations, who are told that they are worthless, that they’re thugs, that they’re not allowed to dream. But through Maverick, Angie shows that although their lives are set up unfairly, Black boys from the hood have the right to a bright future as much as anybody else. And sometimes all you need is for someone to sit you down and tell you that you are worth it and that you are deserving. There’s also the harmful idea that Black boys don’t read, which we know is false, but when you never get to see yourself represented then you might not realise that your story is worth telling. Which is exactly why this book is so needed. Here’s a quote from the book that sums it all up:
One of the biggest lies ever told is that Black men don’t feel emotions. Guess it’s easier to not see us a human when you think we’re heartless. Fact of the matter is, we feel things. Hurt, pain, sadness, all of it. We got a right to show them feelings as much as anybody else.It took me a couple of chapters to really get into this book, but I had the exact same experience with the THUG and OTCU so I wasn’t worried. I knew I would get the hang of it sooner or later. There’s a lot of characters and details to take in, and I think it also takes me a minute or two to get used to the AAVE style of writing, which is not something I encounter often in books. I know that readers and reviewers have critised the style in the past, and I think it’s okay to criticise writing styles in general, but complaining about it simply because you don’t like a certain dialect or language says more about you than the quality of the book. I honestly think the writing was beautiful and poignant. Angie hits a balance that is full of feeling without ever being corny or clichéd. I also love how she writes dialogue; the banter is witty and sassy but never hurtful. It cracked me up several times because Angie is genuinely funny. And overall there are some amazing quotes in the book, real life lessons. I found myself rereading them over and over again because they capture the sense of the moment with such wisdom.
You gotta love people enough to let them go, especially when you’re the reason they’re gone.When it comes to characters and plot I have absolutely no complaints. They all seem real as life to me. Their characterisation makes total sense to me, their actions were in line with their motives and they had the depth necessary to form a bond with them. I loved (loved loved) the representation of queer parents because it’s something so joyful and beautiful that we don’t get to see much of even though they have always been here; the arts and media simply failed to represent them properly. And I really love Angie for including that.
Plotwise it all worked for me as well. It’s cool to see all these tiny details that we then get to see again in THUG, like the store, the relationship between Starr’s parents as well as Iesha and King and Carlos (who was a real dick, my god). It made me want to reread THUG badly, and that’s exactly what I did. As a reader, we also know that the plot will take a turn for the worse and Maverick will have to make some painful decisions that may or may not have awful conseqeuences. But it doesn’t feel forced or over the top. It also ended sooner than I thought it would and now I’m really craving a sequel, something set between Concrete Rose and THUG, maybe from Lisa’s POV? But I have a feeling this might be the last book in the THUG series, and I do believe in trilogies.
Something else I loved were all the easter eggs hidden between the lines. There are nods to Nic Stone and her Dear Martin series, and Kobe Bryant was mentioned a number of times. I’m sure there was more that I missed, but what truly hit me hard was seeing all these characters that don’t make it to, or don’t survive THUG. We see them as cute and vulnerable babies, and it goes to show that all the victims of police brutality and gun violence are more than a hasthag. Others we see as teenagers and realise that what lies ahead of them will cause them real pain and heartache.
Grief hit you in waves. Sometimes it pull me out to sea and take me under. No wonder it’s hard to beathe as I cry.A single review cannot express how exceptional
Concrete Rose is. Truly outstanding on every level, both when it comes to the writing itself and the power of the story.
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Rating: really liked it
Angie Thomas is so fucking good at what she does. This book was fantastic.
TW: gang violence, gun violence, drug dealing, racism
Rating: really liked it
update: thank you netgalley gods for the arc
.....................................................................................................
angie thomas said let's give my readers what they want, so she gave us maverick's backstory.
wake me up when january 2021 begins.
Rating: really liked it
Now a Goodreads Choice finalist in Young Adult Fiction! As if there could ever be any doubt that Angie Thomas would deliver. The Hate U Give was a
major hit that’s still sitting pretty on the New York Times bestseller list after ✨ 2 0 5 ✨ weeks!! On the Come Up, my favorite of hers, was technically not part of this two-book series, but shares a common setting with the others, and features some of the most memorable characters I have come across. Thomas has really become an auto-read author for me and I’m so glad her books are so widely available to teenagers in the US right now.
As difficult as it can be to write a sequel, it seems even harder to successfully pull off a prequel, especially to a book so beloved. But in the Acknowledgments of
Concrete Rose Thomas says that she was inspired to write a young Maverick’s story after seeing Russell Hornsby depict Starr’s father in the movie adaptation. This is the kind of organic extension of a story that I think makes for compelling spin-offs, as opposed to just a general reluctance to leave a world behind or as a way to capitalize on former successes.
In this novel, Maverick Carter is a 17-year-old living in Garden Heights, with his mother working two jobs and his father incarcerated. His world is turned upside down when he finds out a one night stand resulted in a pregnancy and is soon struggling to balance the new responsibilities thrust upon him. Between trying to help out his mother, high school, fatherhood, his girlfriend Lisa and tension amongst the members of the gang he’s basically been born into, the King Lords, Maverick is having a hard time coping under the mounting pressure.
If you read
The Hate U Give, you can probably guess some of the other challenges Maverick will soon face as well. He’s really still a kid, a teenager, but is suddenly stricken with pains and burdens most adults won’t have to face until much later in their lives, if at all. The dehumanization of young Black men in America has been a topic that many authors, including Thomas and her friend Nic Stone, have been writing about years before the George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020. And I expect them to keep writing these stories as long as they are, unfortunately, relevant to the society we currently live in.
As per usual Angie Thomas’ characters are just next level. They feel so tangible and real, like you know them personally. It’s difficult not to empathize with their struggles even if you have no real experience with what they’re going through. But that’s the sign of good writing and probably why most of us read; we want to feel things entirely new but also familiar. The humanity in Thomas’ writing is probably her greatest asset and why I will always go back to her work.
And though it doesn’t contain any direct spoilers, I’m decided to put what I thought of the ending under the tags just to be safe: (view spoiler)
[Based on Maverick’s history in The Hate U Give, I kept waiting for the final shoe to drop at the end. Even with only a couple of pages left, I was expecting a flash of sirens or an ominous knock at the door to take Maverick away. But since that didn’t happen in this novel, I think I’m only now fully appreciating the way Angie Thomas decided to end this portion of Maverick Carter’s story. I’m sure there was pressure as an author to put a final twist at the end, but she chose to prioritize not just her character’s journey but what ending this book with that kind of negative scene would mean to a reader who identifies with Maverick. Infinite respect to the author for being so conscious of the implications of her work! 🙌 (hide spoiler)]I know Thomas has mentioned in interviews that
Concrete Rose will be the last of her books set in Garden Heights, but I’m still so excited to see what she comes out with next. Her work means so much to so many people, especially younger people who don’t often get to see themselves reflected in the protagonists they read about. And I just really appreciate what she’s done for Young Adult fiction and the entire publishing industry. She’s truly a game-changing author with so much more to say.
**
For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
Rating: really liked it
4.5 starsThis was great. I loved reading a book from Mavericks POV and learning more about their family history. Here’s a reading vlog where I read this book and explain more of my thoughts on it: https://youtu.be/p06Cutmiyco
Rating: really liked it
Wow! It was amazing to return back to hate U give’s universe and learn more about Mav’s past who was one of my favorite characters.
Angie Thomas is such a powerful author writes heart wrenching, angsty, high tension and also strong, hopeful, emotional novels centered on poverty, lack of opportunities, gangs, struggling, rebellious, fighting teenagers. Her skillful writing captures your attention, her style to pour out her honest feelings to create characters’ predicaments help you to resonate with them easily.
At this time, we read story of teenage Mav who tries to raise Seven ( yes, he’s back as a baby) by taking his full custody. In the meantime he goes to school, works, dealing with drugs, keeping his head up in the gang. He’s like a juggler throwing several balls in the air at the same tome but he keeps dropping them, making worst decisions and instead of facing consequences he makes more mistakes which is normal because he’s struggling, lonely kid who tries his best to raise his own kid.
Overall: it’s promising, powerful, well written, fast paced, brilliant prequel! Triggering and angsty parts and inspirational messages are not as strong as the hate U give but it was still great experience to go back at the place where the journey has started.
Rating: really liked it
Another amazing read from Angie Thomas!This book is a prequel to The Hate U Give and it might just be my favourite prequel I’ve read. I really loved reading through the eyes of a 17 year old Maverick and seeing how he dealt with everything he was going through. Family is also a huge theme in this book and I really enjoyed seeing Maverick’s family relationships and dynamics, and also seeing him putting his loved ones first and doing anything he could to provide for them. I also really loved all of the little details linking to The Hate U Give such as Mavericks children and how he came up with the names of them. (These children being the main characters in The Hate U Give). Another amazing read from Angie Thomas! Highly recommend it and especially if you’ve already read The Hate U Give.
I did a reading vlog on my YouTube Channel where I read this book and shared more of my thoughts. If you’d like to see that video, it’s linked here: https://youtu.be/Y0sZjZkM51Q
Rating: really liked it
I wouldn't be surprised if this became New York Times bestseller like right now
Rating: really liked it
Preorder placed. The countdown begins!!
Earlier: WE HAVE A TITLE. WE HAVE A COVER.
I AM SO IN LOVE.
Seriously though, really loving the title of this. Hard and soft at the same time. This is going to be moving, y'all.
Let's all put it on our TBRs!
Rating: really liked it
Angie Thomas' new book,
Concrete Rose , is simply amazing. This is a powerful look at the life and challenges faced by a young Black man.
This prequel to
The Hate U Give (but you don't need to have read that book first) takes us back to Garden Heights 17 years earlier. Maverick Carter knows his responsibility is to take care of his mom while his father, a former gang legend, is in prison. But the only way for a 17-year-old to truly help his mom is to sell drugs on the side for his gang, the King Lords.
While Maverick knows his life could be better—he’d love people to stop looking at him as a pale imitation of his father—he’s happy with his girlfriend and he has a cousin who looks out for him. And then his life is completely upended when he finds out he’s the father of a three-month-old boy.
How can he be a father when he’s still a child himself? While it completely changes his life, he’s determined to be a better father than the one he had. But he can’t be a father if he’s dealing drugs, so as much as “real work” pains him, when he’s given the chance to walk away from the gang life, he does.
When tragedy strikes and Maverick makes a foolish mistake, he’s faced with a decision: does he do what he needs to in order to survive and take care of his family, or does he continue to walk the right path, even if it may be the harder one?
Concrete Rose was just a fantastic book. I will never know the challenges faced by young Black men, but Thomas takes the reader into that world and gives a glimpse of the struggle between right and wrong, between boyhood and manhood, between being tough and being right.
Thomas never ceases to dazzle me with her power as a storyteller, her ability to make you think and make you feel and make you root for her characters. With this book, she has created another masterpiece that will resonate for long afterward.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the last decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Rating: really liked it
I strongly prefer standalone books over series but after loving
The Hate U Give (THUG) a few years ago, knew I’d read any/ all continuations of this story by Angie Thomas.
Concrete Rose is the prequel to
THUG, focusing on Starr’s dad, Maverick Carter, 17 years before she’s born. He’s a high school senior growing up in the same town of Garden Heights and trying to balance everything — Mav is the son of a gang member, a student, a boyfriend to Lisa, and just found out he’s also the father to a baby boy, Seven. It’s a lot to handle. And, a tragedy leaves Mav reeling, as he thinks about loyalty, family, and responsibility.
The audiobook is narrated by Dion Graham and he was excellent! At times, it felt like Mav was older than 17, likely due to all he was going through. I really enjoyed this story and was eager to continue listening throughout the week, whenever I could. If you haven’t read
THUG or
Concrete Rose, I highly recommend both.
Rating: really liked it
I loved finally getting Maverick's story and how his family came to be. It was so interesting seeing him as a father in THUG and now a teenager who has no idea who he is or what he wants for his future. I loved watching his relationship with Lisa progress and getting insight into his past with King. Seven was an adorable baby and I loved all of the side characters that were a part of Maverick's life. His relationship with his father was so interesting and I just wanted Maverick to make the best decisions for him and his children, especially when he still felt like a kid himself. I'd definitely recommend picking this up, especially if you're already read THUG!
Rating: really liked it
january 2021 can't come fast enough. angie thomas is back again with what i'm sure is going to be a fucking masterpiece.
Rating: really liked it
4.5 stars!
