Concrete Rose

Concrete Rose is the prequel to The Hate U Give, a book I gushed about three years ago. Even though I knew how things would turn out at the end of this book, I enjoyed seeing how Maverick Carter's life came together for Starr's story to begin in THUG. 

This is a slower paced, character-driven, coming-of-age story and while it isn't quite as dramatic as Thomas' previous two books, I appreciate that she doesn't provide quick fixes in this story. Life is hard. Mistakes are made. Life goes on. Readers will connect with Maverick as he faces struggles as a Black teenager, becoming a teen father and dealing with issues such as poverty, toxic masculinity, and social pressures as he tries to find his way in the world. 

Maverick has got a lot on his plate and, as the son of a former gang legend, he feels the weight of his father's legacy and the expectations (good and bad) put upon him by different people in his life. But he has a supportive group surrounding him and it's these friendships and family (with wonderfully diverse and well-developed secondary characters) that were the icing on the cake for me.

THUG may be why you pick up this prequel, but Concrete Rose stands on its own merits. It's a quieter read but, as with Thomas' other books, she provides her readers with an inspiring story that raises important issues and gives readers a main character they can't help but root for.

My Rating: 4 stars

Author: Angie Thomas

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction, BIPOC author

Series: Prequel to The Hate U Give

Type and Source: Hardcover from public library

Pages: 320

Publisher: HarperCollins Canada

First Published: January 12, 2021

Opening Line: When it comes to the streets, there's rules.

Book Description from GoodReads: International 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.