Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

18 reviews

taliatalksbooks's review against another edition

emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas is a prequel to her book The Hate U Give, focusing on Starr’s father, Maverick as the main character. I was a little sad to not have a female main character (because I love Starr and Bri), but I think in this case, it actually worked to the story’s benefit. I really loved Mav, and watching him go through his struggles first hand was a more rewarding journey than I was expecting it to be. With most prequels, I am annoyed by the fact that we know where the characters end up, but there is a lot that Starr doesn’t know about her dad in The Hate U Give. This actually makes this prequel feel fresh and new, even though we already know the fates of the characters. I think this book also address a lot of really important social issues, that are important to understand in order to promote discussion and progress in certain areas. I think that like the other two in this series, Concrete Rose is an important read that is worth everyone’s time, regardless of age.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Murder, Racism, Addiction, Classism, Cursing, Drug use, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Death, Racial slurs, Gore, Gun violence, Child death, Vomit, and Sexual content

zombiezami's review

challenging reflective sad tense fast-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Classism, Violence, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Murder, Death, Pregnancy, and Bullying

Moderate: Drug abuse, Infidelity, Excrement, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Stalking, Vomit, Drug use, Police brutality, Mental illness, Medical content, Death of parent, Confinement, and Addiction

Minor: Slavery, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcohol

Incarcation, Gang violence

bratlingling's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Read it in go, really loved the characters, the plot is not really finished and more just a chapter in the main character's life

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, Cursing, Gun violence, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent, Racism, and Police brutality

carolinalopezwatt's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Gun violence

Minor: Racism and Police brutality

mmarlborough's review

emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I loved “The Hate U Give” audiobook when it first came out and was so excited when Thomas wrote a prequel, centering around Starr’s beloved father’s teen years. It did not disappoint!

Seventeen year old Maverick is dealing drugs and part of a gang, just like his incarcerated father. He’s trying to help his mother out with the bills and be the man of the house: when suddenly, he becomes a father himself. Maverick realizes how much is at stake and wants to stay on the right side of the law, but needs money to support his family. He quickly has to learn to grow up and navigate parenthood, school, and leaving a gang all at once. 

Maverick is one of my favorite characters from “The Hate U Give” and it was so fulfilling to see his roots. Thomas, as usual, writes about racism, class, and gangs with expert complexity - especially for a YA novel. This novel even folds in bisexuality in the Black community. She is an auto buy author for me and I can’t wait to read what she writes next. 

If you like audiobooks, I highly recommend this series in this medium. The narrators cast are perfect, bringing these characters to life fully.

⚠️Trigger Warning: Infidelity, Drugs, Gang Violence, Blood, Death, Gun Violence, Police Brutality

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality

morganperks's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Murder, Grief, Drug abuse, Violence, Bullying, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Cursing, Racism, Addiction, and Infidelity

Minor: Abortion and Police brutality

kthedestroyer's review against another edition

challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Okay so... I don't really have much to say about this book.
I really liked the pacing and the writing style which is probably the main reason that I really enjoyed reading it. I wasn't really expecting the whole novel to be around very convenient baby-making but okay, whatever. It was fine I guess. The story isn't something that I would normally enjoy but as I said earlier, there are other attributes to it. 
The characters are enjoyable and they usually feel like real people in real-life situations. I like Thomas's representation of black people and their life in her books but still... how can no one use a condom on those streets? Like, everyone has babies at 17. And then they repeat their mistakes. Yeah, it's very convenient but that's just a minor observation.
Overall the book was good and would be great to get me out of a reading slump.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Pregnancy, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Cursing and Racism

Minor: Abortion and Police brutality

memorable's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I really liked learning more about Maverick, the struggles he faced and how he overcame them to become the man he is in THUG. Reading this book also makes me wanting to reread THUG. I loved Mav's development to become a father to Seven and also to Star (just as we know from THUG). And I think his depiction is also a pretty important one.
Can't wait for the next Angie Thomas' book for sure!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing and Grief

Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Blood, Outing, Police brutality, Racism, Violence, and Vomit

Gangs Teen pregnancies drug dealing

shannonigans322's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I am always a fan of an origin story. I wish I had given the hate u give a re-read/listen before diving into this audiobook to ensure I caught every single reference, but it was still very enjoyable. Angie Thomas has a way of examining the privilege of others in a very sophisticated manner; it never feels prescriptive or shoved in your face. I absolutely loved how the first-person narration allowed us to experience the intense emotions right along with Maverick; he even acknowledges that Black men are raised not to show vulnerability, which makes his thought processes even more poignant. Bonus points for unexpected bisexuality!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence and Pregnancy

Minor: Abortion and Police brutality

bookybadger's review against another edition

funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Violence, Pregnancy, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Abortion, Death, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Grief, Medical content, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual content, and Violence