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_ren's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Violence, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Blood, Grief, Misogyny, and Vomit
Minor: Abortion, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol
bookcheshirecat's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
“Son, one of the biggest lies ever told is that black men don't feel emotions. Guess it's easier not to see us as 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.”
➽ I finally read Concrete Rose and it was fantastic!! This is a prequel to The Hate U Give and follows Starr's father Maverick Carter as he navigates becoming a teen father. I wasn't too sure if I would enjoy this as it has been a while since I read The Hate U Give, but I was pleasantly surprised! This is a very emotional, character-driven story and you could feel Maverick's inner struggles. I liked that he was a flawed but realistic character who was trying to do his best. Maverick has just become a father, but he's only seventeen and struggling to take care of his son Seven when she still feels like a kid himself. The book gave us an honest insight into parenthood as Mav suddenly has to provide for his son and sacrifice his own time (and sleep) in order to take care of him. He's no longer free to do whatever he wants and while his mom helps out, she makes sure he takes responsibility. Maverick's juggling school, a part-time job and his involvement in Garden Heights.
➽ The book did a great job discussing Maverick's struggles with his masculinity and his relationship with Garden Heights's gang. He feels like he has to be tough and 'man up' instead of feeling his emotions. Mav has some people like his friend King (who's also active in the gang) who are a bad influence and reinforce the toxic masculinity he has internalized. Luckily, there are also many amazing people who let Maverick be vulnerable and want to help him stay on the right track. His mom's great and I loved that she was always there for Mav, but also called him out on his behavior. She makes clear that he needs to take care of his son and can't just shove him off to her, as it's not her baby. Lisa, Maverick's girlfriend, also calls him out when she needs to, as sometimes he can be jealous and stubborn without having any right to be. Dre, Maverick's friend who is basically his brother, also tries to convince him to earn 'clear' money outside of the gang now that he has a family to think of.
➽ Maverick is trying hard to handle everything going on in his life but also struggles with the expectations others have of him. It was sweet to see how much he adored his son despite feeling out of his depth at first and being tired out by being a parent. He's helping out at a convenience store and the owner is offering him a perspective of the future. However, Maverick is struggling to pay for all the expenses of raising his kid and knows that selling drugs in his neighborhood like King would bring in so much more money. Maverick makes his fair share of mistakes, but you can always tell where he's coming from and how difficult it is for him to have a perspective for the future. His own father has been in jail since he was 8 and he feels like he has to live up to his reputation as a prominent gang member. Mav is torn on how to manage his life and deal with all the anger and frustration that come with it. This was such a well-written story with raw, honest characters and I was fully invested in Maverick's story!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Murder, Grief, and Death
Minor: Homophobia, Abortion, and Drug use
transfluff's review against another edition
dark
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Pregnancy, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Abortion
zombiezami's review
challenging
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
3.75
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 violenceeyescanbecruel's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Violence, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Pregnancy, and Drug use
Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, and Abortion
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Child death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Racism, Abandonment, Grief, Toxic friendship, Death, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Drug use, Cursing, and Mental illness
Minor: Sexual content, Infidelity, Abortion, Addiction, and Medical content
theespressoedition's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, and Vomit
Minor: Abortion and Sexual content
macaroniapie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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
3.75
I loved *The Hate U Give*, and I liked this book, but I hated the immature things this main character did. I don't understand why his friend let him sleep with some girl and get her pregnant after he (Maverick) broke up with Lisa for TWO weeks.😠😠 Not only that, but after they got back together, Maverick confessed what he did (not right after), they broke up again, then got back together and slept with each other, then Lisa got pregnant. 😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤 Not only that, but he got Lisa kicked out of her house, and now he got not one, but two girls pregnant. 😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤😤 I feel bad that Maverick lost his cousin, but even so, I am still mad at him. Therefore, The only characters that have my respect are Carlos and Mrs. Carter as they are the best characters in this book and they are the only reasons why I didn't give this a low rating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Sexual content and Gun violence
Minor: Abortion
storyphile's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Pregnancy, and Drug abuse
Minor: Abortion
rachel1's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
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
4.25
Concrete Rose tells the story of Maverick Carter, the father of the Starr from The Hate U Give, as a seventeen-year-old. The story is not a list of everything that happens to the character before the events of The Hate U Give, as a lot of big events happen after this story takes place. If that's what you were expecting, it may disappoint you. Instead, it focuses on this one year of his life, the year that his eldest son Seven is born and the year Lisa becomes pregnant with Starr. The book shows us his family, something we never see in The Hate U Give. But what this book is really about is to shine a light on the experiences of black teenage boys in lower-income neighbourhoods and to humanise them when others will demonise them, and to depict a different side of black life than The Hate U Give. The book serves humanise gang members and shows why people get stuck in gangs and why it may often be necessary, while not shying away from the inherent violence involved. It subverts stereotypes of black teenage parents -- Maverick, instead of abandoning his son like is stereotypical, instead raises him almost on his own. Lisa, instead of being portrayed as an irresponsible slut, is intelligent and responsible and trying desperately to do what she thinks is right for her unborn daughter. While she wants to have and keep this baby rather than have an abortion or give her up for adoption, the book doesn't depict either of the other two options as bad options, nor does it judge her for choosing to keep the baby. Iesha, Seven's mother, is also given a more sympathetic portrayal than she was in The Hate U Give, depicted as a teenage mother going through post-partum depression. That was one of my biggest issues with The Hate U Give, where Iesha was depicted as a whore and a gold-digger and was only really given any sympathy towards the end. While those issues are not gotten rid of entirely, she is still depicted as a gold-digger and judged for her sexuality, the added dimension to her character is an improvement. One of my issues is that the book ended quite abruptly. I didn't expect everything to happen in this book, we know the important stuff that happens to Maverick from The Hate U Give, we don't need to see it all, but I would like to see just a little more perhaps ending with the birth of Starr .
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Drug use, Racism, Cursing, Grief, Pregnancy, and Racial slurs
Minor: Abortion, Medical content, and Misogyny
Gang violence.