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radiantrox's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
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
5.0
emilyaird16's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
3.0
candaceallison's review
challenging
dark
hopeful
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? No
4.75
barnesbookshelf's review
5.0
It's been a minute since I read [b:The Hate U Give|32075671|The Hate U Give (The Hate U Give, #1)|Angie Thomas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476284759l/32075671._SY75_.jpg|49638190], so there were little things here and there that I couldn't remember from it, like Starr's mother's name (I figured it out lol). But what's nice is that I didn't need to remember everything (or really anything) to love this book! Mav made some downright dumb decisions, but he learned and grew and figured out who he wanted to be, and I love it even more for that. Not everything he did was right, and not everything he did was for the right reasons, but they all helped him. It shows that you can, at any time, make the decision to change your life. It's not going to be easy, but it will be worth it (as The Hate U Give shows us).
Also, I just love Angie Thomas' style. It's fantastic!
Also, I just love Angie Thomas' style. It's fantastic!
s_piercenyback's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
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
trixaca's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
myriadreads's review
4.0
“Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete? Proving nature's laws wrong, it learned to walk without having feet. Funny, it seems to by keeping it's dreams; it learned to breathe fresh air. Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else even cared.” --Tupac Shakur
This prequel did not disappoint! Angie Thomas writes books about flawed characters who are learning and growing in challenging circumstances. Concrete Rose references the Tupac poem above, and it's the perfect title for Mav's story. Maverick Carter's father is a gang member who is in prison, and his mom works like a dog to keep the lights on. Maverick joined a gang too, because if you don't claim a color, no one has your back. His cousin Dre looks out for him and won't let him sling anything harder than weed, but Maverick is tired of being broke, and he gets in deeper than his cousin thinks. As the story opens, Maverick finds out that he's a father, following a one night stand. Being a father, a Dad, means something to Maverick, so he takes a job at a local grocery store, starts helping his mom with the bills, and steps up. Readers won't be able to help but cheer for Mav as he learns about gardening, works hard, loves his son, and tries his hardest to avoid being pulled under by the violence and crime that have shaped his years. Will he make it, or will his past decisions make his dreams impossible?
This prequel did not disappoint! Angie Thomas writes books about flawed characters who are learning and growing in challenging circumstances. Concrete Rose references the Tupac poem above, and it's the perfect title for Mav's story. Maverick Carter's father is a gang member who is in prison, and his mom works like a dog to keep the lights on. Maverick joined a gang too, because if you don't claim a color, no one has your back. His cousin Dre looks out for him and won't let him sling anything harder than weed, but Maverick is tired of being broke, and he gets in deeper than his cousin thinks. As the story opens, Maverick finds out that he's a father, following a one night stand. Being a father, a Dad, means something to Maverick, so he takes a job at a local grocery store, starts helping his mom with the bills, and steps up. Readers won't be able to help but cheer for Mav as he learns about gardening, works hard, loves his son, and tries his hardest to avoid being pulled under by the violence and crime that have shaped his years. Will he make it, or will his past decisions make his dreams impossible?
sonialusiveira's review
4.0
"Living your life based off what other people think ain't living at all."
“Son, one of the biggest lies ever told is that Black men don’t feel emotions. Guess it’s easier to not 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.”
"The apple don’t fall far from the tree, but it can roll away from it. It simply need a little push."
As the prequel to THUG, Concrete Rose is the story of Starr's father, Maverick, in his youth and how he became the father he is. Angie Thomas showed how we are all not what circumstances make us but what choices we made for ourselves to overcome the circumstances that might have hindered our growth, through Maverick' story. He was the son of Big Don, who even though in jail, his influences could have laid an easier path for the Lil Don, which Maverick did walk on but as he became a father at seventeen, he refused to become the father that his own father was, so he chose the harder path. His growth was very inspiring to read about. I also really enjoy the writing style, which the narrators rock on the audiobook.
“Son, one of the biggest lies ever told is that Black men don’t feel emotions. Guess it’s easier to not 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.”
"The apple don’t fall far from the tree, but it can roll away from it. It simply need a little push."
As the prequel to THUG, Concrete Rose is the story of Starr's father, Maverick, in his youth and how he became the father he is. Angie Thomas showed how we are all not what circumstances make us but what choices we made for ourselves to overcome the circumstances that might have hindered our growth, through Maverick' story. He was the son of Big Don, who even though in jail, his influences could have laid an easier path for the Lil Don, which Maverick did walk on but as he became a father at seventeen, he refused to become the father that his own father was, so he chose the harder path. His growth was very inspiring to read about. I also really enjoy the writing style, which the narrators rock on the audiobook.
roseleaf24's review
4.0
I loved getting Mav's background. Thomas did an excellent job of showing how he knew he was making bad decisions but didn't see another way in the moment. This book was extremely well written, engaging, and moving.
ponch22's review
4.0
I loved [b:The Hate U Give|32075671|The Hate U Give (The Hate U Give, #1)|Angie Thomas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476284759l/32075671._SY75_.jpg|49638190] (both the novel and its film adaptation), so I was excited when I heard [a:Angie Thomas|15049422|Angie Thomas|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1471998209p2/15049422.jpg] was releasing a prequel to the story.
[b:Concrete Rose|52822210|Concrete Rose (The Hate U Give, #0)|Angie Thomas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1585585629l/52822210._SY75_.jpg|78970822] tells the story of Maverick (Starr's father in THUG) when he's just a 17-year-old trying to finish high school while dealing drugs as a King Lord & trying to make a name for himself. Most people still call him Li'l Don after his father, a previous King Lord leader whose currently in prison.
Unfortunately for him, he finds out a one-night stand he had while he and his girlfriend Lisa were on a break resulted in a pregnancy, and Iesha (the mother) abandons their son as soon as his parentage is confirmed. Mav quickly realizes the responsibilities of fatherhood and decides to quit selling drugs. Many sleepless nights, several failed tests, and one part-time job later, he's close to failing 12th grade and no longer has tons of cash to support his son or help his mother pay the bills.
His relationship with Lisa is not helped when she finds out he's a father with another woman, and someone close to him gets killed in an act of seemingly senseless gun violence. There are a lot of themes shared between this and THUG but not much dealing with police brutality or racial profiling. I wish I remembered more about how Mav, Lisa, Iesha, & King (Mav's ex-best friend who was the supposed father of the baby that turned out to be Mav's) related with one another in THUG and I sort of want to re-read it now that I have this new prequel story fresh in my mind.
Concrete Rose doesn't get a full 5* because the ending felt very rushed—there's a revenge story teased throughout, as Mav tries to find his friend's killer & wants to take a life for a life, but the way the mystery unfolds and eventually concludes was quite disappointing. Also, the African American Vernacular English writing style took a long time for me to get used to—I mean, a late passage literally made me roll my eyes:
I believe Thomas has said this will be the last story she'll write about the Garden Heights characters, but I still wouldn't mind a third book in the series—perhaps something between this and THUG from Lisa's perspective as a young mother going to college...
[b:Concrete Rose|52822210|Concrete Rose (The Hate U Give, #0)|Angie Thomas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1585585629l/52822210._SY75_.jpg|78970822] tells the story of Maverick (Starr's father in THUG) when he's just a 17-year-old trying to finish high school while dealing drugs as a King Lord & trying to make a name for himself. Most people still call him Li'l Don after his father, a previous King Lord leader whose currently in prison.
Unfortunately for him, he finds out a one-night stand he had while he and his girlfriend Lisa were on a break resulted in a pregnancy, and Iesha (the mother) abandons their son as soon as his parentage is confirmed. Mav quickly realizes the responsibilities of fatherhood and decides to quit selling drugs. Many sleepless nights, several failed tests, and one part-time job later, he's close to failing 12th grade and no longer has tons of cash to support his son or help his mother pay the bills.
His relationship with Lisa is not helped when she finds out he's a father with another woman, and someone close to him gets killed in an act of seemingly senseless gun violence. There are a lot of themes shared between this and THUG but not much dealing with police brutality or racial profiling. I wish I remembered more about how Mav, Lisa, Iesha, & King (Mav's ex-best friend who was the supposed father of the baby that turned out to be Mav's) related with one another in THUG and I sort of want to re-read it now that I have this new prequel story fresh in my mind.
Concrete Rose doesn't get a full 5* because the ending felt very rushed—there's a revenge story teased throughout, as Mav tries to find his friend's killer & wants to take a life for a life, but the way the mystery unfolds and eventually concludes was quite disappointing. Also, the African American Vernacular English writing style took a long time for me to get used to—I mean, a late passage literally made me roll my eyes:
Flowers, fruits, and vegetables can grow anywhere, among anything. They were made for that. I mean c'mon, when God made that sh—stuff, I gotta stop cussing so much—when he made that stuff, he didn't put them in garden plots.
I believe Thomas has said this will be the last story she'll write about the Garden Heights characters, but I still wouldn't mind a third book in the series—perhaps something between this and THUG from Lisa's perspective as a young mother going to college...