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A review by rachelbookdragon
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
4.0
4.5 stars. A great follow up novel after the instant classic of The Hate You Give. Bri's story about following her dreams to rap, despite the financial troubles her family is facing and the trauma she survived in the past, is an incredible story of self-discovery and passion for the art of making music that means something. This book was quick paced with strong characters and the delightful humor Angie shares in her books. I definitely caught myself laughing out loud a few times. There were so many strengths to this book. I loved the friendship of the unholy trinity, Sonny, Malik, and Bri, and I appreciated how the story gave these relationships the space to grow, and a hint of how it might change in the future. While they differed on their opinions of how Bri should handle things like the incident at school, ultimately, they were a delightful support system to each other as they all experienced a few 'firsts' in the story. I also really appreciated the romance in this book. I entirely ship Bri and Curtis. They are adorable together. Bri's family, from her brother and mom, to her grandparents, were all lovingly depicted and their imperfect dynamics were delightful to read about.
How this book differed from The Hate You Give: Where Starr's family was financially on the upper end of the garden, Bri's was struggling to keep the lights on. Starr's had more of an ability to speak up about police violence, where others in other circumstances may not have been able to do the same. Bri did not want to pursue ramifications after her assault at school by those in authority, and others took on more of the fight than she was comfortable participating in, including her mom and the coalition. THUG had some conversations and family moments that were like lightning in a bottle. Absolute perfection in putting into words racial profiling, code switching, etc. I also loved the larger family dynamics of the Carter's. On the Come Up was the story of one family working through tough times and pursuing their goals, where THUG rallied an entire community and fought a system of injustice.
The Conversation Starters: Bri's search for identity in the face of dire financial circumstances was a rewarding journey. Though it could have been easy to sell herself short and help her family, because her family supported her, she could find her own path. She also took a different path from her father with her choices. Bri's reflections on Jojo and how she wanted to create music that she would be proud for the little kids to sing, rather than lead them down a harder path, really shows the impact of pop culture and influence on young minds. I really enjoyed the dynamics of Bri and Aunt Pou (sp.? I read the audiobook, so I'm going by how it sounds.) Grief triggers all sorts of reactions, so how Aunt Pou shaped her life after her brother's death was incredibly impactful, as was her providing for her family with money earned from selling drugs, when they were not able to do so with their own jobs. Jay's addiction and recovery as her reaction to grief and how it affected her kids was quite a journey to read about. Her character growth in the story, supported by reflections of her past, is an important example to see. Jay's speech during the meeting at Midtown talking about the constant racial profiling Bri experienced at school from her teachers was so well said. That speech can be the beginning of a great conversation about bias, privilege, stereotypes, etc.
This book was a great read and can start so many important conversations. I'm so glad Angie continues to share her voice in literature, because she constantly inspires kids who have never found themselves represented in books by putting their realities on the page. For those who can directly relate to the circumstances in the books, reading them shows that they are not alone with their experiences. For those who have not had similar life experiences, these books start conversations and allow them to empathize with the characters, which is what the reading experience is all about.
How this book differed from The Hate You Give: Where Starr's family was financially on the upper end of the garden, Bri's was struggling to keep the lights on. Starr's had more of an ability to speak up about police violence, where others in other circumstances may not have been able to do the same. Bri did not want to pursue ramifications after her assault at school by those in authority, and others took on more of the fight than she was comfortable participating in, including her mom and the coalition. THUG had some conversations and family moments that were like lightning in a bottle. Absolute perfection in putting into words racial profiling, code switching, etc. I also loved the larger family dynamics of the Carter's. On the Come Up was the story of one family working through tough times and pursuing their goals, where THUG rallied an entire community and fought a system of injustice.
The Conversation Starters: Bri's search for identity in the face of dire financial circumstances was a rewarding journey. Though it could have been easy to sell herself short and help her family, because her family supported her, she could find her own path. She also took a different path from her father with her choices. Bri's reflections on Jojo and how she wanted to create music that she would be proud for the little kids to sing, rather than lead them down a harder path, really shows the impact of pop culture and influence on young minds. I really enjoyed the dynamics of Bri and Aunt Pou (sp.? I read the audiobook, so I'm going by how it sounds.) Grief triggers all sorts of reactions, so how Aunt Pou shaped her life after her brother's death was incredibly impactful, as was her providing for her family with money earned from selling drugs, when they were not able to do so with their own jobs. Jay's addiction and recovery as her reaction to grief and how it affected her kids was quite a journey to read about. Her character growth in the story, supported by reflections of her past, is an important example to see. Jay's speech during the meeting at Midtown talking about the constant racial profiling Bri experienced at school from her teachers was so well said. That speech can be the beginning of a great conversation about bias, privilege, stereotypes, etc.
This book was a great read and can start so many important conversations. I'm so glad Angie continues to share her voice in literature, because she constantly inspires kids who have never found themselves represented in books by putting their realities on the page. For those who can directly relate to the circumstances in the books, reading them shows that they are not alone with their experiences. For those who have not had similar life experiences, these books start conversations and allow them to empathize with the characters, which is what the reading experience is all about.