A review by sheryl_macca
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Angie Thomas takes us back to Garden Heights in this, her second novel. We're in familiar territory and only a year or so has passed from the events of The Hate You Give. Setting up On The Come Up this way gives us an instant back story, an instant connection with the new characters in this story. It means that we're straight into the action from the first page which is exciting.

Brianna, a 16 year old rapper, is our protagonist. She lost her father in a gang shooting, she was separated from her mother as a child due to drug use so she's grown up hard and fast. With the notorioty of being her father's daughter Brianna has developed an explosive but deeply moral temper. She's out for justice not vengeance, she seeks change not chaos but in her youthful naivity she loses her way. 

I felt what Brianna felt and I believed Brianna was right when she believed it. Angie Thomas' writing does that to you. Her characters are real. She creates authentic people in a realistic world without any minutiae.

This one just misses out on a 5 star review though. The Hate You Give was a 5 star read for me but On The Come Up isn't as complex and not quite as powerful for me. I loved the rap lyrics, the changes in pace, the glimpses of the little girl at heart in Brianna and her growing understanding of responsibility. I loved how the systemic racism in multiple arenas was definitely present but was also just a fact of Brianna's everyday life. It wasn't the main focus but Brianna wouldn't be in her situation without it. It felt accurate. On The Come Up is memorable for the way it depicts racism, poverty and inequality but it's even more memorable for the emotional journey.
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