I’ve loved Angie Thomas’ work since I first picked up The Hate U Give when it first came out. Thomas has that perfect blend of pathos and realism that makes me fall so hard for a good YA book, and I fell just as hard for the film version (different and yet somehow just as good) as well as On the Come Up. So when Thomas released Concrete Rose, I knew that I would be picking up a copy. (Luckily, my aunt loves Thomas just as much as I do, and she snagged it from her local library on my behalf!)
Lovers of THUG will hold an even more special place in their heart for Concrete Rose, which follows the early life of many a reader’s favorite character: patriarch Maverick, Starr’s father in the original THUG. This story sees Mav as a young gangbanger and new dad, and while the inevitability of some of his choices is clear for anyone who is coming to Concrete Rose after THUG, this in no way undermines the very real drama of the decisions Mav faces.
I’m always awed when a writer proves themselves able to write across gender lines, a challenge Thomas rises to beautifully. This book is a phenomenal prequel and further ensconces Thomas as one of the YA greats in my mind.