Concrete Rose Book review

 Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

2021

Historical fiction (the 90s is history right?) 

Concrete Rose is the excellent prequel to The Hate U Give. This book, like all of Angie Thomas’s books, is amazing and exceeded all of my expectations.

The novel follows 17-year-old Maverick as he balances taking care of his newborn son, Seven, along with school, a new job at the local grocery store, his final year of high school, grief (which I don’t want to spoil but oh man...) and trying to stay out of dealing.

What stood out to me while reading was how real Maverick felt. As a reader, I emphasized with him and not once did he fall flat. His love for his son reminded me of Emoni from With the Fire on High because this is the first book I’ve ever read about a teen father. I like how Concrete Rose presents the struggles of fatherhood first-hand, but also shows the beauty of parenthood. The scenes between Maverick and Seven were my absolute favourite. 

As a character, I think Maverick is such an important character in the world of YA. There aren’t nearly enough books about young black men and their experiences, and I really hope Concrete Rose gets the same long-term love as THUG because of Thomas’s complex depiction of manhood. The book is about many things, but one of the overarching themes is Maverick exploring what being “a man” means now that he’s a young father. Though this book takes place in the 90s, the discussion of masculinity and how toxic masculinity/internalized patriarchy affects young black men is incredibly relevant and thought-provoking. 

Thomas’s prose is amazing and the first time I’ve read an entire book written in AAVE (African-American Vernacular English). Language is an important element of any text and builds the authenticity of a character. I really hope the popularity of Thomas’s books leads to other YA books written in AAVE and regional dialects because it’s immersive and develops the world a character lives in. 

Also, the cover of Concrete Rose is perfect. Love, love, love!

Rating 5/5: If you haven’t already read it or put it on your TBR, make room on your shelf because Concrete Rose is amazing!