Concrete Rose - Angie Thomas
Angie Thomas is amazing. Her character development is flawless, she creates these beautiful people who are real, who jump out of the pages of her books and move around in front of your eyes, bringing each story to life in a really special way. I was super excited to get my hands on Concrete Rose, because I knew I was going to spend the next few days being unable to put my book down. And yup, that’s exactly what happened!
Concrete Rose is basically a prequel to The Hate U Give, and provides the reader with the story of Maverick, Starr’s dad’s early life.
Mav is 17, growing up in the Garden District in the 90’s with his mother who works 2 jobs to make ends meet. His father, Big Don, is in prison, and Mav is part of the King Lords, something that wasn’t really a choice for him. His mother is intent on him getting an education and getting out of the area, but circumstances (hi newborn baby), put more than a few spokes in the wheel.
I love Mav. I love Mav’s family, and his friends, and the whole district. I love how Angie Thomas provides a real perspective of life, with real characters that we can relate to, who have to make real decisions based on real life. Anyone who already loves Angie Thomas’ work will love Concrete Rose, especially because the author gives us Mav’s story, something that intrigued me so much after reading The Hate U Give.
Wonderful read, highly recommended!!