Literature & Fiction
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Concrete Rose
International phenomenon Angie Thomas revisits Garden Heights seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give in this searing and poignant exploration of Black boyhood and manhood.
If there's one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it's that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad's in prison.
Life's not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav's got everything under control.
Until, that is, Maverick finds out he's a father.
Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But it's not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when he's offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he's expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he's different.
When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can't just walk away. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. He'll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.
If there's one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it's that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad's in prison.
Life's not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav's got everything under control.
Until, that is, Maverick finds out he's a father.
Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But it's not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when he's offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he's expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he's different.
When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can't just walk away. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. He'll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.
Editorial Reviews
"A heartfelt exploration of Black manhood and the power of possibility." -- People
"In Concrete Rose, Thomas casts a loving eye on the lives and realities of Black people, which is a powerful continuation of one of her most moving endeavors as a writer: her challenge to readers to affirm the goodness of all types of characters and to greet them with compassion at every turn, no matter where those turns may lead."? -- New York Times Book Review
"Thomas brings her trademark wit, nostalgic love of the 1990s and all things R&B and hip-hop, and her penchant for heartfelt characterization to this first-person exploration of Maverick Carter's coming-of-age." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Authentic to the point of heartbreak, Maverick's voice is earnest as he wrestles with his decisions. Fans of Thomas's work will not be disappointed in this intense portrayal of this phase in the Carter family's story." -- Horn Book (starred review)
"This is the perfect example of a narrative that straddles the beauty and pain of belonging and having the courage to make your own choices…. Thomas writes with a depth of humor and clarity that really allows readers to bond with the characters." -- School Library Journal (starred review)
"This literary DeLorean transports readers into the past, where they hope, dream, and struggle alongside beloved characters from Thomas' The Hate U Give…. Thomas proves Game of Thrones–esque in her worldbuilding ability, deepening her landscape without sacrificing intimacy or heart." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Thomas delivers a poignant prequel to The Hate U Give…. Maverick's story is one that offers hope, encouragement, and optimism." -- Booklist (starred review)
"Thomas' genius is her ability to craft one man's history in a way that illuminates the forces that brought us to this critical juncture." -- Time
"In Concrete Rose, Thomas casts a loving eye on the lives and realities of Black people, which is a powerful continuation of one of her most moving endeavors as a writer: her challenge to readers to affirm the goodness of all types of characters and to greet them with compassion at every turn, no matter where those turns may lead."? -- New York Times Book Review
"Thomas brings her trademark wit, nostalgic love of the 1990s and all things R&B and hip-hop, and her penchant for heartfelt characterization to this first-person exploration of Maverick Carter's coming-of-age." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Authentic to the point of heartbreak, Maverick's voice is earnest as he wrestles with his decisions. Fans of Thomas's work will not be disappointed in this intense portrayal of this phase in the Carter family's story." -- Horn Book (starred review)
"This is the perfect example of a narrative that straddles the beauty and pain of belonging and having the courage to make your own choices…. Thomas writes with a depth of humor and clarity that really allows readers to bond with the characters." -- School Library Journal (starred review)
"This literary DeLorean transports readers into the past, where they hope, dream, and struggle alongside beloved characters from Thomas' The Hate U Give…. Thomas proves Game of Thrones–esque in her worldbuilding ability, deepening her landscape without sacrificing intimacy or heart." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Thomas delivers a poignant prequel to The Hate U Give…. Maverick's story is one that offers hope, encouragement, and optimism." -- Booklist (starred review)
"Thomas' genius is her ability to craft one man's history in a way that illuminates the forces that brought us to this critical juncture." -- Time
Readers Top Reviews
MochoTina GilesJosie
The only downside to this book is that Angie doesn’t have ten more for me to read immediately. Another great book. I read it in a day because I just couldn’t put it down. Her writing is captivating and impactful. And as always, I had tears streaming down my face at certain parts.
K. F.
Excellent book! Absolutely love that the book is told from a man’s POV. Angie Thomas is a masterful author and weaves in information from other books (On the Come Up and Dear Justyce — read both if you haven’t already!). Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. Wish there was a release date for another book in this series.
Emily VH
I read this as a 33 year old white woman who just gave birth to my first child this past January. Felt so much empathy for young Maverick, who finds out he is a dad at age 17! And meets his son at 3 months of age, same age as my son is now. I read On The Come Up as well as The Hate U Give, and loved them both. This is the prequel to The Hate U Give. It tells the story of Starr’s dad as a young man, trying to finish high school in a neighborhood where it’s safest to belong to a gang, where you can make way more money dealing than working an honest job. His mom supports them, his dad is in prison. I really really love how the characters are all complex, real people. Nothing is cut and dried. His mom is bisexual and is in a relationship with a woman; she is still married to Mavericks father and they have a complicated but honest and open relationship. The mother of Mavericks son is a teenager too who is struggling with post partum depression as well as life in the hood. Mavericks serious girlfriend breaks up with him when she finds he has a child by another woman, but he keeps trying to make it up to her and reunite. By the end of the book she is pregnant with his second child (Starr). They still are not an item but he is very involved in her pregnancy and also her future, her plans for college. He finally stops dealing so that he can live up to her expectations. He comes close to taking the life of someone who he thinks killed his cousin, but at the last moment thinks better of it and chooses to be the man who is in his kids lives, who isn’t in prison or watching over his shoulder waiting for the other shoe to drop. Great read!!!
Elle
#ConcreteRose is the highly anticipated prequel to #TheHateUGive which follows a young Maverick, son of a former gang legend (who is currently in prison) finds out he is now a father. Mav now has to step up/grow up to take care of his son. First of all.. All thanks to @angiethomas for getting me out of my reading slump 🥳🥳 This book was great. If you didn't love Maverick from THUG, you really fall in love with him here. This book really gets into why boys, especially black boys might get into gangs and/or selling drugs and so on... And it's not because they want to tear down their community 🙄. It also really delves into toxic masculinity and the notion that men aren't to feel emotions, shouldn't cry. "One of the biggest lies ever told is that Black men don't feel emotions" - Mr Wyatt ^^^✊🏽🙋🏾♀️ Highly recommend you read this one 😍 This book gets ALL the stars Catch me on IG @elisethenovicebookworm
Linda @ (un)Conventi
Oh wow! Ms. Angie Thomas did it again! This story is filled with feels. And I loved that the characters spoke AAVE to make their story that much more authentic and also realistic. Maverick definitely felt like he got the short end of the stick at times, however, mostly, he was able to take a step back and think things through. He lived up to his name as an independent thinker. Lisa as a teenager was amazing, I loved getting to know her, and seeing how she had dreams and plans for her life. And while she was upset with Mav's lack of plans, she still kind of believed in him, too. Mav's mom was the best! I loved her the most, I think, but at the same time, I also love Mr. Wyatt and Ms. Rosalie. Very well written, this story made my heart both heavy and light, and I can't wait for everyone I know to read it.
