Concrete Rose

Concrete Rose

Bibliography

Thomas, Angie. 2021. CONCRETE ROSE. New York, NY: Balzer + Bray. ISBN 9780062846716

Plot Summary

In this prequel to Angie Thomas's bestselling novel, The Hate U Give, Concrete Rose takes place seventeen years before Starr's story. Seventeen year old Maverick thinks he has it all, but when he discovers that he is a father, he must do what it takes to take care of his family, his education, and himself while being a part of the notorious gang, the King Lords.

Critical Analysis

Concrete Rose is a prequel to Angie Thomas's, The Hate U Give. This book tells about Maverick Carter, a seventeen year old gang member who becomes a father at a young age and must do what he can to take care of what he needs to. 

Maverick Carter is like and unlike every seventeen year old boy. His struggles are some that young boys face (trying to keep up grades in school, working things out with a girlfriend) while others are some that only few boys face (becoming a father at seventeen, being a member of a gang). What every boy and even girl can relate to though is the emotions that come with facing difficult circumstances and the thoughts that go through the mind of those that feel like they can't give anymore. Thomas does an excellent job of expressing these things through Maverick and making him out to be such a relatable character, even if readers haven't faced the situations he has.

The other characters in this book make a fantastic supporting cast, with characters like Maverick's mother, Faye and Maverick's neighbor turned boss, Mr. Wyatt being role models and mentors and characters like Lisa, Maverick's girlfriend and Dre, his cousin, being strong and determined. Each character is filled with personality and play an important part in the story being told.

Thomas's themes of loyalty, family, and responsibility come in different, poignant moments, like the death and Dre and Maverick's struggles with getting out of the gang. Again, while readers may not relate to the exact circumstances, they will relate to the overall emotions and thoughts that Maverick experiences in those moments and the lessons he learns from them. 

Without a doubt, Concrete Rose is a hit and a great continuation to the The Hate U Give series. 

Review Excerpts

Michael L. Printz Award Honor 2022

Kirkus Reviews Starred: " Thomas proves Game of Thrones–esque in her worldbuilding ability, deepening her landscape without sacrificing intimacy or heart. Garden Heights doesn’t contain dragons or sorcerers, but it’s nevertheless a kingdom under siege, and the contemporary pressures its royalty faces are graver for the realness that no magic spell can alleviate.:

Publishers Weekly Starred: "Through its portrayal of loss and upheaval, this story acts as a tender love letter to a close Black family and community—one that isn’t without problems but is always full of love."

Connections

Other Books by Angie Thomas: The Hate U Give

                                                    On the Come Up

                                                    Blackout

If You Liked Concrete Rose: Smooth by Matt Burns

                                               Come Home Safe by Brian Buckmire

                                               The Boy Lost in the Maze by Joseph Coelho

Activity: Read both this book and The Hate U Give. Discuss how the characters from the prequel have grown and changed since then and how they are portrayed now in The Hate U Give.