Senior Cycle Book Review: Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

Concrete Rose is the prequel to the novel The Hate You Give, which was adapted for screen in 2018. Scooping up several awards throughout the literary sphere, The Hate You Give was critically acclaimed for its comment on police brutality in the US. This book, Concrete Rose, is set 17 years before the events of The Hate You Give, and has just as much of an impact. Maverick Carter, our central protagonist, becomes a father at the age of 17, and struggles to make ends meet. With his mother working two jobs and his father in prison, he has no choice but to resort to selling drugs. Angie Thomas gives a voice to the most marginalised group in US society, and vividly captures the raw emotions associated with living life in constant fear. Not a word is out of place in this novel, and the statement it makes about systematic oppression in the US is ineffable. As The Times have commented, this book is ‘a classic in the making.’ Thomas, in this novel, encapsulates the lived experience of so many people, yet still manages to create a suspenseful, heart-breaking and utterly inspiring piece of YA fiction. I would highly recommend this book to teens and adults alike, and its gripping narrative is suitable for readers of all levels.

Sarah Fitzgerald (Y6)