Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

The following review contains spoilers.

Bibliography: Thomas, A. (2021). Concrete Rose (D. Graham, Narr.) [Audiobook, Everand app]. HarperAudio. ISBN 9780063043817. 

Plot Summary: Maverick Carter is a seventeen-year-old high school student who's life quickly turns upside down when he learns he has a son. He spends his time dealing drugs for the King Lords, a gang that his own dad used to run and that his cousin currently runs. Once he learns he has a son, Maverick has a choice to make if he wants to continue down the same path that led his father to prison, or if he wants to start over and pursue something that will better him as a father and a person. Throughout the story Maverick faces many difficult situations and learns quickly what it is to truly be a man.

Critical Analysis: The audiobook for Concrete Rose was narrated by Dion Graham. Throughout the book Graham portrayed various characters using different accents and voices. While the reading did not contain any music or background noises, the introduction and closing comments did have a hip hop beat that played in the background. The introduction of the audiobook provided the book title, author name, and narrator name. The closing comments of the audiobook included credits to the author, narrator, and other staff and producers of the audiobook, as well as a thank you to listeners. Both the introduction and the conclusion were very short, but I feel that this may have been due to the fact that the gravity of the work itself is so heavy in such a short amount of time.

This audiobook was one that I was excited to start and genuinely excited to continue listening to. I spent every minute that I could listening to the audiobook through headphones and my car speakers. It was a true experience because Graham did an amazing job bringing the character of Maverick to life. Listeners could hear the emotion in his voice when he was grieving the loss of his cousin, when he found out Lisa was pregnant, and when he tried to avenge Dre's death. While the book was very heavy at some points, there were definitely lighter parts of friends and family joking around and first-time parents learning their way. Graham continued to keep the book lively and interesting no matter what voice or situation he was reading.

There were definitely times where I caught myself crying for Maverick and all that he endured, as well as times where I found myself rooting for him and celebrating his victories. While I would not consider myself the same person as Maverick, there were a few parts where I could relate to him. For instance, the main point of the book: Maverick finding out he's a father and going through the trials and tribulations of new-parenthood. I audibly laughed at parts that discussed Maverick comically struggling with parenting, like the scene where Seven pooped on his new clothes. I could remember what it was like with my newborn baby and finding my way through those moments.

When I first started this book I intended to read it on my e-reader, but in all honesty it was not as easy for me to follow because it is written in African American Vernacular English (AAVE). While I am familiar with the words used, I kept getting tripped up on reading them. Being able to listen to the audiobook and full soak in what the narrator was saying was so helpful and also added to the depth of the book.

This book is something that I can see appealing to those who have either lived through experiences like Mavericks (teen pregnancy, gang relations, grief) or those who are interested in those topics without having experience. It does help that this book is a prequel to one of Thomas' other books, The Hate U Give. The Hate U Give was made into a movie in 2018 and picked up a lot of traction. Those who enjoyed the movie or the book at that time would be inclined to see where Starr, the main character of THUG, came from.

Reviews:

• Booklist starred, January 1, 2021: "Maverick’s story is one that offers hope, encouragement, and optimism, and it shows those going through difficult times of their own that they can take control of their own destiny."
• Kirkus Reviews starred, December 1, 2020: "This literary DeLorean transports readers into the past, where they hope, dream, and struggle alongside beloved characters from Thomas’ The Hate U Give (2017)."
• School Library Journal starred, December 1, 2020: "Maverick Carter, who is Black, is a wonderfully complex character who will resonate with readers of all stripes. Thomas writes with a depth of humor and clarity that really allows readers to bond with the characters. "

Connections:

• Students can write reflection letters offering Maverick advice on the situations he's in. Students can also pretend to write the letters as Maverick and offer advice to someone younger than him.
• Students as a class can create a community map and show the positive and negative influences in Maverick's life from his community. Afterwards, students can create their own personal community map.
• Students can create a playlist that reflects the various situations that Maverick experiences.