Erin's Reviews > On the Come Up

Damn, I loved this book! The Hate U Give was one of my favorite reads in 2017 and it looks like On the Come Up is going to make my 2019 list. Angie Thomas absolutely nails "voice" and "characterization " in her storytelling and in 16 year old Brianna, an aspiring rapper, she creates a protagonist that I was cheering for from page one.

That's what we call our goal, the come up. It's when we finally make it with this rap stuff. I'm talking get-out-of-the-Garden-and-have-enough-money-to-never-worry-again make it.

This will most likely not be a shock to anyone but I don't know a lot about the hip hop industry and the only time I really listen to rap music is when one of my high school students plays it during basketball in the gymnasium. But Angie Thomas was a teenage rapper at one time and the way this story unfolds certainly makes me wonder how much of the story is her actual story. So many characters remind Brianna to be true to herself, but I liked how Thomas really flicks the microscope on the industry, its artists, and social media.

Another clear winner for me is that there are so many types of relationships in this story. Brianna and her mother, Jayda. The tight sibling relationship between Brianna and her big brother, Trey. Probably one of my all time favorite characters was Brianna's Aunt Pooh( Katricia), a member of a local gang who has always been Brianna's chief cheerleader when it comes to her music.

So many characters and even though Brianna is the main lead, as a readerI felt really get to know so much about each of them and a sense of their importance in Brianna's life. There are just so many incredible scenes of dialogue between Brianna and the other characters. Without spoiling too much, there is this incredible scene between Jayda and her sister Katricia that still gets me a bit misty eyed.

Like The Hate U Give Thomas also looks at racism in our society. Brianna's rap aspirations come head to head as she is dealing with something that happens at her school and in her home. When her fellow students use one of her songs in their peaceful protest, Brianna finds her identity struggles to now be interwoven with the music she writes.

But I don't want people thinking that this book is just heavy because there is plenty of laughter to be found too. Especially between Brianna and her pals Malik and Sonny.

Tweety Bird? The love of my life. Big Bird? I don't trust that ho. Plus, have you seen his nest? He probably hides bodies in it.

But I guess Curtis is cute in the same way rodents are weirdly adorable. You know how you'll see a baby mouse and will be like "Aw, cute! Until that bitch is raiding your cabinet, eating the Halloween candy you hid from your little sisters.


So I definitely loved this book. I certainly would recommend it to others. Even if you weren't a fan of The Hate U Give, give it a shot. Lastly, I would love to hear what other readers have thought and would appreciate a good discussion.