Review: On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

The award-winning author of The Hate U Give returns with a powerful story about hip hop, freedom of speech – and fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you.

Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. As the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill. But when her first song goes viral for all the wrong reasons, Bri finds herself at the centre of controversy and portrayed by the media as more menace than MC. And with an eviction notice staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it – she has to. Even if it means becoming the very thing the public has made her out to be.

Review: Wow this book was just stunning! I loved the fact that this book is set in the same area as The Hate U Give and so I was familiar with the dynamic of the community. Having said that, you definitely don't have to have read The Hate U Give to enjoy this one but there are a couple of east eggs in there for fans of Angie Thomas's first novel. 

Brianna was just such an amazing character to spend this book with, she is one of he strongest people i 'know' and so I just loved reading about. She seems to manage to just take everything in her stride, nothing seems to phase her too much. I love the fact that she is outspoken but it does get her into some trouble. I saw some of the children I have taught in the past in her and I would have loved for them to have gone in the same direction as she did. 

This novel covers the importance of family and knowing when to trust them implicitly and knowing when to call them out for doing the wrong thing. The sense of community in this novel is awesome and I really felt like I was part of it as the reader. I also loved the fact that this book shows what it is like to be lacking in money but still living life and just getting on with things. Being out of cash doesn't mean that everything has to stop, you do your best with what you've got. 

I listened to this book on audiobook and i am glad that I did because hearing the poetic raps out loud definitely brought them to life for me and just totally added another dimension. Angie Thomas is hugely talented and her raps in this book that Bri performs and thinks about are just wonderful. I love the way that Bri thinks about words in terms of their syllables and their meaning-it made me think about their meaning more as well. 

I definitely recommend this book whether you are coming to this as a love of The Hate U Give or with fresh eyes, it is a wonderful book and I almost didn't want it to end!

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