On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

Summary from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least make it out of her neighborhood one day. As the daughter of an underground rap legend who died before he hit big, Bri’s got big shoes to fill. But now that her mom has unexpectedly lost her job, food banks and shutoff notices are as much a part of Bri’s life as beats and rhymes. With bills piling up and homelessness staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it—she has to make it.

On the Come Up is Angie Thomas’s homage to hip-hop, the art that sparked her passion for storytelling and continues to inspire her to this day. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; of the struggle to become who you are and not who everyone expects you to be; and of the desperate realities of poor and working-class black families.

Review:

I really enjoyed Thomas’ writing style again. There so much about hip hop culture that I know nothing about. And Angie Thomas does a remarkable job writing this both in an easy-flow type of style for people who are familiar with hip hop, and in a style that educates, without preaching to those not familiar. In other words, this book can work for hip hop lovers, novices, and possibly even hip hop haters.

This book was really good. It wasn’t quite as powerful to me, as The Hate You Give, but still unbelievably important. It tackled the topic of racism in a very different way from the first book. There was a lot less violence and suspense. And there was a lot more typical YA music tropes about making it big. However, I still found it remarkably compelling, interesting, and relevant for today’s times.

I did not love Bri as much as I loved Starr. And maybe that’s more my problem than the book’s or the author’s. I just kept comparing the two main characters. There were so many times when I wanted to shake some sense into Bri, when I wanted her to make other decisions than the ones she made. Though, I love how much she learned over the course of the novel.

I loved Bri’s family, particularly her mother. She was a character who deserved so much more than what she was given. And I loved her brother and grandparents too. Everyone was giving up so much of themselves to help someone else. Family is everything, in this book.

I also loved the hip hop element. I loved watching Bri’s brain work rhymes together. She had some amazing skills, and was so talented and creative. I would not be able to think on the spot like her, or stand up to crowds like her. I love the idea of a teen girl taking the hip hop scene by storm. And I definitely love all the moments she sticks up for herself and who she is. She just takes a little while in figuring that part out.

All in all, this book accomplishes what all YA books should accomplish. It makes you think. It has you questioning society and the way things have always been done. And it has you feeling so strongly about all of the injustices of the world. It’s also loaded with fantastic characters, great music, first love, and plenty of insight into what it means to grow up in a country that is so divided, and filled with so much hate.  It wasn’t as suspenseful or bluntly powerful as The Hate You Give, but it’s arguably even more important. I give it a 9/10.