After I finished Concrete Rose and The Hate U Give (which I did reviews for on this blog as well), I was very eager to read this book – both because I really enjoyed the aforementioned books, and because I was intrigued by this book’s premise. Although On the Come Up is set in the same fictional location (Garden Heights) as the aforementioned books, it has a very different tone, narrative and set of characters as compared to them. However, that didn’t stop it from being just as fantastic.
For one, even though On the Come Up‘s tone is less sombre than Thomas’ previous books, it is still very emotionally charged. I loved following Bri’s journey to becoming a recognized rapper while battling her circumstances along the way. Although there were many factors that tried to label her as a stereotypical “ratchet hoodlum” and bring her down, she never stopped fighting, and refused to be silenced in her battle to speak the truth and bring awareness to sensitive issues like racism, police brutality and gang violence – issues that she herself had experienced. Thomas did a great job of letting you feel Bri’s emotions and mental state, and allow you to get really attached to her journey. She’s sassy and confident, but still realistic in the sense that she still carries genuine insecurities related to her family’s financial issues, as well as her fear of being a burden on her loved ones. I’m glad that she managed to strengthen her relationships with them by the end of the novel.
Additionally, just like when I read Concrete Rose and The Hate U Give, I found myself getting really attached to the other characters in this book as well, perhaps even more so than the aforementioned books. Miles’ arc probably stuck out to me the most, since he was introduced as Bri’s rap competitor and potential antagonist. But as the story progressed, we got to know more about who he truly was, rather than that shallow, brash persona we saw at the start of the story. (I literally yelled out loud when that plotline about his relationship with Sonny was revealed.) Curtis and Bri getting together made me really happy as well, because I had kind of predicted they might end up together, or at least admit their feelings for each other before the end of the book. Jay was also a strong woman, given that she managed to maintain the willpower to stay clean for eight years to care for her children. She was also a great mother to Bri (despite the fact that she intially wasn’t supportive of Bri rapping for obvious reasons), and I was so happy when Bri finally started calling her “Mom” again. Trey, Sonny, Aunt Pooh and Malik were also great characters as well, and had their own individual arcs that I loved too. Overall, just like Thomas’ previous side characters, all the characters in On the Come Up possess very three-dimensional, fleshed out personalities and arcs, which makes the novel even more of a pleasure to read.
The only thing that I didn’t like about this book is that Bri wasn’t able to retrieve her father’s pendant. But I guess this is a realistic aspect of the story, given that a literal gangster held her at gunpoint to steal it. Plus, I personally think it’s supposed to represent Bri becoming her own person, as compared to earlier in the story when she was overshadowed by her father’s legacy. Side note, I had no idea that Angie Thomas herself used to be a rapper until I flipped to the inside of the book’s back cover and saw her bio. That completely explained why Bri’s lyrics seemed so legitimate and sounded like real rap. In fact, just the lyrics of Bri’s songs alone made the whole story feel more real and emotional. Overall, I loved this book, as well as Thomas’ uncensored descriptions of the various effects of racism and its numerous forms, be it internalized, covert, or violent. It really highlighted the message that when you’re of a minority demographic, everything about your identity and choices can easily be interpreted as a stereotype or a political statement. I can’t wait to see the movie when it finally comes out, and I really hope that it’ll do the book justice – 4.8 / 5
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