Hi all!

In July, my husband and I did our first joint book review for We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. You can check it out here. We had so much fun, we decided to discuss On the Come Up by Angie Thomas, who also wrote The Hate U Give. We both read her debut novel and loved it, so we wanted to give her second book a chance. This post will be structured like my regular reviews. You will see my thoughts first, then his. We will compare notes on plot, characters, writing style and an overall star-rating. Enjoy!

MY THOUGHTS 

THE PLOT

Much like The Hate U Give, this novel takes place in the same world: Garden Heights. Bri, a talented rapper, wants to make it big so she can help out her struggling family. When she begins to gain fame and attention, she is forced to choose between who she really is and who others think she should be.

I liked that this book referenced The Hate U Give, without naming actual characters. It highlighted how African Americans are misrepresented and treated unfairly, based on the colour of their skin. It also spoke about the struggles faced in the rougher parts of the neighbourhood (e.g. gang wars, drug-dealing and threats of violence). I will say, the ending went in an unexpected direction. I did not envision it unfolding as it did. I felt it was quite abrupt/rushed, but overall, it packed the same emotional punch as Angie’s debut novel.

THE CHARACTERS

Bri was a strong and fiery protagonist. Her hot temper got her into trouble many times throughout the story. However, I admired how she never backed down from injustice. Her mother, Jay, has only recently come back into the picture, after battling a drug addiction for years. Their dynamic slowly evolves as the story moves along. Another interesting character is Bri’s Aunt Pooh, who is a member of the Garden Disciples, a street gang in Garden Heights. She is overly protective of Bri; even if that means getting her hands dirty in the process. One review said this book was too romance heavy, but I disagree. I found the romance tasteful and satisfying. Despite all that Bri goes through, she is still a normal teenager, attracted to boys and surviving school.

THE WRITING STYLE 

Angie Thomas’s writing style is her strength. She is so gifted at making important statements, that are thought-provoking. She is also talented at creating familial bonds. In both her novels, family is an important theme. You get a real sense of the neighbourhood, friends and church, that serve as a community to the protagonist. Also, Angie Thomas used to be a rapper, so the rap-battles in this story come from a place of experience. The scenes in ‘The Ring’ were some of my favourite parts. Her rhymes are so well-polished and executed.

STAR RATING 

I gave it 4/5 stars. 

MY HUSBAND’S THOUGHTS 

THE PLOT

The book kept me guessing in terms of what direction it was going to go. There were some tense moments that had me itching to know what happens next. Without spoiling it, the ending was a little unexpected for me. I’m not unhappy with it, but it could have been better. My only other criticism was, at times, it felt quite cliche and done for the sake of being controversial. Like The Hate U Give, it was good at addressing some real issues people face in the world today. It offered a lot of insight into the struggles experienced by those who grow up in situations of hardship. Angie did a great job highlighting the impact certain actions can have on the whole community. There was also a small reference to The Hate U Give, as it takes place in the same neighbourhood.

THE CHARACTERS

I loved some of the characters in this book. I felt I could imagine what they’d be like if they were real. Aunt Pooh in particular, was really well written. She was such a larger than life figure. The main character did fly off the handle a little easily at times, sometimes coming across as unbelievable. She really let people get to her too easily, but I guess that was part of the story.

THE WRITING STYLE 

My favourite aspect of the book was the writing style, and how well it incorporated hip-hop culture into the story. I’m a big fan of hip-hop and know it’s history quite well, so I think maybe I was able to pick up on a few things the average reader will have missed. It’s definitely one for the hip-hop lovers.

STAR RATING 

I gave it 4/5 stars.

I hope you enjoyed this post! This time around, we had very similar opinions in terms of both the positive and negative aspects of the book. 

Peace & Love xoxo