Title: On the Come Up

Author: Angie Thomas

Page Count: 464

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: February 5, 2019 by Balzer + Bray

Format: Hardcover

Review: This is an exceptionally well-written coming-of-age story about staying true to yourself and following your dreams.  What I really loved about it is that Thomas was able to touch upon a lot of hot topics without this book feeling like it was issue fiction.  A Blade So Black touched upon a lot of the same issues, but as I noted in my review, I did not like that the controversial topics were laid out in a very one dimensional fashion.  Angie Thomas managed to avoid this pitfall by exploring the issues from many different angles.  I think this is a very socially responsible approach, and gives the story more power with a wider audience.  I, for example, grew up with very different challenges than the main character, Bri, and though I do not agree with all of her choices and opinions, I can completely understand how her life experiences have shaped her perspective on and reaction to the events that take place in the story.  I think this speaks volumes about Thomas’ skill as a writer, and it makes me very excited about whatever projects she may have coming up in the (hopefully) near future.

Reader: Bekah

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