On the Come Up is About More Than Just Growing Up
Angie Thomas, the author of The Hate U Give , has a second and less well-known novel published in 2019. I believe that while it is less powerful than The Hate U Give , it does a good job of showcasing Thomas’s eloquent and captivating writing. On the Come Up shows the interconnectivity between race and poverty. It is also a unique coming of age story. It tells the story of an aspiring rapper named Bri. Bri lives with her mother and older brother in Garden Heights, a neighborhood near Jackson, Mississippi. They live in poverty, spending a portion of the book without the heat in their house. Jay, Bri’s mother, worked as a secretary before losing her job. High school student Bri wants to make a name for herself as a rapper, but she can’t seem to step out of her father’s shoes. Her father Lawless was killed by a gang when she was a toddler. He was also a legendary rapper at battles in their community. Bri often attends those rap battles, sometimes competing, which is rare for a femal...
