ON THE COME UP

This honest and unflinching story of
toil, tears, and triumph is a musical love letter that proves literary
lightning does indeed strike twice.

Thomas’ (The Hate U Give, 2017) sophomore novel returns to
Garden Heights, but while Brianna may live in Starr’s old neighborhood, their
experiences couldn’t differ more. Raised by a widowed mother, a recovering drug
addict, Bri attends an arts school while dreaming of becoming a famous rapper,
as her father was before gang violence ended his life. Her struggles within the
music industry and in school highlight the humiliations and injustices that
remain an indelible part of the African-American story while also showcasing
rap’s undeniable lyrical power as a language through which to find strength.
Bri’s journey is deeply personal: small in scope and edgy in tone. When Bri
raps, the prose sings on the page as she uses it to voice her frustration at
being stigmatized as “hood” at school, her humiliation at being unable to pay
the bills, and her yearning to succeed in the music world on her own merit.
Most importantly, the novel gives voice to teens whose lives diverge from
middle-class Americana. Bri wrestles with parent relationships and boy drama—and
a trip to the food bank so they don’t starve during Christmas. The rawness of
Bri’s narrative demonstrates Thomas’ undeniable storytelling prowess as she
tells truths that are neither pretty nor necessarily universally relatable.

A joyous experience awaits. Read it.
Learn it. Love it. (Fiction. 13-adult)