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amplawrence's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Racism, Violence, Death, Mental illness, Medical content, Car accident, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Slavery and Rape
elwirax's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Trigger Warnings: death of family members, visceral description of anxiety, racism.
"A man who doesn’t protect his family is no man either but one man can’t protect everyone, and a boy shouldn’t have to try"
"The Cost of Knowing" was a difficult book both in terms of subject matter and giving an overall rating. Alex's anxiety throughout was so strong it was almost palpable. He was constantly worried that his brother, Isaiah may die at any moment and there was no way he could stop it. These types of emotions were bound to put the reader on edge as well, which made it that much harder to read about.
Despite this, there were moments where these stresses were somewhat aleviated. I loved seeing Alex and Isaiah grow closer as brothers through their shared powers and rap music. The scene at Shiv Skeptic's concert was amazingly written and I loved seeing Isaiah's character so happy. Their love for eachother is particularly evident here and it really hit hard especially when paired with the ending.
The author did an amazing job of addressing slavery and Black history, as well as the difficulties of being a Black boy in todays society and having to grow up too fast as a result. Ancestry was incorporated into "The Cost of Knowing" really well and brought a deeper meaning to story.
However, many of the side characters such as Talia fell flat and the world building wasn't really fleshed out. This book relied heavily on repetition particularly in terms of Alex's power (which was understandable) but quickly got tiring. I also think the last 15% was slightly rushed and could've been drawn out more for a better conclusion.
Overall, it's clear the authors intent was to focus on familial love and the struggles Black people face due to racism and this is exactly what was accomplished. I would definitely recommend reading "The Cost of Knowing" to those who can.
"A man who doesn’t protect his family is no man either but one man can’t protect everyone, and a boy shouldn’t have to try"
"The Cost of Knowing" was a difficult book both in terms of subject matter and giving an overall rating. Alex's anxiety throughout was so strong it was almost palpable. He was constantly worried that his brother, Isaiah may die at any moment and there was no way he could stop it. These types of emotions were bound to put the reader on edge as well, which made it that much harder to read about.
Despite this, there were moments where these stresses were somewhat aleviated. I loved seeing Alex and Isaiah grow closer as brothers through their shared powers and rap music. The scene at Shiv Skeptic's concert was amazingly written and I loved seeing Isaiah's character so happy. Their love for eachother is particularly evident here and it really hit hard especially when paired with the ending.
The author did an amazing job of addressing slavery and Black history, as well as the difficulties of being a Black boy in todays society and having to grow up too fast as a result. Ancestry was incorporated into "The Cost of Knowing" really well and brought a deeper meaning to story.
However, many of the side characters such as Talia fell flat and the world building wasn't really fleshed out. This book relied heavily on repetition particularly in terms of Alex's power (which was understandable) but quickly got tiring. I also think the last 15% was slightly rushed and could've been drawn out more for a better conclusion.
Overall, it's clear the authors intent was to focus on familial love and the struggles Black people face due to racism and this is exactly what was accomplished. I would definitely recommend reading "The Cost of Knowing" to those who can.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, and Car accident
Minor: Slavery and Rape
plantbasedbride's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The Cost of Knowing is a gut-wrenching tale of generational trauma, racial profiling, grief, racism, and loss. It's the story of Alex and what it's like for him to be a Black boy in America.
Overwhelmed by anxiety since his parents' death, Alex is just trying to survive each day. Visions of the future come unbidden with every touch of his palm, amplifying his worry. When he sees a vision of his younger brother's imminent death, Alex resolves to spend whatever time he has left bringing Isaiah the joy he deserves.
This story is heartbreaking, all the more so because it echoes the experience of so many young Black people in America. The pain and fear Alex lives with is not an exaggeration or an overreaction, and this novel does not turn away from that injustice.
This book broke me. I haven't sobbed so much while reading in a long time. But it's also so necessary for people like me, a white woman born into a level of privilege and safety I did nothing to earn, to confront. "Well-meaning" white people aren't free from blame. Our whiteness guards us against seeing and understanding the truth of what our ignorance and fear do to those with marginalized bodies. We need to open our eyes. It's long overdue.
Brittney Morris tells Alex's story with compassion, vulnerability, and strength. And it's a story that needs to be heard.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC for review. All opinions are my own.
Overwhelmed by anxiety since his parents' death, Alex is just trying to survive each day. Visions of the future come unbidden with every touch of his palm, amplifying his worry. When he sees a vision of his younger brother's imminent death, Alex resolves to spend whatever time he has left bringing Isaiah the joy he deserves.
This story is heartbreaking, all the more so because it echoes the experience of so many young Black people in America. The pain and fear Alex lives with is not an exaggeration or an overreaction, and this novel does not turn away from that injustice.
This book broke me. I haven't sobbed so much while reading in a long time. But it's also so necessary for people like me, a white woman born into a level of privilege and safety I did nothing to earn, to confront. "Well-meaning" white people aren't free from blame. Our whiteness guards us against seeing and understanding the truth of what our ignorance and fear do to those with marginalized bodies. We need to open our eyes. It's long overdue.
Brittney Morris tells Alex's story with compassion, vulnerability, and strength. And it's a story that needs to be heard.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC for review. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, and Child death
Minor: Slavery and Rape
betweentheshelves's review
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Apparently, heavy books are the theme of my recent picks. Because man, this was another heavy book. But also so well done. After the death of their parents, Alex has been doing his best to take care of himself and his brother Isaiah. That's hard though, when he gets visions of everything he touches. Everything changes when he gets a vision of Isaiah's death.
This is a book about Black boys who have to grow up too fast and white people who don't think they're racist. Morris's take with the visions felt really unique and added to the overall discussions happening in the book. My only complaint is that at times, Alex's explanations of his visions felt a little repetitive. But everything else was spot on.
This is a book about Black boys who have to grow up too fast and white people who don't think they're racist. Morris's take with the visions felt really unique and added to the overall discussions happening in the book. My only complaint is that at times, Alex's explanations of his visions felt a little repetitive. But everything else was spot on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Grief, Death of parent, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, and Hate crime
Moderate: Car accident, Child death, Slavery, and Suicide
Minor: Cursing, Rape, and Police brutality
daniellestarredpages's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Read my review here:
http://starredpages.com/2021/04/12/book-review-the-cost-of-knowing/
http://starredpages.com/2021/04/12/book-review-the-cost-of-knowing/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Racism, Slavery, and Suicide
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Rape
perpetualpages's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
CWs: anxiety, panic attacks, death/child death/parental death, grief, racism, brief mentions of suicidal ideation and self-harm, allusions to a suicide attempt, police brutality, references fo slavery and rape, and mass shooting
Brittney Morris has done it once again. She has written an incredible novel that is very much needed and that offers an outstretched hand to Black youth, especially—one that's all wrapped up in emotion and catharsis. This is a challenging book, and may certainly prove to be a hard one to bear witness to for some readers, but it is unflinching in both its truth and its hope.
This is a hard-hitting contemporary story with a surrealist edge in how its protagonist has the ability to see the future of anyone he touches. While it might seem like knowing the future is an empowering ability, it actually has the opposite effect on Alex and makes him feel powerless under the weight of the future's inevitability, especially when he sees his own brother's death.
To me, this ability was a powerful allegory for how Black youth—and young Black men, specifically—bear the weight of knowing the systemic pain that awaits them in this world. To be a young Black man in America is, in some ways, to accept the possibility of your own death and the death of those you love before it even happens—and what is that if not "predicting the future" based on what's been proven in the past?
So not only is this story an exploration of that grave injustice, but it's also about Alex reconnecting with his brother and his loved ones, realizing that he can either succumb to the despair of knowing that his brother won't survive, or he can try and find moments of joy in the time they have left together. In some ways, it's also about how joy in the face of oppression is a radical act, and a way of reclaiming agency over the right we all have to live and love—a right that is often forcibly taken away from Black youth at too young an age.
The story also challenges concepts of toxic masculinity, especially in how it explores power and powerlessness. When you're not able to control an outcome, where do you draw power from? Does it make us stronger to look away from something we know we're going to lose or to confront the fear that accompanies that loss? Over the course of the story, Alex is learning that there is no power in detaching, disassociating, or even wanting to lash out at the world. Instead the harder work is confronting his own sadness about his situation, learning how to be unafraid in the way he loves and needs the people around him, and extracting moments of connection and joy from the pain and loss. Alex is realizing that it's okay to be afraid of the future, to be anxious, to be hurt and sad, and that doesn't mean he's failed or that he's not a man—it means he's human.
This is a powerful story about resilience, joy, and brotherhood in the face of extreme pain and loss. As Brittney Morris writes in her acknowledgements, this is very much a "Black-boy-joy despite" book, for all the Black men who are trying to be joyful and unafraid despite the world proving itself to be inhospitable to their joys and hopes. Their lives, their experiences, and their feelings matter, and this is a book that beautifully, brilliantly, and painfully makes space for those complicated feelings to exist. I can say with every confidence that this is definitely a must-read book, right alongside Brittney's stunning debut, Slay.
Brittney Morris has done it once again. She has written an incredible novel that is very much needed and that offers an outstretched hand to Black youth, especially—one that's all wrapped up in emotion and catharsis. This is a challenging book, and may certainly prove to be a hard one to bear witness to for some readers, but it is unflinching in both its truth and its hope.
This is a hard-hitting contemporary story with a surrealist edge in how its protagonist has the ability to see the future of anyone he touches. While it might seem like knowing the future is an empowering ability, it actually has the opposite effect on Alex and makes him feel powerless under the weight of the future's inevitability, especially when he sees his own brother's death.
To me, this ability was a powerful allegory for how Black youth—and young Black men, specifically—bear the weight of knowing the systemic pain that awaits them in this world. To be a young Black man in America is, in some ways, to accept the possibility of your own death and the death of those you love before it even happens—and what is that if not "predicting the future" based on what's been proven in the past?
So not only is this story an exploration of that grave injustice, but it's also about Alex reconnecting with his brother and his loved ones, realizing that he can either succumb to the despair of knowing that his brother won't survive, or he can try and find moments of joy in the time they have left together. In some ways, it's also about how joy in the face of oppression is a radical act, and a way of reclaiming agency over the right we all have to live and love—a right that is often forcibly taken away from Black youth at too young an age.
The story also challenges concepts of toxic masculinity, especially in how it explores power and powerlessness. When you're not able to control an outcome, where do you draw power from? Does it make us stronger to look away from something we know we're going to lose or to confront the fear that accompanies that loss? Over the course of the story, Alex is learning that there is no power in detaching, disassociating, or even wanting to lash out at the world. Instead the harder work is confronting his own sadness about his situation, learning how to be unafraid in the way he loves and needs the people around him, and extracting moments of connection and joy from the pain and loss. Alex is realizing that it's okay to be afraid of the future, to be anxious, to be hurt and sad, and that doesn't mean he's failed or that he's not a man—it means he's human.
This is a powerful story about resilience, joy, and brotherhood in the face of extreme pain and loss. As Brittney Morris writes in her acknowledgements, this is very much a "Black-boy-joy despite" book, for all the Black men who are trying to be joyful and unafraid despite the world proving itself to be inhospitable to their joys and hopes. Their lives, their experiences, and their feelings matter, and this is a book that beautifully, brilliantly, and painfully makes space for those complicated feelings to exist. I can say with every confidence that this is definitely a must-read book, right alongside Brittney's stunning debut, Slay.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Racism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Police brutality
Minor: Rape, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
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