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sofiajearally's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
4.0
Even though I did like it, I am disappointed in this book because I really wanted to LOVE it.
The thing that I enjoyed the most was Alex's and Isiah's relationship and how it blossoms as the story goes. How gentle Alex gets with his little brother, and how loving and trusting Isiah is... How they show their love for each other without any shame, because there shouldn't be any shame in that, despite what society says. The softness and the tenderness shine through. It made me teary and even weep many times. I wish we had more of it, but that's the whole point of the book, so...
Unfortunately, that was just 200 pages out of more than 300. The pacing felt off to me, especially the beginning which was dragging. The last 40 pages, after the main event, were also tedious to go through; I honestly didn't care for it and it seemed weirdly laid out to me.
The writing was repetitive, I honestly got sick of Alex "cancelling visions of him unlocking his phone then unlocking it". I think the author should have given more credit to her readers and assume that we would remember how these visions work without spelling it out for us every single damn time. Repetitive also in the concepts and ideas that the characters have, especially concerning how to break the curse. They seemed to have a breakthrough every time but it was always the same idea. Again. We get it.
There were also elements that I personally didn't care that much about, like the romantic subplot but that's personal I guess. The take of the author on the other themes explored in the book: family, legacy, racism, anxiety, was nicely done. The "joy in the face of adversity" theme was, I thought, beautiful, and written with true sincerity and love from the author. I hope she gets to write that book about Black boy joy because I have no doubt it will be amazing.
Unfortunately, this book didn't live up to my expectations and I feel like so much more could have been done with the same premises, plot and characters.
The thing that I enjoyed the most was Alex's and Isiah's relationship and how it blossoms as the story goes. How gentle Alex gets with his little brother, and how loving and trusting Isiah is... How they show their love for each other without any shame, because there shouldn't be any shame in that, despite what society says. The softness and the tenderness shine through. It made me teary and even weep many times. I wish we had more of it, but that's the whole point of the book, so...
Unfortunately, that was just 200 pages out of more than 300. The pacing felt off to me, especially the beginning which was dragging. The last 40 pages, after the main event, were also tedious to go through; I honestly didn't care for it and it seemed weirdly laid out to me.
The writing was repetitive, I honestly got sick of Alex "cancelling visions of him unlocking his phone then unlocking it". I think the author should have given more credit to her readers and assume that we would remember how these visions work without spelling it out for us every single damn time. Repetitive also in the concepts and ideas that the characters have, especially concerning how to break the curse. They seemed to have a breakthrough every time but it was always the same idea. Again. We get it.
There were also elements that I personally didn't care that much about, like the romantic subplot but that's personal I guess. The take of the author on the other themes explored in the book: family, legacy, racism, anxiety, was nicely done. The "joy in the face of adversity" theme was, I thought, beautiful, and written with true sincerity and love from the author. I hope she gets to write that book about Black boy joy because I have no doubt it will be amazing.
Unfortunately, this book didn't live up to my expectations and I feel like so much more could have been done with the same premises, plot and characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Violence, Car accident, and Grief
Minor: Police brutality and Blood
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
atjude's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Slavery
Moderate: Car accident, Colonisation, Death of parent, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, and Child death
mljames's review
emotional
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
5.0
This was a very good novel. I finished it in three days, and that is fast for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Gun violence
Moderate: Racism, Hate crime, Gun violence, Murder, Car accident, and Death of parent
Minor: Blood
kaidoz's review
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
This book had an interesting premise and lived up to it. It also included reflection on the current state of how black boys in America must live.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Mass/school shootings, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Mental illness, Gore, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Self harm, Car accident, and Cursing
Minor: Slavery, Sexual content, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Alcohol, and Drug abuse
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
belleden's review against another edition
dark
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
5.0
I knew this book would be a 5-star read from the very first chapter. Morris's writing makes you feel like you're right there alongside the characters. The closer you get to the ending, the harder your heart will pound. Alex's visions feel like a metaphor for OCD or GAD so I felt like I could really relate to him. The lore, character development, and plot twists were all impeccably written. I will be recommending this book to my friends!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Grief, and Racism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Death, Death of parent, and Car accident
theasbookworld's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Thrilling, heartbreaking page-turner.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kevin R. Free and I just flew though it since I found it hard to put down and always wanted to know what happened next.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kevin R. Free and I just flew though it since I found it hard to put down and always wanted to know what happened next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, and Self harm
Moderate: Blood, Car accident, Child death, Death, and Death of parent
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
dedonohoe's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? No
4.0
TL;DR: A tragic, gripping YA loss-of-innocence tale interwoven with multigenerational magic that demonstrates just how elusive a carefree, joyful childhood is for Black boys in America. My rating: 4 of 5 stars
After a few chapters, I had a hard time putting The Cost of Knowing down. And yet, I’m having a harder time than usual reviewing this book because the parts of the story that make it so so special feel like spoilers. But I’ll try. In the acknowledgements, Morris writes that before she could write a Black boy joy book, she had to write a “Black-boy-joy-despite book.” The Cost of Knowing is a story about two Black boy brothers (11 and 16) coping with the loss of their parents while living with their aunt in her very affluent and very white gated community in a suburb of Chicago.
On the surface, Alex is just a grieving kid struggling to be the man of the house his father taught him to be--working his ass off for Scoop, the owner of a local ice cream shop (and still unjustly being treated like he is unreliable), to earn a paycheck and provide for the people he loves (like his girlfriend and deceased best friend’s mother, who he surreptitiously sends part of his earnings to).
However, Alex has a secret. Ever since his parents died, he can see the future of every object or person he touches. This is not a superpower, it’s a curse. Alex spends his days trying to avoid the thousands and thousands of visions that he’s plagued by, usually without success. He lives with debilitating anxiety over the things he sees or is afraid he’ll see. One of the smallest but most heartbreaking consequences of Alex’s curse is how isolated it leaves him, starving himself and his loved ones of the healing and comforting physical touches he and they crave. Maybe it’s partially due to a year of being physically isolated due to the pandemic, but I DIED every time Alex wished he could hold his girlfriend’s hand or hug his brother. GIVE THIS BOY A HUG. Besides that, Morris also kept me in my feels with how she wrote Alex’s visions and anxiety. I could imagine how exhausting they were to experience because they were exhausting to read.
One day Alex sees something he can’t unsee--a grave with his little brother’s name on it. With this premonition, he must decide how to spend the last few days of his brother’s life. Alex feels helpless amid thoughts of the many, many dangers that could befall a young Black boy, from a car accident, to a slippery floor, to the Karen nextdoor who bakes the boys cookies at the same time she reveals her racism with colorblind rhetoric and coded language petitioning against a Black rap artist’s performance to keep certain kinds of people out of their safe neighborhood.
Despite being somewhat estranged in the years after their parents' passing, the brothers come together and discover the secrets they’ve each been hiding and how the curse connects them to the magic of their regal ancestors in Africa. I found this part of the storyline particularly affecting given that the legacy of slavery continues to rob Black Americans of their genealogies.
Another aspect of this story that I loved was how this trauma gives Alex the maturity and courage he needs to reject the patriarchal norms of masculinity he grew up on and step away from some of the responsibilities he felt compelled to prematurely take on. No one can give Alex, or frankly any Black boy, the childhood they deserve. But he can learn to set boundaries and prioritize his mental health. He can be open about his feelings and nourish and be nourished in meaningful relationships. He can relish joy wherever he creates it or finds it. His feelings matter.
This story lost a star for me due to my frustration over one plot point. In the days leading up to when he expects his brother’s death, Alex wants to give his brother happy and fun final days. However, in connection with the curse, he’s also set on forcing both himself and his brother to face their worst fears. These motives felt contradictory to me, and I don’t feel like that contradiction was acknowledged or reconciled as Alex vacillated between these conflicting desires.
Also, read the acknowledgements. They’re as beautiful as the story.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for giving me advance access to this book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism