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"2020 Has Made Me More Determined To Dream Big": Angie Thomas On Fantasy, Escape & Authenticity

Not many authors storm into the NY Times bestseller list with their debut novel, and fewer still stay there for a staggering 200 weeks. But Angie Thomas is anything but average. As well as achieving critical success with her novels, her debut novel has been adapted into a hit movie starring Amandla Stenberg – and there’s another book-to-movie adaptation on the way. 

Thomas’ latest novel Concrete Rose is a prequel to the phenomenally successful The Hate U Give. In her debut novel, 16 year old Starr Carter witnesses the fatal shooting of her best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. His death becomes national news, triggering protests and throwing Starr, and her community, under intense scrutiny.

Concrete Rose takes us back over 20 years to 1998 and follows 17 year old Maverick Carter – Starr’s dad. Set in the same neighbourhood