The Cost of Knowing

February 15, 2021
For 16-year-old Alex, having a secret superpower is more of a curse than a blessing. Ever since his parents' deaths, Alex can see into the future--seconds, days, and years beyond the present of anything he touches. Rather than giving Alex an advantage, this supernatural gift gives him endless anxiety. Alex and his 12-year-old brother, Isaiah, live with their Aunt Mackie in an affluent suburban Chicago neighborhood. They are all Black. Alex keeps his secret powers from everyone, including his devoted Spanish-speaking girlfriend, Talia, whose family struggles to make ends meet. Alex's constant visions interfere with his job at an ice cream shop and his intimate relationship with Talia. But when Alex has a vision foretelling Isaiah's impending death, his anxiety goes through the roof: The clock is ticking, and he must journey into his ancestral past and grapple with what it means to be a man. This portrait of Black boys as sensitive, vulnerable, and complex is refreshing, unfolding within a powerful and provocative narrative about brotherly love and the insidiousness of racism. Morris seamlessly and beautifully weaves together multiple plotlines (including frank talk about sex) with crisp and sometimes humorous dialogue that always rings true. A timely, poignant page-turner about grief, love, and facing your fears. (Fiction. 13-18)

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March 1, 2021
Grades 9-12 Morris' moving novel addresses the burden young Black boys experience in a world that has deemed them criminal. Ever since the car accident that killed his parents, 16-year-old Alex Rufus has had prophetic powers that are more of an annoyance than a blessing. With each touch of a person or object, Alex is able to see a few seconds into the future, depending on how often he has touched the object. It isn't until he accidentally sees his younger brother's death that he realizes he hasn't been the best older brother. This thoughtful, character--rich novel is alternatingly joyous and heartbreaking as Alex acknowledges all of his previous traumas, while also allowing himself to be more vulnerable with his younger brother. Morris (SLAY, 2019) explores many aspects of Alex's life that may distract from the emotional central story, but every detail is important in understanding how Alex moves in the world and how the world views him. A great pick for fans of Nic Stone's Dear Martin (2017) or Kim Johnson's This Is My America (2020).

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Starred review from March 1, 2021

Gr 8 Up-After a tragic accident that left him and his brother orphaned, Alex Rufus sees visions of the future connected to items that he touches-from a mundane object being used over and over to the tragic preview of his best friend's death. Alex avoids physical contact as often as possible but knows that once he sees a vision it can't be changed no matter what he does. He has developed methods of coping, but when he sees the death of his younger brother, Isaiah, in a vision, he knows he must do something to try to break this curse of knowledge. As Alex gets to know his brother better in his last days, he learns that Isaiah also carries a curse: being able to relive the past of their ancestors. Passed down from father to son, over hundreds of years, this is their family's long-held secret. Alex and Isaiah must face who they are and what they fear most in order to break their curses. The story is rich with magical elements in the form of generational trauma that Black families carry with them, and the real danger of existing while being Black in America. The brothers face racism from their white neighbors despite "good intentions." The story is important, timely, and gives representation in a novel that is about both Black joy and pain. VERDICT Readers who are looking for books like Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give and Nic Stone's Dear Martin will gravitate towards this book. An important addition to every young adult collection.-Erica Coonelly, Monroe Township M.S., NJ

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