The Cost of Knowing

Books | Young Adult Fiction / Social Themes / Prejudice & Racism

4.2

(178)

Brittney Morris

Dear Martin meets They Both Die at the End in this gripping, evocative novel about a Black teen who has the power to see into the future, whose life turns upside down when he foresees his younger brother’s imminent death, from the acclaimed author of SLAY.Sixteen-year-old Alex Rufus is trying his best. He tries to be the best employee he can be at the local ice cream shop; the best boyfriend he can be to his amazing girlfriend, Talia; the best protector he can be over his little brother, Isaiah. But as much as Alex tries, he often comes up short. It’s hard to for him to be present when every time he touches an object or person, Alex sees into its future. When he touches a scoop, he has a vision of him using it to scoop ice cream. When he touches his car, he sees it years from now, totaled and underwater. When he touches Talia, he sees them at the precipice of breaking up, and that terrifies him. Alex feels these visions are a curse, distracting him, making him anxious and unable to live an ordinary life. And when Alex touches a photo that gives him a vision of his brother’s imminent death, everything changes. With Alex now in a race against time, death, and circumstances, he and Isaiah must grapple with their past, their future, and what it means to be a young Black man in America in the present.

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More Details:

Author

Brittney Morris

Pages

336

Publisher

Simon and Schuster

Published Date

2021-04-06

ISBN

1534445455 9781534445451

Community ReviewsSee all

"Really good! Glad I read this. Important book. "

Skye Edelson-Bennett

"Wow. This books was absolutely AMAZING. It really shines a light on family bonds, how easily they can be broken, yet how they can also be mended over time. All it takes is a bit of love. However, this book also has another meaning. As humans, we don’t have forever, and this story really focuses on our limited time. At anytime and at any moment, we could be gone. We live our lives in fear of death—but this anxiety prevents us from truly LIVING. From being free. From being ourselves. Watching Alex’s journey of overcoming these fears and anxieties running rampant in his head was so, so inspiring. Despite all that he carried on his back, he still wanted to make things right. To get a fresh start. His attempts to rekindle his relationship with his brother were so beautifully crafted. However, with love also comes loss, of which Alex has witnessed plenty. He’s loved his life knowing all the bad things would happen in the near future, yet he took the steps to overcome it. I admired his tenacity and determination to stand up against those who wronged him and his brother, as well as other members of his community. Tragic, mournful, and beautiful, you need to read this. A story of overcoming stereotypes and mending family bonds from the scraps left behind. Sometimes, you have to recognize the things that hurt yourself most, and that’s exactly what we see Alex discover in this story. This message needs to be spread. 💕"

Ashtyn (They/Them)

"This book leaves you wanting to skip ahead and know what is going to happen next, not because the book is boring (which it isn’t whatsoever, but because of the fear not knowing what is going to happen to the characters. This book had me wanting to read more and more without taking any breaks. I really enjoyed the relationships built in this story and the mentions of racism, how the book makes you experience what the characters feel that it makes you feel enraged and sad. "

L Y

Lourdes Ypanaque

"This book was so scary and physiological. I was invested in this book I could not put it down. I was hooked the whole time and kept me reading! "