Are You Willing to Pay the Cost of Knowing?

Release Date: April 6, 2021

Would you want to know the future? Would you try to change things? Would you tell anyone?  Brittney Morris' sophomore novel, "The Cost of Knowing" asks these very questions and dives into biases and prejudices in America.

Synopsis:

16-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 12-year-old brother, Isaiah.  But it is very hard 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. 

I loved this book.  Brittney Morris is also the author of Slay (which I loved!), it too tackled issues of family dynamics and race.  Ms. Morris again looks at family relationships and racial issues in America.  Without any spoilers, I loved how the relationship between Alex and Isaiah developed. Each is coping with grief the best way they know how and it's beautiful to see them work through it and discover just how much they have in common.  I love their love of music.  It's an excellent tool to bond over and to make a connection.

Music and books are a great pairing.  For my playlist inspired by the book, I created it as if I were scoring the book; like a movie.  I also choose to use only Black male artists because I wanted to celebrate the Black Boy Joy that is Alex and Isaiah. I left one song off the playlist because it is only available to stream but it is very important to this story.  Janelle Monae and Wondaland Records' "Hell You Talmbout" is powerful.  Use this link and listen to it after track 10: https://soundcloud.com/wondalandarts/hell-you-talmbout

Rating: 💖💖💖💖.5/5

Author Brittney Morris