“Do you ever feel like the world is screaming at you?”†

The Cost of Knowing follows the story of Chicago teenager Alex who developed powers after an accident killed his parents. He now lives with his aunt and his younger brother, Isaiah- though he spends most of his efforts on distancing himself from both. Alex’s gift, or curse, is psychometric: he can read the future of any object by touching it. He has learned to tamp down these visions over the years, but his world is turned upside down when he sees Isaiah in a casket within the week.

This is ultimately a story of brotherhood and what it means when twelve-and-sixteen-year-old boys are perceived as threats by a biased world for existing while Black. Morris’s dedication at the start of this novel says it all: “To all the Black boys who had to grow up too early.” This story is a love letter to Black boys and men, and a wake up call to the rest of us. Racism runs deep and it’s not always obvious, even inside oneself. It is just as critical to purge internal biases as well as reform systemic/legal injustices.

In the acknowledgements, Morris mentioned wanting to give Black boys a lighthearted, magical tale, but felt she needed to include the negative aspects as well. The anxieties, the fears, the toxic masculinity, the intergenerational trauma. For everything Morris set out to accomplish, she succeeded. She provided a magical story of Black joy and ancestral pride while not shying away from the dark history casting a pall over everything. I particularly loved the way Morris explained the legacy of the family’s African orisha powers and the ultimate persistence of its survival through all manner of trauma.

This story was as beautiful as it was heartbreaking. Morris’ expressions of grief and anxiety are so incredible and authentic, it is impossible not to connect deeply with Alex and his story- whether you share any commonalities or not. This was an excellent book and a lovely read that I would recommend to any and all readers! I have not read Slay yet, but I am bumping it up my tbr.

“What kid should have to live every day in the shadow of four hundred years of bondage and another hundred of lesserthan-dom? Black kids, apparently. But then, how is a Black kid supposed to be a kid? Who knows? Who cares?”†

†must be checked against final text

This review is live on goodreads and will be posted upon publication to the following: amazon, ibooks, kobo, bookbub, and barnes & noble.

The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris is an intense journey through brotherly love, anxieties and fears of the future, and the importance of our ancestors.

There are so many fantastic elements to this book that I really enjoyed, despite wanting to put the book down to take a break from the intensity of the emotion. I love how Alex and Isaiah's ancestors were tied into the story, and how they carry the burdens of those who came before. It's such a powerful image of love, strength, and kinship.

I was on the edge of my seat for the last half of the book - a lot happens that is intense and traumatic. I really had to take a few breaks, because the content at the end is really heavy. But I kept coming back to see if the bond that grew stronger between the brothers was enough to help them survive in the end.

What brought the rating down for me was a bit of slow pacing in the first half, and repetition in Alex's thought patterns. The resolution also feels suddenly rushed, and not emotional and complex enough in a few spots for the actions that have transpired. Another chapter of digging into the aftermath would have felt like a more stable and realistic ending - there's just too much to cover in regards to tying up all the relationships. There is, however, an unexpected scene with Alex's ancestors that was really powerful.

I especially appreciate how the title “The Cost of Knowing” can be applied to every character in the end, and analyzed differently for each. The Author's Note is also a must-read for some added context.

Overall, despite a few issues, this book is really strong and has some brilliant ideas. I will read whatever Morris publishes in the future, and plan to read her debut, Slay, this month as well.

Brittney Morris is incredibly talented; there’s no denying that. There are a lot of wonderful things going on in this novel — finding joy in the face of trauma, ruminating on what is inherited from our ancestors, and forgiving our past choices. For those bits alone, this is a special story. Make no mistake — it is remarkably sad, but it is also hopeful.

Alex and Isaiah are such vivid characters who hop straight off the page. Even Talia, Alex’s girlfriend, is a delight. I’ll be thinking about them for a long while. More than that, I’ll be thinking about the men they’ve come from — all those stories and heartbreaks, from tribal ancestry to the twenty-first century, written so beautifully. Of everything in this novel, the discussion about Alex and Isaiah’s powers in relation to their ancestors’ choices was most fascinating. I wish we had gotten more of it, because there was clearly so much to mine there.

Unfortunately, there were some large issues here, for my particular sensibilities.

What stands out most prominently is that the novel relies on repetition in some respects, which I wasn’t a fan of. I understand and respect that the portrayal of Alex’s anxiety is likely accurate, but his spirals are exhausting to get through. There are many, many moments of panic over the many ways Isaiah can die, from the mundane to the extreme. There are many, many moments when Alex’s inner monologue repeats how important these last days with Isaiah are. It’s a lot, more than noticeable.

Repetition also features prominently with regards to Alex’s powers. Alex sees the future of absolutely everything and everyone he touches with his palms, from the most useless of inanimate objects to human beings. Every time he touches something meaningless, the narrative mentions he has, mentions that he “cancels” the vision that starts, and on and on and on. So, for example, when Alex is working through a shift at the ice cream shop, you’re reading about him grabbing his apron, vision, grabbing the ice cream scoop, vision, and on and on. Eventually, it started to get to me. This, too, takes up so much of the novel.

Finally, the last act is really rushed in this one. Yes, the synopsis and the entire story are clear about what is coming. But when it does come, it really doesn’t feel like all of the emotions and complications at the center of it are covered. There’s too much to accomplish in too few pages — with regards to Alex’s relationships with both Isaiah and Shaun — and so the emotional climax of the book really suffers. That being said, there is a really beautiful scene concerning ancestral connection at this point that is my favorite in the entire novel. So, not all bad.

Like I said, despite my problems, there is a whole lot of good here. I can’t wait to pick up Morris’ debut, Slay, and will keep an eye out for anything else she publishes in the future. She’s a talent with some really riveting ideas.

Thank you net galley for the advance copy of this book! I LOVED Slay, so I was excited to read this.

One thing I LOVED about this book was that it had such an interesting premise- it was so interesting that Alex could see the future of objects by touching them. Even after I had put the book down I was thinking about that.

One thing that I was wondering was, if Alex can stop the visions with rubber gloves, why doesn't he wear them all the time, especially in his room? Surely he can make an excuse to wear gloves often, like having cold or dry hands? It's Chicago.

My favorite scene was the Shiv concert. The description was amazing, and I felt like I was in the GA section with the characters. I felt my heart racing with the surprise of a certain performer onstage. It was an immersive experience.

One thing I could do without was all the description of Alex's internal processes and anxiety. He is so justifiably anxious, but reading him overthink every little thing was exhausting, and I found myself skipping over some sections and only reading the dialogue.

The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris was a book I honestly didn't understand the scope of until the last pages. Once the story really clicked, it was so, so powerful. The story is about two brothers who have tragically lost their parents. Alex is a 16 year old just trying to get through life - his grief, his job, his relationships, and oh yeah, that thing where he can see the future. In his visions, he sees that his younger brother Isiaah is going to die. Alex decides that if this is the future, he still has time to change the story. He commits to spending as much time as possible with Isiaah and to righting the future that he doesn't believe is inevitable. Through this, Isiaah and Alex start to become closer, but Alex never forgets what his brother's fate could be. While this is about two brothers, it's really about what it's like to be a young black man today. The threads of this reality are woven through the fictional tale of these two brothers. While centered on an imaginary skillset, the real components of this fateful tale matter. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this powerful April 2021 release.

I liked this a lot. The main characters are strong, the plot moves along at a fair clip, and it has a message of toxic masculinity mixed with the pressures we put on Black boys to be prematurely men that I feel is extremely poignant in our current situation. I do feel like the superpower/curse aspect was a bit muddled and hard to understand, and honestly that it wasn’t really necessary to the overall plot, but it was still a great read that could lead to a lot of conversation.

Wow! This is a must-read!
While suffering through the loss of his parents, Morris’ protagonist also has to deal with his newfound ability to see into the future. Unfortunately, a vision tells Alex that his younger brother will be dying soon. While this sounds like spoilers, it is only the beginning. Brittney Morris created a powerful and endearing love between two brothers, and a well-crafted story that is a true “love-letter to black men.” Morris deftly showed readers how young black men deal with daily microaggressions and the constant fear of being targets of inequity and injustice due to the color of their skin from those who do not understand their own racial biases. All of this goes on through a seamless work of fiction that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat wondering if and hoping that the two young protagonists will survive through the bond they had finally created.

Thank you Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for the advance DRC!

Alex Rufus has a unique ability- with the touch of his palm he can see a little piece of the future. Touching an ice cream scoop at work will reveal the flavor next scooped. Touching his girlfriend Talia will reveal a moment they will share soon. He has touched the steering wheel of his car so often that he can see the vehicle driven by a future owner. While some may see this as a blessing, Alex sees it as a curse. It makes life difficult when you are getting swept up into another vision every time you touch something. And knowing that he can't change the outcome of any of his visions makes the visions feel even worse when he sees Talia on the verge of breaking up with him and his little brother's funeral in the near future. Alex is determined to make the best of his time with the little brother who has shut him out over the last few years- but in a race against time he worries that it may be too late.

This is the second book I have read by Brittney Morris. I really enjoy her writing and her vision of how the world could be. In her author's note she mentions how she started out writing a Black boy joy book but felt an internal push to write a "Black-boy-joy-despite" book. I am so glad she did. The need for Black boys to grow up too early is a real and pressing issue that we need writers like Morris to talk about. Mixed with her masterful look at what-if someone could see the future, it makes for a compelling novel. This book filled me with a mix of sadness and joy that felt just right.

I was confused and annoyed early on in this book due to the nature of the protagonist's ability to see the future in everything he touched. However, I think I was supposed to feel frustrated because that was how the protagonist felt as well. I that light, this novel was written in a way that truly put the reader in the characters shoes, and that is difficult to achieve. I do think that it might lose some young readers as well. I absolutely loved the foray into the boys' ancestral background. That was my favorite part of this book. Being able to experience our ancestors' pain and joy was phenomenal. I also enjoyed the evolution of the brothers' relationship with one another. Once you get past the monotony of seeing the future constantly, you are truly able to appreciate the narrative. However, as a middle school librarian, I would not buy this for my students. I would most definitely put it in a high school library without question. Great book!

2 1/2 stars rounded up to 3.
I loved the cover art, loved the premise— but the execution really fell flat.

Ever since the accident that killed his parents four years ago, 16-year-old Alex Rufus tries to avoid touching things with his hands— because when he does, he’s forced to glimpse the future. But Alex gets a vision of the impending death of his younger brother, and he’s determined that if he can’t prevent Isaiah’s death, he can at least mend their relationship.

Isaiah has basically been holed up in his room for the past four years, playing video games and eating Lucky Charms. He’s distrustful of Alex’s overtures at first, given that his older brother has shown no interest in him up to this point, but eventually the walls come down and Isaiah shares that he, too, has had a special power since the accident— he is able to see the past and discern people’s regrets.

A great-great-great ancestor has shared with Isaiah the fact that the magical powers go back about 400 years, to the time when Taaka asked the orisha of the afterlife for help. Taaka got a little greedy in his requests, and the curse? blessing? has been passed down in their family ever since. Alex and Isaiah decide that since the accident— an event involving great fear— triggered the magic in each of them, they need to intentionally face a great fear to have the spell broken.

The whole thing is fairly convoluted, but I could suspend disbelief if the characters were more convincing. Alex is the only one remotely fleshed out— his brother, his girlfriend, and his aunt are all there to move the plot along. The racist neighbor is a caricature, and there’s way too much telling instead of showing.

More nuance and focus could have made this novel a standout.

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for the electronic ARC.

Alex and Isaiah’s story has so many relatable elements. Anxiety, relationships, racism/stereotyping are all presented in a thoughtful manner. This story is a must read!!!

That was not at all what I expected, yet the story (and trajectory) were very satisfying. I loved that it ended up as magical realism. What I thought would be another story of black boys being targeted by police if being killed too soon...turned into a fantasy with an ancestral legacy/curse. Thankfully, this book didn’t veer too far off course and solidified the love and friendship between these two brothers: Alex and Isaiah. Both hurting in solitude, yet stronger when they allowed themselves to let the other in.

With Slay and now with The Cost of Knowing, Brittney Morris has proven herself an expert at presenting social issues within a contemporary fantasy context, making them more accessible to young readers. The Cost of Knowing presents racism and police brutality in a manner which will engage young readers and serve as the starting point for meaningful discussion. Highly recommended.

The author describes this book as a “Black-Boy-Joy-Despite” book and nothing could be more true. This book is BEAUTIFUL and it is heart wrenching and had me ugly crying on the subway on the way home, but beyond all that it is a book about the love between two brothers, the fear of never having enough time with the ones we love and how our ancestors makes us who we are. There is a cost of knowing too much about where we come from and where we are going but is it a cost you are willing to pay for the people you love? I LOVED this phenomenal book!!