The Cost of Knowing

By: Brittney Morris

Narrated by: Kevin R. Free

SELECTED AS A YALSA 2022 AMAZING AUDIO FOR YOUNG ADULTS!

Four starred reviews!

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.

Critic reviews

"Free's authentic-sounding tone grounds the story's fantasy elements as the Black teen recounts the horrors of growing up in a white neighborhood, where racism is insidious and dangerous. A gripping story of grief, brotherly love, and breaking free of curses passed down through generations."

Great book!!!!

Often, we wonder how our lives would be if we could see the future or relive events from the past. Most of the time, we only think of the positives associated with this, but never the negatives. This book gave me so much prospective regarding those thoughts. Simply put, "The Cost of Knowing" was truly amazing. I could almost envision each character. I would highly recommend to anyone.

I got through this so fast

This was such a good listen. I listened while I clean, while I was driving, working out, cooking. Such a good listen.

More Real than expected

The story felt comfortably fictional, at first. Then the cultural realities of the main characters hit home with a bang. Great story. Thank you to the author for this work.

Your Heart Will be on Your Sleeve

This story is raw and frank. There are so many levels of stuff going on.

Remember those crazy teens

Really enjoyed this book. Made me remember my teenage years with all of their ups and downs and struggles. Seemed like they would never end then they were over.....wow. Great book...reality enjoyed it.