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ash22's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
jenna_justi2004's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Body horror, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Murder, Pregnancy, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Blood, Police brutality, Sexual content, Violence, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Grief, War, Pedophilia, and Gore
rookeatsbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Murder
erinnicolecreads's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This book was a good quick read! It touches upon some important social commentary while also discussing heavy topics in a way that is friendly for younger readers to digest. A POC, trans, neurodivergent protagonist tackling the issue of abuse and protecting their friend. It reads more middle grade in terms of writing rather than YA, but given the triggers it mentions, I don’t know if it’s appropriate for middle grade kids. Nonetheless, was a good book and I enjoyed how it tackled heavy topics & was inclusive!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Child abuse and Vomit
Minor: Sexual assault
skittles6815's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault and Child abuse
guessgreenleaf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Blood, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, and Body horror
calamitydane's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
All I had going in was the title and a recommendation. This book both chilled and warmed my heart. The writing felt a lot like A Wrinkle in Time. The story dealt with some very difficult subject matter but in a way that felt easy for kids and adults to understand. And I appreciated the black, trans main character, non-binary character, and polyamorous parents.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence, Incest, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
honeycupreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
The truth does not change whether it is seen or unseen, it whispered in her mind. A thing that is happening happens whether you look at it or not. And yes, maybe it is easier not to look. Maybe it is easier to say because you do not see it, it is not happening.
Wow… This book packs such a punch in so little pages… This book is so heavy and will truly leave you at a loss of words. Complacency and its negative effects are depicted so well in this novel it tears you open. What we choose not to see when it comes to those we know and love and how that effects not only those close to us but also the world we live in. I cannot fully explain how wonderful this book is.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, and Violence
queerafictionado's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Sometimes it’s hard to distinguish who is a monster and who is an angel. Because looks can be deceiving, and our interpretation and perception is always influenced by the world and people around us.
In this story, Jam accidentally brings a creature to life from her mom’s painting. A monstrous looking creature not of this world. And its name is Pet. By looks alone, it is something we would be told to fear. Something we would be told is a monster. But Pet came to hunt monsters. The monsters the world doesn’t realize still exist. Monsters that don’t look monstrous. I loved the juxtaposition of these things in the story, the way Emezi took concepts of monsters and angels and presented them in this unexpected way. It really got me thinking about things like transphobia and homophobia, namely the “phobia” parts of those words. And how trans* and queer people have been painted by the world as something to be feared, while the real monsters remain hidden, protected by power, privilege, and politics.
Emezi poignantly addressed heavy topics in this book. Using magical realism, they crafted a story that speaks to the nature and reality of our world, to the existence of monsters hidden in plain sight, to what it takes to uncover the truth, and to take those monsters down. It was an absolutely brilliant book and we need more stories like this in our world!
I am also very glad I listened to the audiobook of this because Christopher Myers did a phenomenal job bringing this story and all these characters to life!
🏳️🌈✊🏿Rep: black trans FMC with selective mutism, black SCs
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault and Pedophilia
child sexual abuse is a prominent theme of this book, it is discussed and referenced but occurs off pageoctobermontoya's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Pet follows Jam, a black transgirl, living with her parents Bitter and Aloe, in a sort of utopia city named Lucille. The city is a utopia because it has been rid of all 'monsters' (people who do wrong/cause harm, think those who uphold white supremacy). The book starts off when some of Jam's blood is accidentally spilled on a recent painting her mother was working on, breathing life into the character in the painting - this is Pet, and they are hunting for a monster (despite the premise that monsters no longer exist). Pet grapples with the idea that harm doesn't cease to exist just because you refuse to acknowledge it. Further, harm isn't just out there, it's in here too. Pet was a really nuanced, creative, enjoyable YA book. I enjoyed that Jam's transness was just part and parcel of the story, not some sort of tragic centerpiece and that sign language was used regularly, which again, was just a normal part of the communication between characters. I wish I had a young person in my life who would be interested in this book!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault