Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

79 reviews

anaheeta's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Quite a short read, the author managed to use a powerfully imaginative and crafty metaphor to describe a really difficult subject. 


“The truth does not change whether it is seen or unseen, it whispered in her mind. A thing which 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. Maybe you can pull the stone out of the pool and put the moon back together.” 
(There were too many incredible quotes to choose from)

This book really left me heartbroken. It is powerfully written, the story and pacing is gripping and makes you read it in one day, the characters are very diverse, and the setting is in a futuristic utopia of sorts. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, War, Violence, Pedophilia, Blood, Child abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Mental illness

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

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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

ebp's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Grief, Child abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Gaslighting, Dysphoria, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Rape, and Child abuse

Minor: Physical abuse

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.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Incest, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders

tyra16572's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual harassment, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Bullying, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, and Violence

ian_loves_dragons's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Pedophilia and Sexual violence

booksteader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

This book should be on every young person's must-read list. Jam, a 15 year-old Black trans girl is selectively mute, loved and celebrated by her entire family and community, and is on a mission to save her friend Redemption from the monsters he cannot see. Pet, a "monster" who comes alive from one of Jam's mother's paintings, helps her in this war. Part fantasy, part coming-of-age, part mystery, this book teaches valuable lessons about friendship, bravery, and truth. As Pet says when introducing itself to Jam at the beginning, "The first step to seeing is seeing that there are things you do not see." The eye-opening lesson that concludes this book will punch you in the gut and remind every reader that monsters can slip into even the most perfect world if we're not careful to watch and admit they exist.
 👾👾👾👾 Would recommend, especially to young people 10 years and over. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Incest, Sexual violence, and Pedophilia

kjofalltrades's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit and Body horror

Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual violence

trigger warning for implied CSA

wormiebrains's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Beautifully written story about a young child refusing to back down and protecting their own when the adults don't want to listen.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, and Grief

My favorite aspect about the book is the perspective of a child who has been raised with the ability to ask questions and truly study the world around them. Jam knows something terrible is happening and refuses to believe the adults telling all the children that their newly built society is perfect and without flaw. Because they have not taught the children what is not okay the children don't know how to tell the adults that something is not okay. It also shows that you are never too young to stand up for people, even if it is against your own family.

trollmila's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This was an incredible read. I started reading and immediately thought, "This is so weird. I love it." It's not very long but packs a punch.
As a polyamorous non binary person, I felt very seen with a three parent household, with a similar structure of my partners and I. I love seeing a happy trans person where that's not the plot. The selective mutism is so good. I saw a lot of my queer community in this novel without that being the plot or point of conflict!
The themes include: not having black and white thoughts of morality/justice, not becoming too safe in your community that you ignore red flags and dangers, but also how important community is.
If you're interested in reading it, I will include a cw of child abuse, not detailed, but very much there.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual violence

Minor: Violence