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sarahrosea's review against another edition
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia, Torture, Violence, Child abuse, and Sexual assault
Minor: Police brutality, Racism, and Transphobia
nerdysread's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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
5.0
Okay. But this book was such a great one. I loved it and read it in less than a day. It’s probably my fav book for this month. It’s short and so great
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Child abuse
Moderate: Pedophilia and Body horror
Minor: Gun violence and Police brutality
betttyy8's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Pedophilia
Minor: Blood, Police brutality, Racism, and Injury/Injury detail
spcandybars's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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? No
4.25
“All knowledge is good knowledge”, Pet said.
I don’t know if that’s true, Jam thought back. It doesn’t feel true right now.
“Truth doesn’t care if it feels true or not. It is true nonetheless.”
Allow me to sing some praises. This book is such a strong introduction to the concept of facing your society’s demons and I think tweens and new parents specifically will find some heavily needed take-aways.
Pet highlights the destructive power of silence and illustrates that peace is not simple - utopia is a flawed illusion and it is vital to speak when there’s something to say.
Pet follows a young trans-girl named Jam in a world and society where monsters do not exist. In this case, “monsters” are implied to be all those who use their power or strength to harm others. This means there are no abusers, no predators, no rapists, and no police - not because there are no criminals or laws to enforce but because police officers are monsters themselves.
When Jam releases a demonic looking enforcer from a painting who insists on remaining in her realm because there is a monster he can sense nearby. Through her journey with this justice sniffing apparition, Pet, Jam realizes that life isn’t as simple as she’s been led to believe.
Unveiling the monster and the nature of them and their abuse is a truly heartbreaking moment but allows all people to see that monsters will always be real - better to acknowledge them, handle them than allow them to move through life hidden but without repercussions because it’s easier to deny their existence.
I just wish we could have seen some more exposition of what disciplinary measures are taken for crimes that don’t involve monsters and what their justice system looks like without police. There’s no explanation as to whether enforcers similar to pet are in charge of all types of crime or if there’s any type of enforcing party that is structured differently from the way the police system was to eliminate the power imbalance inherent to the position.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Police brutality, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia
sssssoup's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Violence
Minor: Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Police brutality
valereads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
Jam likes in a utopian city where there are no more monsters. Or so she thinks. Until a creature climbs out of her mother's painting looking for a monster, a monster that may be in her best friend's house.
This little book packed a punch. It's short length meant the narrative was very focused in on the main plot with no real room for subplots. It might be on the shorter side for some people but I felt it was the perfect length for what it wanted to do.
I love Emezi's prose style in this book just as much as I did in their first book, Freshwater. It's told very beautifully but would still be accessible to the target audience of teens. I especially loved the audiobook read by Chris Myers. I felt it really added something to the story but I needed to read along with the physical book as it could be a bit confusing which parts were signed, spoken out loud and thought with just the audio.
I also really like the casual diversity in this story. Jam is trans and selectively mute (it's not mentioned in the book, but I remember seeing somewhere that she's autistic) and neither of these elements are the focus of the story but still remain relevant to the story and are important for young audiences to see. I especially appreciated that Jam's disability wasn't treated as a negative and characters naturally accommodated for it. I wish people treated non-vocal autistic people like that more often in real life.
The themes of this novel are important especially for young people. Being aware of the signs of something wrong and not ignoring them and not taking things for granted are ones that are important for them to hear. Along with the importance of looking out for each other and taking care of each other.
This book was beautifully written and important for young people and adults alike. I especially liked how the speculative themes were incorporated into the narrative. I highly recommend it and can't wait to read Bitter when it releases in 2022.
Content Warnings: implied sexual abuse, implied csa, child abuse, violence
This little book packed a punch. It's short length meant the narrative was very focused in on the main plot with no real room for subplots. It might be on the shorter side for some people but I felt it was the perfect length for what it wanted to do.
I love Emezi's prose style in this book just as much as I did in their first book, Freshwater. It's told very beautifully but would still be accessible to the target audience of teens. I especially loved the audiobook read by Chris Myers. I felt it really added something to the story but I needed to read along with the physical book as it could be a bit confusing which parts were signed, spoken out loud and thought with just the audio.
I also really like the casual diversity in this story. Jam is trans and selectively mute (it's not mentioned in the book, but I remember seeing somewhere that she's autistic) and neither of these elements are the focus of the story but still remain relevant to the story and are important for young audiences to see. I especially appreciated that Jam's disability wasn't treated as a negative and characters naturally accommodated for it. I wish people treated non-vocal autistic people like that more often in real life.
The themes of this novel are important especially for young people. Being aware of the signs of something wrong and not ignoring them and not taking things for granted are ones that are important for them to hear. Along with the importance of looking out for each other and taking care of each other.
This book was beautifully written and important for young people and adults alike. I especially liked how the speculative themes were incorporated into the narrative. I highly recommend it and can't wait to read Bitter when it releases in 2022.
Content Warnings: implied sexual abuse, implied csa, child abuse, violence
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Transphobia
dalmavatai's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
Wow, this book completely took me by surprise and if I'm honest, just totally stole my heart.
This is such a beautiful book. The writing is gorgeous, the characters, especially Jam, and the relationships between them, are incredibly meaningful and well-developed. I loved Jam's family and her relationships with her parents as well as with her best friend Redemption, but most of all I loved her relationship with Pet. After her initial fear and apprehension, she was so accepting and managed to view Pet as her equal, which none of the other characters could do. I love how Pet is not otherized in this story, as in, it's not portrayed as a thing but as a creature with its own emotions, ambitions, worldviews, and personality. Pet and Jam had such a great friendship where they teased each other but also made each other grow.
I loved the social commentary in this book. I love how Akwaeke was able to imagine this world where there is no police brutality or even police anymore, no transphobia, no racism, in other words, so many things that we want to see destroyed in the present moment. At the same time, she explores how problems have not disappeared from Lucille and monsters still exist. I feel like a lot of the time when we imagine a better future, many of us are liable to see it as a utopian one, and it was refreshing to see a future world which has made a lot of progress but which has its very own issues at the same time.
I loved the conversations around seeing, and how ideology can convince us not to see certain things that are nevertheless there. I loved Jam and Redemption's journey of finding out the identity of the monster in their midst, and deciding how to bring about justice for the person harmed.
This book is at its core about change, both social and personal, and how to go about making change in the world, how to uncover a problem that everyone else seems to be in denial about. It was so poignant, so lyrical, so nuanced, so beautiful, and so unique. This book will stay with me for a long time, and I'd recommend even if you're not a magical realism/fantasy reader like myself.
This is such a beautiful book. The writing is gorgeous, the characters, especially Jam, and the relationships between them, are incredibly meaningful and well-developed. I loved Jam's family and her relationships with her parents as well as with her best friend Redemption, but most of all I loved her relationship with Pet. After her initial fear and apprehension, she was so accepting and managed to view Pet as her equal, which none of the other characters could do. I love how Pet is not otherized in this story, as in, it's not portrayed as a thing but as a creature with its own emotions, ambitions, worldviews, and personality. Pet and Jam had such a great friendship where they teased each other but also made each other grow.
I loved the social commentary in this book. I love how Akwaeke was able to imagine this world where there is no police brutality or even police anymore, no transphobia, no racism, in other words, so many things that we want to see destroyed in the present moment. At the same time, she explores how problems have not disappeared from Lucille and monsters still exist. I feel like a lot of the time when we imagine a better future, many of us are liable to see it as a utopian one, and it was refreshing to see a future world which has made a lot of progress but which has its very own issues at the same time.
I loved the conversations around seeing, and how ideology can convince us not to see certain things that are nevertheless there. I loved Jam and Redemption's journey of finding out the identity of the monster in their midst, and deciding how to bring about justice for the person harmed.
This book is at its core about change, both social and personal, and how to go about making change in the world, how to uncover a problem that everyone else seems to be in denial about. It was so poignant, so lyrical, so nuanced, so beautiful, and so unique. This book will stay with me for a long time, and I'd recommend even if you're not a magical realism/fantasy reader like myself.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Physical abuse
Minor: Death, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, and War
discworldwitch's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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 book is incredibly good and so very important. From the writing, to the characters, to the plot, I can’t recommend it enough.
In the words of the author, Akwaeke Emezi “I want Pet to reach as many readers as non-humanly possible, so it can do the work it’s meant to do in the world.”
In the words of the author, Akwaeke Emezi “I want Pet to reach as many readers as non-humanly possible, so it can do the work it’s meant to do in the world.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Mass/school shootings, Rape, Gore, Vomit, and Police brutality
clea's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
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
4.5
This novel is incredibly well-written and although quite short, gives a lot to think about. I found the setting (a utopian (?) city named Lucille) very interesting and I'm looking forward to reading the next book which will be a prequel telling the story of the infamous revolution during which all monsters were eradicated. I really want to know more about this world! At first you think it is perfect; tolerance and acceptance shine through everyone and every action, be it ever so small. But then you realize that in a world where people don't believe in monsters anymore, it can be all the easier for those monsters to hide behind a shining facade.
Obviously the themes discussed, are very important. They are explored in a creative and sensitive way which I strongly appreciated. The characters were strikingly well-developed and the dynamics between them were really interesting (and heart-melting). I especially liked Jam and Redemption's relationship; it just seemed so pure and wholesome! It's a welcome change to see a great friendship between a boy and a girl in which romantic feelings play no part.
I can't recommend this book enough!! Also the audio book is really nice to listen to, the narrator is fantastic and really brings the characters to life.
Obviously the themes discussed, are very important. They are explored in a creative and sensitive way which I strongly appreciated. The characters were strikingly well-developed and the dynamics between them were really interesting (and heart-melting). I especially liked Jam and Redemption's relationship; it just seemed so pure and wholesome! It's a welcome change to see a great friendship between a boy and a girl in which romantic feelings play no part.
I can't recommend this book enough!! Also the audio book is really nice to listen to, the narrator is fantastic and really brings the characters to life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting
Minor: Police brutality and Mass/school shootings
julesadventurezone's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Blood, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Racism, Slavery, and War