Reviews tagging 'Death'

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

14 reviews

tokki_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective 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? No

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, and Violence

anaheeta's review against another edition

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. 

---

Content Warnings

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

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

morebedsidebooks's review against another edition

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, and Blood

Minor: Ableism, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Slavery, Transphobia, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Classism

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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? Yes

4.5

i would totally recommend reading bitter first. it shows you the world, some of the characters, and the situation that leads you to the beginning of this book. this is a great read! Emezi is a phenomenal writer. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Blood, Grief, and Classism

oddlyghoul's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Violence, Blood, and Dysphoria

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, and Classism

olpapi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Blood

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Death

myfbusters's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

god DAMN.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

mlthomas234's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Amazing. Fantastic writing with a cast that make diversity (race, gender, disability, nonverbal), look as fluid and abundant as it is in real life. Loved the premise and Emezi delivered on it flawlessly. The story is straightforward but so so so layered. Truly a read for all ages and audiences. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Death and Racism

hyperpension's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

Imaginative but hits terrifyingly close to home. Couldn’t help but think I wish I had this book as a kid. Beautifully written in a heart-wrenching way that makes you fall in love with Jam, Redemption, and Pet. The ways Emezi writes humanity is so lively and you can feel warmth in every page. Recommend to anyone!! Monsters and angels look like all kinds of things.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Murder, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Rape, Sexual violence, and Transphobia

beforeviolets's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring 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

4.0

TW: blood, injury detail, child abuse/sexual assault (offscreen, alluded to), violence, gore (brief description), vomit, death of grandmother (past, mention), very brief mention of past police brutality, systemic violence, school shootings, mass death, and other such atrocities.

TW: blood, injury detail, child abuse/sexual assault (offscreen, alluded to), violence, gore (brief description), vomit, death of grandmother (past, mention), very brief mention of past police brutality, systemic violence, school shootings, mass death, and other such atrocities.

Pet is definitely one of the most unique books I've ever come across.
Set in a world in which "monsters" - aka people who cause harm - no longer exist and "angels" - people who have rebuilt a safer world - are idolized, Jam is suddenly faced with a truth: there's a monster in her midst. This book discusses the dangers of using previous solutions as a way to blind oneself from present problems and how hard it can be to stand up against something that you're told isn't really there.

Surprisingly biblical in nature, this story is one that I believe should be on everyone's must-read list. It's more than just a book. It's a call to action.

When you think you've been without monsters for so long, sometimes you forget what they look like, what they sound like, no matter how much remembering your education urges you to do. It's not the same when the monsters are gone. You're only remembering shadows of them, stories that seem to be limited to the pages or screens you read them from. Flat and dull things. So, yes, people forget. But forgetting is dangerous. Forgetting is how the monsters come back.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Child abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Vomit

Minor: Death