Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

PET by Akwaeke Emezi

79 reviews

lesbegays's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

the child sexual abuse is not at all explicit, but it is a central theme

audaudaud's review

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence and Pedophilia

juliatindell's review

challenging emotional 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

This book was absolutely incredible. I will be recommending this to every teacher, parent, violence preventionist, transformative practitioner, and human I know.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual violence

I would not call it graphic, but there are descriptions of signs of child sexual abuse, and it is talked about explicitly.

lynxpardinus's review

adventurous challenging emotional reflective tense

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Police brutality, Medical content, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, and Incest

Minor: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, War, Mental illness, Sexual content, Abandonment, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Mass/school shootings, Ableism, Confinement, Gore, Suicide, Transphobia, and Vomit

Ableism warning is to err on the side of caution, for disability framed as a punishment near the end.

azalia's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, War, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, and Child abuse

Minor: Body horror, Cursing, and Gore

sofipitch's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-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

I feel like the main reason this isn't 5 stars is that it is YA and clearly written for a younger audience. There were lots of moments where the characters are clearly conveying the theme that were heavy handed but also this is for kids, they'll need it told to them directly. The message is good through and I only recently learned this book is being taught in schools, which is wonderful.

Otherwise Akwaeke Emezi has the most beautiful contemporary prose, they are absolutely one of the best writers around. Their dialogue also does an excellent job of making the characters feel real. And finally they like freak shit and there were some good moments, the descriptions of Pet and Pet coming out of the painting and what Pet does to the monster at the end 👌

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Content Warnings

Minor: Pedophilia, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence

bookwormbi's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

4.75

This was such an interesting take on the utopia/dystopia idea, I loved it! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence and Child abuse

pinkalpaca's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pedophilia, Child abuse, and Sexual violence

modernmatilda's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Hmm I have mixed feelings about this. 

On one hand, NPR compared it to Wrinkle in Time (my fav) and I very much think it's a readalike. It has biblical undertones, kids having to handle things with the adults help, and this overall feeling of doom.

As another reviewer wrote, "Pet is the gorgeous story of a young black trans woman taking it into her own hands to see the unseen, and to protect the vulnerable, even when it means upsetting the balance of her life.".

I loved the first half; watching Pet come out of the painting, getting to know Jam, seeing them interact with other characters through sign language, it was all fantastic. 

But I had no idea this story was explicitly about child abuse. The emotions in this book were heartbreaking and big and messy and raw and HEAVY. I don't know if the message was clear and helpful for a middle grade reader... 

I thought the "perfect world can still be impect, need to grow, and have hidden flaws" was another sad part of the book. The story deserves the accolades it has received for its originality, representation, and heart.

But overall, it made me feel hopeless...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse

morgan_the_moth's review

dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Child abuse

Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence