Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi

51 reviews

errie's review against another edition

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Police brutality

cameronreads's review against another edition

4.5

For some reason I was sceptical that I would like this as much as Pet but I absolutely did; perhaps even more. The discussions in this book were genuinely so necessary and powerful, but also handled with an incredible nuance. There were conversations about responsibility to make change, when you should prioritise yourself, whether eventually peace is worth present violence, etc. I loved Bitter’s character and the friends she made. The representation, as always, was fantastic. This was a great prequel, and I think this duology is a must-read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Violence, Blood, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Self harm

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Grief

Minor: Death of parent, Medical content, and Child abuse

alexisgarcia's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

5.0

WOW wow. this book has such diverse and well rounded characters. the story is interesting and has very important underlying themes. i didn’t realize this was written after Pet but i recommend reading this first for some world building and a linear story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Blood, and Grief

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective tense

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Violence, Blood, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, and War

Moderate: Child abuse, Classism, Racism, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Ableism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical content, Abandonment, and Body horror

Minor: Trafficking, Antisemitism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts

lana72905's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, War, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Police brutality, and Blood

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Child abuse

eni_iilorak's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Racism, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Gun violence, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Cursing

Moderate: Drug use, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Homophobia, and Biphobia

stefhyena's review

adventurous emotional hopeful 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

4.75

There was a lot to love in this YA speculative and somewhat dystopian book with a soupcon of the paranormal. It's a subversive take on the Mary-Sue trope and on angels which it does not romanticise (nor even dark romanticise).

The romance had its problematic aspects like instalove will. The love interest was too good to be true initially and tended to love-bomb which in real life would be a red flag but he was likeable nevertheless. Later in the book he acted like an immature jerk and this was smoothed over a bit too easily I thought. In books people go from really deep conflicts to forever love all too easily and I don't think this is a healthy thing to teach youth...but there was a lot else going on.

There was acceptance for physical and mental disability, meltdowns/anxiety. It was clearly shown that where parents are not available you can have an intergenerational community of care (I found that very beautifully portrayed and the fact it was matriarchal didn't bother me too much). There is moral complexity in that just killing the bad guys is not the answer, but wanting to is portrayed as understandable. Art is rightly shown as significant but what I thought was more problematic was the easy conclusion that not being in the frontline because you are an artist is as good as giving your life or body to the struggle. I don't disagree with aspects of how this played out but I think noone actually wants to be in the trenches doing the hard yards they tend to (in real life) feel lonely and unsupported and the portrayal in the book was idealised to the point where people will feel affirmed in doing nothing.

I wondered if some issues were glossed over or simplified because of the perception that teens won't read it if you add more depth (or if it was a wordcount issue). A few other minor issues too but overall nothing detracted from the fact I was enjoying this book all the way through and keen to know what happened next. An interesting and worthwhile book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Violence, Police brutality, and Gun violence

Minor: Drug use

Despite the content warnings, and not to make light of them it was a positive and hope-filled book

rachellle's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was amazing! This prequel was absolutely necessary for me because it enhances the world in 'Pet'. Definitely rereading 'Pet' and then rereading this book again. The conflicts that Bitter, her friends, and Assata face were written with so much depth.

From Bitter's indifference towards the protests, to Bitter's guilt about the angels and not supporting her friend's, to the exhaustion the Assata members face. It's really important that the novel highlighted the structure of organizing and the exhaustion that the work leads to. The conflicts between Bitter and her friends was complex and demonstrated how the world affects interpersonal relationships (Eddie ending their friendship).

The only part I wish the novel spent more time explaining was the resolution of the overarching conflict.

Obviously the mega rich guy is killed and the mayor is spared, leading him to abolish the prisons and replace the entire city council. But what conversations led to that? I know not much of a conversation would have went down but I wanna know what was said.

Overall, this book was so good. What really drew me in was the honesty of the relationship dynamics; their interactions are not isolated from the larger world. It was interesting to see how they all did their best to hold each other up and even fail sometimes. And Bitter's character development was layered and amazing to watch unfold. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Ableism, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gun violence, and Homophobia

cerilouisereads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Violence, and Mental illness

Moderate: Homophobia and Ableism

puggreader's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, Police brutality, and War