Reviews with content warning for Death - Bitter

Reviews tagging 'Death'

mandi_lea's review

Go to review page

dark hopeful reflective 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

Content Warnings

queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

5 ⭐ CW: violence, police violence mention, abuse mention, anxiety, self harm, death

Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi is the prequel to their first YA novel, Pet. This one blew me away just as much as Pet did. Emezi's writing is just so powerful and evocative. Like Pet, it's a short and fast read, but doesn't feel rushed.

We follow Bitter, Jam's mother, when she is a teen going to the art school Eucalyptus during the time of Lucille's peak violence and protests. Bitter is a traumatized and jaded girl who wants nothing to do with the protests that often get people hurt and killed. She is resentful of the Assata, the group of young people fighting in the streets against corporate greed and police brutality. She just wants to stay within the walls of Eucalyptus and focus on her art.

When one of her friends is severely injured by police during a protest, Bitter's rage takes over, and she begins to paint something from that rage and brings it to life. She doesn't realize that she has opened a gate for the violent angels to come through seeking vengeance on Lucille's monsters. Bitter learns that there are other ways to contribute to a movement without being on the front lines. Movements need artists too.

There was so much diversity and representation in this book! Almost every single character is queer. The story is so apt and prescient. Emezi poured all their rage and frustration into this book and still gave it a hopeful outcome. I think Bitter represents so many of us who struggle with the conflict of wanting the suffering to end, but not wanting to inflict violence or be on the front lines themselves. It was validating to read that there are other ways to contribute without being in the streets.

I would recommend this to any young person tired of the constant fight or feeling inadequate about their role in the fight. I recommend this to elders to see the hurt and rage the youth are going through. The main message here is to not lose hope, and that we must move beyond violence.

Content Warnings

proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

17-year-old Bitter has grown up in different foster homes and has never felt safe. Now she's got a place at Eucalyptus, a private boarding school for young artists. Here Bitter's gained both friends and safety. But outside school there are riots and demonstrations in the town of Lucille, in protest against the great injustices. While Bitter doesn't want anything to do with the revolution, many of her friends are more active. She soon feels torn between staying within the safe walls of Eucalyptus and her wanting to help her friends. What price is she willing to pay?

A prequel to the wonderful "Pet", and I loved it just as much! It takes place before "Pet" and we get to follow Jam's mother Bitter. Her background and how she met and fell in love with Aloe, Jam's father. We also get the whole revolution that is mentioned in "Pet", and what role Jam's parents played in it. I would say you could read the books in whatever order you like, but "Pet" was written first, if you want to read in publication order.

There's a lot to like about "Bitter": the characters, the language, the diversity. I also like the message that violence isn't the solution in conflicts, and that not everyone needs to stand on the barricade or the frontline, but they still have an important role to play. This is a young adult book that many adults should read.

Content Warnings

kitstonglade's review

Go to review page

3.0

Content Warnings

happyunicorn7's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

3.75

Content Warnings

ashylibrarian's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional 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

4.0

In this prequel to PET, readers are transported into a world of art, activism, and self-discovery.

Bitter has finally found a home in the boarding school, Eucalyptus, where gifted art students thrive.

Bitter begins to engage with the activist groups who are fighting against the rash injustice outside the walls of Eucalyptus.

This is a timely book with brilliantly crafted characters.

I do think I would have understood PET better if I had read Bitter first.

Content Warnings

lisacanteven's review

Go to review page

emotional 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

This book is so much more than the 258 pages it contains. I have no idea what magic Emezi used, but this book is so developed for its length. Maybe it is because I read Pet first, so I was familiar with what was happening going into it. Since Pet was published first I chose to start with that one, and it was a great reading experience. I am so intrigued in how my experience would have differed had I read Bitter first. I do want to go back and reread Pet already (a week later) just to see what I missed out. I think either way you read this series, you will enjoy it. But you will miss certain things either way, and that's what I love about this series.

Bitter probably had the best ending I've ever read. Those last 50 pages were immaculate. I will be thinking about that ending for months. I found myself getting really emotional because of how beautiful everything was during the last 1/5 of the book. My heart was pounding, and I felt like I was really seeing it play out in my mind like the most exciting movie. I wish I could go to film school, become a world famous producer just to produce this movie like it played out in my mine. Emezi is a genius.

Content Warnings