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itsnotalakeitsanocean's review
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.25
This and Pet are one of my favourite stories of all time. Definitely read Pet before going into this one, because you are missing a lot of context for some of the characters if you don't
What I liked
What I liked
- We got to see the inner workings of what a freedom fighter support group looks like. I feel like most modern stories about rebellion and stuff focus far too much on the people on the frontlines, or imply that you are either with a rebellion on the frontlines or against it completely which is just not true.
- In a similar vein,
the revolution is presented in a way that suggests there isn't a "one size fits all" clean solution, which is crucial to stories like this. People fighting will get brutalised, people's entire legacies will be destroyed in an instant through death or destruction. Emezi doesn't spare killing off characters or injuring them just because they're on the side of revolution or allied with it. Not only that, they do it with the appropriate amount of gravity that doesn't wallow in angst to the point of narm. - Perhaps a controversial opinion but I liked Bitter's hesitance and guilt over not being able to do anything. I think it's all too easy to expect characters to be willing to jump into the fray, with any doubts or hesitations easily fixed for plot convenience (something that with Black characters runs the risk of portraying stereotypes). Bitter has a lot of trauma to unpack about being shifted from foster home to foster home - each with their own problems that wore her down over the years. Of course she's going to be hesitant to leave the one place she's only just found is safe in her life.
Of course this mindset is challenged and approached from various different perspectives instead of coddling her safety in favour of larger community safety, but I found it refreshing that Bitter's mindset was portrayed and given respect whilst doing so. - Lots of amazing queer relationships and characters that were normalised and given the approriate amount of focus when necessary without slowing down the plot. I also really liked Ube in general - he's a really cool guy who just happens to be a wheelchair user.
What I didn't like
- The only thing I didn't care for was how quickly Aloe and Bitter got together. However, this is a very small, easily overlooked problem because they are one of the healthiest couples I've read in a while (not that I don't like a messy couple from time to time), and unlike a lot of other modern couples, they put in the effort to love each other and you can see why they love each other so much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Police brutality, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Gun violence, and Murder
Minor: Homophobia
saphfics's review against another edition
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
4.75
I think there are books that you can tell are written with a genuine love for humans and the wish that things can change. This is one of them.
Especially in times like these it can be hard to really construct a world that can be better even in our imagination. But in pet and bitter, shows us that that world could be possible but that it will be something that we need to fight for.
I hope we all can see that world some day
PS. I would recommend reading Pet first
Especially in times like these it can be hard to really construct a world that can be better even in our imagination. But in pet and bitter, shows us that that world could be possible but that it will be something that we need to fight for.
I hope we all can see that world some day
PS. I would recommend reading Pet first
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Police brutality, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, and Rape
jessicaludden's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
“Hope is not a waste of time. It's a discipline.”
Content Warnings
Minor: Gun violence, Murder, Racism, Child death, Police brutality, Death, Blood, Hate crime, and Body horror
re_oanslay's review
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Body horror, and Panic attacks/disorders
glitterdeww's review against another edition
challenging
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
I shouldn't be surprised that this story is just as brilliant as its predecessor. Emezi's writing is as sharp as a knife, as forceful as gravity. I love these books. They are so important. ❤️
Named for its protagonist, and reluctant revolutionary, Bitter takes place in pre-utopian Lucille. In this prequel we see agitators and artists grappling with a city set on devouring itself through corruption. The Lucille of this time feels all too familiar with reality. Bitter and her friends portray everything from the hope of revolution to the fear, numbness, and rage that lurks on the other side of their trauma.
Named for its protagonist, and reluctant revolutionary, Bitter takes place in pre-utopian Lucille. In this prequel we see agitators and artists grappling with a city set on devouring itself through corruption. The Lucille of this time feels all too familiar with reality. Bitter and her friends portray everything from the hope of revolution to the fear, numbness, and rage that lurks on the other side of their trauma.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Child abuse
blubonby's review
dark
hopeful
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
4.0
Loved seeing the backstory to what goes on in PET and I really appreciated the more in depth focus on Bitter and Aloe. Really really great duology.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse and Self harm
2_snails_kissing's review
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
3.5
i love Akwaeke Emezi’s work and was a huge fan of Pet. this book does an excellent job of raising the questions worth asking - what does good mean? and evil? what is my role in all of it?
with that said, i was disappointed in (what felt to me) the lukewarm conclusion of it all, i was hoping for a more radical approach. i also think this book was a bit on the nose in the ways it paralleled real life bad guys (j*ff b*zos) even still, i breezed through it was intrigued the entire time. i love Emezi’s characters, the world they envision, and the possibility their books create. i love the spiritual/mystical/magical elements of these books, and i’m excited to continue to read Emezi’s work.
with that said, i was disappointed in (what felt to me) the lukewarm conclusion of it all, i was hoping for a more radical approach. i also think this book was a bit on the nose in the ways it paralleled real life bad guys (j*ff b*zos) even still, i breezed through it was intrigued the entire time. i love Emezi’s characters, the world they envision, and the possibility their books create. i love the spiritual/mystical/magical elements of these books, and i’m excited to continue to read Emezi’s work.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
matheo96gro's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Police brutality, Racism, and Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Violence, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Rape
hailstorm3812's review
dark
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
4.0
After Pet blew me away, I was hoping for more from Bitter. It wasn't bad by any means but they are very different stories. While Pet explores an individual story of failure in an overall good society, this explores how to find your place in a broken society working to get better. I think the use of angels works better in the first, but fill an interesting role here. I do love Bitter herself and seeing how the other characters were as children. I also liked exploring the role of art in revolution and how different people can provide different good works. I liked Miss Virtue but didn't think this aspect was as strong as it could have been. I kind of just want to read Pet again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Grief, Death, Mass/school shootings, Racism, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
wormiebrains's review
adventurous
dark
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? It's complicated
5.0
It is such a deep and meaningful story, I would encourage anyone who wants to diversify their stories to pick up anything by Akwaeke Emezi
Content Warnings
Moderate: Police brutality, Ableism, Hate crime, Death, and Classism