Reviews tagging 'Death'

Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi

107 reviews

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

discarded_dust_jacket's review

dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

3.75

This story grapples with the perils of using vengeance against the oppressor as a means of achieving social justice. As usual, Akwaeke Emezi’s writing is thoughtful and imaginative. 

I loved Aloe’s character in Pet and I loved him again in Bitter—an example of masculinity that is tender, nurturing, and multidimensional.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Death, Murder, Violence, Abandonment, and Self harm

Moderate: Police brutality

archiveofrasa's review

dark fast-paced

3.5

this book properly nailed it in that I've almost grown out of YA. it's good for someone young who is into human rights storylines and themes, but literally everything felt a little underdeveloped. maybe it was because so much was going on. this book was too thin for an in-depth look into a revolution; I would've loved this if it was longer and spent time exploring the different topics discussed.

but overall this wasn't bad! I preferred Pet due to its focus into a fewer selection of themes and how much more it explored them

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Murder, Gun violence, and Child abuse

Minor: Homophobia

theroastedbookery's review

adventurous emotional inspiring 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

Bitter's story is both tragic and heroic.  It definitely takes the hero's journey and turns it on its head.  Bitter is a character you cheer for, hope for, cry for.  She is guarded for good reason but holds power of which even she is not aware. 
 This book drew me in as quickly as PET did.  Having PET as background information made some things clearer quickly that would leave new readers to the series in suspense longer.  I wasn't mad at this at all because we got to see all the things leading up to PET and I find back story amazing!
The writing was deep and beautiful.  There are so many correlations to our current world, that made this fictional world even more relevant.
This book felt as if it was written for an older audience than PET, but 100% loved it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Death

There is sexual assault alluded to but never out right explained.

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

shainabriley's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Death

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

bootrat's review

dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Blood

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Prequel to Pet (which I enjoyed more than expected). Once again I loved the characters and Emezi’s writing style! I also enjoyed how the story showed the power that young people have plus the great look at how everyone can do their part in their own way, and the burnout that activists can experience.

I didn’t love it quite as much as Pet, I wasn’t pulled in the same way and I listened to it while multitasking so that could be why. Overall a powerful story with well developed characters!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

TW/CW: violence, police brutality, blood, death, murder

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Death, Grief, and Violence

Moderate: Murder and Blood

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? No

4.5

 Bitter is a really powerful YA fantasy, clearly speaking to contemporary issues like police brutality and Black Lives Matter. I loved the way this book highlighted the power of young people and the power of art to effect social change. The point that activists can burnout and need to rest was well made, as was the fact that not everyone is suited to being on the frontline and that is okay. I was particularly captured by Emezi’s take on vengeance and the nuanced way this theme was approached and explored. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Death, Gun violence, and Violence

Moderate: Homophobia and Child abuse