Reviews tagging Self harm

Bitter, by Akwaeke Emezi

25 reviews

readwithasherreid's review

dark emotional funny reflective tense fast-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

As someone who fell in love with PET, BITTER immediately went onto my list for the most anticipated 2022 releases!! I was worried going into this because I saw a *lot* of criticism for this book. However, after finishing it, I disagree with a lot of the negative things people have to say about this work. In my opinion, Akwaeke Emezi does not ever disappoint with their novels!! This was not a book that was ‘fun’ to read, by any means, there are some triggering topics discussed within this novel. However, I think the way the conversations are talked about is brilliant and that the book was one that I could not put down! There seem to be some adults who think this book is “too smart” for teenagers and I just don’t think you’re giving teens the credit they deserve. I could talk about BITTER for ages, but to save time and energy I’ll leave this review short.

CWs I can't link below: conversion therapy, depression, sex trafficking, etc.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Self harm, Death of parent, Death, Child abuse, Murder, Police brutality, and Racism

musebeliever's review

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Murder, and Police brutality

Moderate: Ableism

Minor: Child abuse

lesliesbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Violence, Blood, and Self harm

sadiefc's review

challenging emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Blood

Moderate: Police brutality, Drug use, Genocide, Homophobia, Racism, Self harm, Abandonment, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, and War

queermath's review

adventurous dark sad tense fast-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

2.5

i really wanted to like this book more than i did! the world building is incredible but i found the history of the city more interesting than the monsters that come to destroy it / save it & wish the story had been more focused there

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Police brutality, and War

karcitis's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Murder, Self harm, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, Bullying, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Classism, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Death of parent, and Physical abuse

Minor: Infidelity, Drug use, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Kidnapping, and Excrement

solenekeleroux's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, War, Blood, Self harm, Murder, Violence, Police brutality, and Death

Moderate: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, and Injury/injury detail

michaelion's review against another edition

dark hopeful tense 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

4.0

I'd like to reiterate what I said in my review of Pet. Which I will not repeat here but it still stands. I liked, nay, LOVED Vengeance. And the worldbuilding in this sequel / prequel is just so rich. Not that they have to, but Emezi could run wild with this world alone and never be broke again. It's so beautiful, it's so refreshing. Pet was so warm and sweet and this was so dark and sultry... Bitter if I may. But both books, despite how different they feel, smell, sound, despite how different the in-universe world is barely a generation later, both taste like eating really good dark chocolate. For me. I say this because I love dark chocolate. And I did eat a few while reading, but because the world already made me think of the flavor! What I mean is the world itself is rich, flavorful, colorful, and even though the books are different they have the same heart.

Emezi has a real talent, a real beauty in absorbing me into these words. There was one page I gasped at least 10 times, just one page! And throughout the whole book I was so giddy. But can you blame me? A straight (presenting(?)) couple so gay they grow to have a trans daughter? I love it here! We have no choice but to stan! If there's a third book I'm sending Emezi my paycheck the day the book is announced.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Blood, Classism, Death, and Police brutality

Moderate: Ableism, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Self harm, Violence, and War

Minor: Homophobia

emzhayreading's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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

5.0

I love the ideals and topics discussed in this book. It gave me a whole new perspective on Pet. I would say  books are essential reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Body horror, Injury/injury detail, Grief, War, Blood, Police brutality, Violence, Death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Ableism

mars_ira's review

dark hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? No

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Police brutality, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Violence, and Self harm

Minor: Death