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fareehareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
I read this a year after reading Pet, the story that follows Bitter's daughter. Details from that book kept coming back to me as I read this one and it made the ride even more enthralling. Since I read the other one first, I knew the gist of what happened to Lucille, but the experience was so different, raw and harrowing. I could not put this book down once I started. Bitter was such a relatable character, her fears and her hopes, her pain and her rage, all of it was manifested into her own angel, Vengence. These are the types of stories that make me love speculative fiction because it presented real questions about revolution, abolition, & justice and gives you a fantastical exploration on how these humans react to the impossible. It really was asking readers how much will it take before systemic change happens for real? Will it take a miracle or a heavy burden or some combination of both? Ube had a great quote near the end when he visited Bitter, saying, "all freedoms are terrible, that's the part they never tell you." I'll be taking the lessons in this book with me for a while.
I highly recommend the audiobook version of this book !
I highly recommend the audiobook version of this book !
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Police brutality, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Death
ofbooksandechos's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Violence, Death, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Gun violence, Child abuse, Racism, and Classism
Minor: Homophobia, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
CW: depictions of self harm for magic purposes,mmccombs's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.5
I might be unfairly comparing this book to Pet and the rest of Akwaeke Emezi’s work, but it didn’t really do it for me. There were moments that sparked for me and captured what I love so much about their writing, but I finished this feeling like it was unnecessary and kind of forced. I never really cared about the characters, though I was compelled by how they all dealt with and felt about revolution and the various parts people can play in it. I don’t really know what it was, but I just did not enjoy this book very much and I’m sad about it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Death, Grief, Murder, and Police brutality
cadence99's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.75
I loved Pet, and Bitter certainly didn’t disappoint either. it’s truly such a fulfilling experience to fall into their writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Blood, Child abuse, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Police brutality
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Ableism
thatenbyisisreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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? N/A
4.5
Shit got serious real quick in this book. The fate of certain characters was very unfortunate. Overall, I hope Bitter can forgive herself for doing something that she thought could help her community because it did in the long run.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, and Violence
scrubsandbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Police brutality, Death, Gun violence, and Racism
growplantsreadbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Can they write a book that isn't 5 stars???
Revolutionary, queer, & profound.
This is the literature that teens deserve.
Everyone has a place in the revolution. There is no growth without blood, but Vengeance isn't sustainable.
What a perfect companion to Pet.
Revolutionary, queer, & profound.
This is the literature that teens deserve.
Everyone has a place in the revolution. There is no growth without blood, but Vengeance isn't sustainable.
What a perfect companion to Pet.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
marioncromb's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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
3.75
Mainly made me want to read Pet again. I liked the glimpses of what Lucille would become - the pockets of love and community, and hope. But this is mainly a book about hurt, and violence and Vengeance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Blood
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death of parent, Child abuse, Grief, Police brutality, and War
Minor: Gun violence
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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? It's complicated
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
• teen fiction fantasy centered around gifted artist, Bitter
• companion novel to Pet — Bitter is Jam’s mom
• this is set in Lucille when Bitter attends Eucalyptus, a residential school for young artists, run by Miss Virtue
• she just wants peace and quiet, after a childhood spent in foster homes, but young activists involved with Assata, including some of her classmates, are protesting racial & economic injustice with hopes for a better Lucille
• Bitter meets Aloe, who is friends with her ex, Eddie
• Her friends get Injured and one dies, infuriating Bitter into painting a creature called Vengeance, bringing it to life by using her own blood & dealing with the aftermath
• I totally empathized with Bitter, wanting to choose peace — it’s exhausting work but choosing joy ✨is✨ a form of resistance! We all play our roles in activism!
• Nice to see the beginning of Bitter & Aloe’s relationship
• reflections on what activism can look like, including music & art as representations of protest & resistance
• cw: police brutality, violence, death, gun violence, murder, abuse, homophobia, death of parent
I loved this prequel to show how Lucille was before the society we come to know in Pet! A short, powerful, absolute must-read 👏🏽
• teen fiction fantasy centered around gifted artist, Bitter
• companion novel to Pet — Bitter is Jam’s mom
• this is set in Lucille when Bitter attends Eucalyptus, a residential school for young artists, run by Miss Virtue
• she just wants peace and quiet, after a childhood spent in foster homes, but young activists involved with Assata, including some of her classmates, are protesting racial & economic injustice with hopes for a better Lucille
• Bitter meets Aloe, who is friends with her ex, Eddie
• Her friends get Injured and one dies, infuriating Bitter into painting a creature called Vengeance, bringing it to life by using her own blood & dealing with the aftermath
• I totally empathized with Bitter, wanting to choose peace — it’s exhausting work but choosing joy ✨is✨ a form of resistance! We all play our roles in activism!
• Nice to see the beginning of Bitter & Aloe’s relationship
• reflections on what activism can look like, including music & art as representations of protest & resistance
• cw: police brutality, violence, death, gun violence, murder, abuse, homophobia, death of parent
I loved this prequel to show how Lucille was before the society we come to know in Pet! A short, powerful, absolute must-read 👏🏽
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Police brutality
Moderate: Death and Violence
anniereads221's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Murder, War, Death, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief