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gwenswoons's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
So unusual and truly marvelous in the most literal sense. I LOVED You Made A Fool Of Death With Your Beauty, one of my favorites of the last many years, and thought Vivek Oji was amazing too; but this is my first YA of Emezi’s, and I wasn’t sure what it might be like. But it’s gorgeous - their writing always stuns me and leaves me breathless and this is no different. I thought it was truly incredible, in a work that is so accessible for younger readers, to have language so eloquent and perfumed in the way Emezi’s always is, and to be able to approach the heaviest and most devastating topics of humanity with a light enough touch that a younger reader could live inside this story. I’m not someone who loves fantasy - I don’t read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy, and sometimes supernatural elements lose me a little bit - but Emezi’s writing is just so beautiful and so compelling at every turn that I didn’t even give a thought to whether or not I believed what was happening (I just: did). Same, somehow, too, with the allegorical/archetypal elements: these could be so obvious and heavy-handed on another writer’s desk, and yet Emezi’s world building and story crafting are so exquisite that every element of the story - every word, every turn of phrase and plot - feels inevitable. Such a gorgeous read, and I thought the audio was gorgeously narrated, too, by Christopher Myers (something about this book as a dark fairytale/ parable worked really beautifully for me in audio format and I feel like Myers really captured for readers that feeling of listening to a story - so good).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, and Dysphoria
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and War
aurora4847's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.25
A brilliant story about a world supposedly rid of violence and bigotry. Jam has to come to terms with the fact that her world isn't as perfect as it seems, and old monsters still lurk in the shadows.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, and Torture
While nothing is explicit, there is a pedophile who is found out and brought to justice. There is also a good deal of religious imagery, specifically biblical angels.zellerella's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
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? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Incest, and Pedophilia
Minor: Sexual assault
helenaeoftroy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Pedophilia
smittonwith's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
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? No
5.0
“Pet” is such a great novella that I would recommend to anyone! This book covers such important motifs that are often not spoken about enough. The story is the perfect blend of fantasy and real-world elements combined. This is a short book but has so much important and valuable representation. I can’t wait to re-read this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia and Rape
chewblockya's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
janeeivorie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Well written but so so heavy. I wish I would've read the synopsis before I started this book because I was not in the right mindspace for it. It took so long for me to finish it because it reminded me of my traumas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
chrisb913's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Violence
Moderate: Pedophilia and Sexual assault
galaxies's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Child abuse and Pedophilia
james1star's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
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? No
4.0
I was very excited to start this book and it most definitely didn’t disappoint. The story follows a teenage black trans girl called Jam living in the city of Lucille. After a revolution, the angles apparently got rid of all the monsters but when a creature called Pet comes into her life through the strangest of circumstances, she starts to think differently. With the help of her best friend Redemption they set out to hunt a monster.
At first I thought the subtleties around the revolution, ‘monstering’ someone, statues of monsters and references to the mainland and island were possibly alluding to slavery and the civil war. Which they could be and I think with an older mind and some historical context these parallels are apparent. But then the idea of what a ‘monster’ is broadens with there being (at least) one in the current timeframe. That’s because the monsters are lurking in plain sight and because the government and adults are so convince they’ve been eradicated, their monstering is allowed to continue. Tackling it head on, not being afraid to admit your wrong because no matter how much you want something to be true won’t make it true and talking to children about bad things is the real message of the book and overall I think Emezi does a great job of portraying this.
The characters are really great, Jam, Pet and Redemption have a lot to them and so too Jam’s parents Bitter an artist and Aloe a paramedic. I would have maybe preferred more (but this will likely come when I read the prequel) and to get to know Redemption’s family a bit more too, his brother Moss, parents Malachite and Beloved and their non-binary lover Whisper. I enjoyed the outward queerness present which was great to see. Jam is selectively mute but we don’t really get much context on why this is which is a bit of a shame. I’d also say as the book went along I didn’t exactly lose interest but it didn’t go in the direction I had initially thought but was still good. Overall I’d for sure recommend giving this a read no matter what age you are and I’ll definitely be reading more Emezi books.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Pedophilia