Reviews

The book is not subtle in terms of it's subject matter that monsters (or people who do horrible things like abuse children) can be hidden and hard to find. I mean there are passages that allude to the #MeToo movement. But I think this is a theme that can't be subtle especially in a young adult book.
I also like how the author made the main character intersectional-she's a black trans girl who also speaks in sign language. Her friend Redemption also has three parents.

_cherry_'s review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious 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 finished this in one day; it was so good!

casebounder's review against another edition

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4.0

“Adults were like that so much of the time, inflexible when they thought they had something to protect.”

The future of young adult reading is here, and it's so enjoyable to see. Akwaeke Emezi's PET is like reading A WRINKLE IN TIME for the first time - AWIT meets A MONSTER CALLS. With excellent own voices queer and BIPOC representation. This story is dark yet not overly heavy, wrapped in allegory yet nimble in story.

I'll be reading FRESHWATER next (finally) in continued preparation for Emezi's new novel THE DEATH OF VIVEK OJI out soon from @riverheadbooks.

frinsreads's review against another edition

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4.0

This book is beautiful and heartbreaking. I loved the writing, multiple lines made me pause and just consider, they were so simple but impactful. I really loved Jam as a protagonist. She is selectively mute most of the time, so she's very introverted and the majority of her thoughts and processing is done internally which made for a super interesting protagonist

Jam lives in Lucille a city that, until a generation ago, was overrun by monsters. Thankfully, the angels overthrow all of these monstrous atrocities and everyone now lives in peace...until a creature approaches Jam and informs her that there is a monster lurking somewhere in the city, and it's been sent to hunt it down

The rep in this book is incredible, and is integrated effortlessly into the story. Our main character, Jam, is a trans girl, her best friend has three parents in a polygamous relationship, one of whom goes by they/them pronouns. And it's all done so chill, which I always appreciate, than rep being shoehorned in for the sake of it

This book reminded me a little in tone and weirdness to Other Words for Smoke, which I also really enjoyed. It's also a little like Scythe in its concept: a utopia where all evils, or monsters in this world have been eradicated. Abuse, homophobia, transphobia: all of these monsters were banished by her parents' generation before Jam was born

I really appreciate the message of this book. I can't really get into it without spoiling the plot, but I got about halfway through before being bowled over by what was happening and what the book was doing. It was made even more impactful for being seen through a child's eyes

desinthepark's review against another edition

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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

4.0

itstres's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

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