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A review by thestarlessmaisie
PET by Akwaeke Emezi
4.0
Pet packs such a punch for a short and debut novella.
This is such a wonderful coming of age story. I wholeheartedly wish more of the YA audience would pick it up! Jam is a sweet, expressive protagonist, I felt immediately welcome within her bubble. The bonds she has with her family and people in her community are so lovely, particularly her relationship with her best friend Redemption and the local librarian Ube. The love Jam and Redepemption have for each other and their families drives the whole story. I also loved how any discussion of Jam’s identity wasn’t an event in the story, just a fact of the world. It all felt very seamless-- fitting for a world with cross-dimensional travel!
Emezi created a unique world that was very familiar, even given the utopian setting. The pacing and tension were perfect, the vibes were fresh and funky, I LOVED the naming of all the characters. The names definitely gave a certain futuristic tone to an otherwise familiar world. And it had one of my favourite tropes!— house as character!
The sentient connection Jam had with her house was a great way to explore Jam's own thoughts and feelings, especially considering her selective-mutism. The house offered such a place of sanctuary and safety, even when threatened with the presence of a 'monstrous' being. I loved how Jam isn't portrayed to struggle with communication. She is fully capable of navigating her world, which was a great and sensitive representation.
Pet was a perfect introduction to Emezi’s work. I can’t wait to get round to the rest!
This is such a wonderful coming of age story. I wholeheartedly wish more of the YA audience would pick it up! Jam is a sweet, expressive protagonist, I felt immediately welcome within her bubble. The bonds she has with her family and people in her community are so lovely, particularly her relationship with her best friend Redemption and the local librarian Ube. The love Jam and Redepemption have for each other and their families drives the whole story. I also loved how any discussion of Jam’s identity wasn’t an event in the story, just a fact of the world. It all felt very seamless-- fitting for a world with cross-dimensional travel!
Emezi created a unique world that was very familiar, even given the utopian setting. The pacing and tension were perfect, the vibes were fresh and funky, I LOVED the naming of all the characters. The names definitely gave a certain futuristic tone to an otherwise familiar world. And it had one of my favourite tropes!— house as character!
The sentient connection Jam had with her house was a great way to explore Jam's own thoughts and feelings, especially considering her selective-mutism. The house offered such a place of sanctuary and safety, even when threatened with the presence of a 'monstrous' being. I loved how Jam isn't portrayed to struggle with communication. She is fully capable of navigating her world, which was a great and sensitive representation.
Pet was a perfect introduction to Emezi’s work. I can’t wait to get round to the rest!