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A review by katewillread
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
It truly pains me that this was a disappointment.
What I did like- the seamless inclusion of diverse characters. I also thought the many ways Jam communicated as a selectively mute person (speaking, sign language, and telepathically with Pet) was done well and was, for me, easy to follow. The use of the library as a safe space and the importance of knowledge and asking questions. The theme of addressing a problem at the root to solve the underlying issue rather than locking it away and learning nothing from it.
What I didn’t like- felt like Jam and Redemption were written as 12 yr olds (or younger honestly) but the themes were too heavy so Emezi had to age them up to fit the genre but didn’t change any of the dialogue to match. They were 16ish but sounded so much younger, which I found very distracting. I wish we had more on the rehabilitation centers that were meant to replace prisons and what that looked like in the grand scheme of the world. The violence at the end should have felt gratifying considering the crime but there was a disconnect somewhere and it fell flat for me.
What I hated- the fact that it’s explicitly said that it’s useless for kids to reach out to their trusted adults for help in scary situations.
“Maybe one of them tells the monster, and it hides even better than it’s hiding now. How will we find it then?” (This is when they’re considering talking to Redemptions parents)
And then this logic is proven right when they don’t believe him. Jam never considers talking to her parents bc she’s already deep in a lie and now “she knew how to keep things from them.”
Why not go to Ube???
What does this leave the reader with except an innate helplessness and a recommendation to confront “monsters” themselves without any aid??? I realise that in our world it’s not always as easy as child victims confiding in an adult and immediately being believed but this was an excellent opportunity to show what to do then, keep reaching out to trusted adults in times of need. There are no “Pets” in the real world that will miraculously solve problems, there was an opportunity to show real life solutions and it did the opposite in my opinion.I almost didn’t finish once I got to the point where this came up and only finished it with the hope that I would be proven wrong. Unfortunately I’m just angry now.
What I did like- the seamless inclusion of diverse characters. I also thought the many ways Jam communicated as a selectively mute person (speaking, sign language, and telepathically with Pet) was done well and was, for me, easy to follow. The use of the library as a safe space and the importance of knowledge and asking questions. The theme of addressing a problem at the root to solve the underlying issue rather than locking it away and learning nothing from it.
What I didn’t like- felt like Jam and Redemption were written as 12 yr olds (or younger honestly) but the themes were too heavy so Emezi had to age them up to fit the genre but didn’t change any of the dialogue to match. They were 16ish but sounded so much younger, which I found very distracting. I wish we had more on the rehabilitation centers that were meant to replace prisons and what that looked like in the grand scheme of the world. The violence at the end should have felt gratifying considering the crime but there was a disconnect somewhere and it fell flat for me.
What I hated- the fact that it’s explicitly said that it’s useless for kids to reach out to their trusted adults for help in scary situations.
And then this logic is proven right when they don’t believe him. Jam never considers talking to her parents bc she’s already deep in a lie and now “she knew how to keep things from them.”
Why not go to Ube???
What does this leave the reader with except an innate helplessness and a recommendation to confront “monsters” themselves without any aid??? I realise that in our world it’s not always as easy as child victims confiding in an adult and immediately being believed but this was an excellent opportunity to show what to do then, keep reaching out to trusted adults in times of need. There are no “Pets” in the real world that will miraculously solve problems, there was an opportunity to show real life solutions and it did the opposite in my opinion.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, and Child abuse