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A review by rigbees
PET by Akwaeke Emezi
5.0
Emezi is a genius. I don't say this lightly, but Emezi is able to write fantastic worlds and connect them to the painful lives we live. This is a wonderful follow-up to [b:Freshwater|35412372|Freshwater|Akwaeke Emezi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1500884500l/35412372._SY75_.jpg|56785192] while being a completely different sort of book. Freshwater is more of autobiographical novel and is meant for adults (please read the interviews that the author gave concerning it!) while Pet is truly a speculative YA novel.
Pet is immensely quotable and handles the complexity of learning that bad things happen to people. It manages to present the subject matter in a way that both explains why monstrous things happen without dismissing the fact that some young readers would already have experienced such things. By setting this in a utopian vision of the future, it grapples with the complexity of family, secrets, truth and protecting ourselves and communities.
Content warnings for this book (all non-graphic): child abuse, dismemberment, body horror
Pet is immensely quotable and handles the complexity of learning that bad things happen to people. It manages to present the subject matter in a way that both explains why monstrous things happen without dismissing the fact that some young readers would already have experienced such things. By setting this in a utopian vision of the future, it grapples with the complexity of family, secrets, truth and protecting ourselves and communities.
The truth does not change whether it is seen or unseen, it whispered in her mind. A thing that is happening happens whether you look at it or not. And yes, maybe it is easier not to look. Maybe it is easier to say because you do not see it, it is not happening.
Content warnings for this book (all non-graphic): child abuse, dismemberment, body horror