morebedsidebooks's review against another edition
tense
5.0
“Monster’s don’t look like anything, doux-doux. That’s the whole point. That’s the whole problem.”
In Pet by Akwaeke Emezi after a revolution that changed so many of the terrible things to come before, Lucille is a peaceful utopian-like place. But in its success is still shadow. The same blind spots, the same even stronger disbelief. Not here. Monsters are not here, those bad things are long past, they do not happen here. But like a fairy tale or the innermost of nightmares out of a painting comes the powerful creature Pet, a hunter. Is Pet a monster or an avenging angel? What is justice? Seventeen-year-old Jam, her friend Redemption, their families, and the whole community will be challenged with questions and the remedies thought of long resolved.
One of the most fascinating yet only touched upon aspects of this novel is the radically changed society, greatly improving the lives of the people. It’s certainly better for a selectively mute trans girl like Jam. Yet among the many shifts one was especially thought provoking. History is full of conflicts around religion. Yet, the loss of religion through conflicts or prohibitions is usually a bad sign. So, this was an early red flag that something is very wrong in the book’s world. Further in the real world it doesn’t work. People just go underground. It made me more certain about what other hidden things were going on in Lucielle, not just the monster Pet came to hunt. Also, there are differences between religion and faith or belief. Even a reader can see how concepts persist like the subject of angels, human or otherwise, in the book. Most of the issues around religion boil down as Redemption puts it to a battle for control. Power, over property, people, bodies, thoughts, religious bigotry or hate and intolerance masquerading under the guise of religious conviction.
It’s interesting as well how much Lucille puts on librarians to assist since material on monsters, angels, holy texts etc. is in the library where one must go with such questions, not other sources. School education around some topics is minimal at best. Most adults are hesitant or uncooperative when asked. Indeed, sometimes a library is the only source available. It too makes one think about how in reality institutions like libraries, schools and their workers are under attack. Then Pet also has become a banned book. The failure of this lack of representation and education is also another part of the problem in Lucille. This is a story when being able to recognize the signs of an abuser, the abuse, and the victim comes late. Or is just ignored. Until made to. And how it affects many.
Emezi manages to write heavy topics with subtly and sensitivity. This YA novel is well deserving of every accolade. Pet is a book that only speaks more to very real problems that must be faced.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia, Child abuse, Blood, and Gore
Minor: Death, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Ableism, Transphobia, Slavery, Cursing, Police brutality, Racism, Classism, and Gun violence
alexisgarcia's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
i would totally recommend reading bitter first. it shows you the world, some of the characters, and the situation that leads you to the beginning of this book. this is a great read! Emezi is a phenomenal writer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Classism, Grief, and Racism
oddlyghoul's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Dysphoria, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, and Violence
Minor: Gun violence, Police brutality, Transphobia, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Genocide, Ableism, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Drug abuse, Classism, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Islamophobia, Violence, and War
olpapi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Death
myfbusters's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
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
god DAMN.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Child abuse, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Sexual violence, and Body horror
mlthomas234's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Amazing. Fantastic writing with a cast that make diversity (race, gender, disability, nonverbal), look as fluid and abundant as it is in real life. Loved the premise and Emezi delivered on it flawlessly. The story is straightforward but so so so layered. Truly a read for all ages and audiences.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Death and Racism
hyperpension's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
4.5
Imaginative but hits terrifyingly close to home. Couldn’t help but think I wish I had this book as a kid. Beautifully written in a heart-wrenching way that makes you fall in love with Jam, Redemption, and Pet. The ways Emezi writes humanity is so lively and you can feel warmth in every page. Recommend to anyone!! Monsters and angels look like all kinds of things.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Body horror
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, War, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Death, Mental illness, Gore, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting
Minor: Sexual violence, Transphobia, Ableism, Addiction, and Rape
beforeviolets's review
adventurous
dark
inspiring
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
4.0
TW: blood, injury detail, child abuse/sexual assault (offscreen, alluded to), violence, gore (brief description), vomit, death of grandmother (past, mention), very brief mention of past police brutality, systemic violence, school shootings, mass death, and other such atrocities.
TW: blood, injury detail, child abuse/sexual assault (offscreen, alluded to), violence, gore (brief description), vomit, death of grandmother (past, mention), very brief mention of past police brutality, systemic violence, school shootings, mass death, and other such atrocities.
Pet is definitely one of the most unique books I've ever come across.
Set in a world in which "monsters" - aka people who cause harm - no longer exist and "angels" - people who have rebuilt a safer world - are idolized, Jam is suddenly faced with a truth: there's a monster in her midst. This book discusses the dangers of using previous solutions as a way to blind oneself from present problems and how hard it can be to stand up against something that you're told isn't really there.
Surprisingly biblical in nature, this story is one that I believe should be on everyone's must-read list. It's more than just a book. It's a call to action.
When you think you've been without monsters for so long, sometimes you forget what they look like, what they sound like, no matter how much remembering your education urges you to do. It's not the same when the monsters are gone. You're only remembering shadows of them, stories that seem to be limited to the pages or screens you read them from. Flat and dull things. So, yes, people forget. But forgetting is dangerous. Forgetting is how the monsters come back.
TW: blood, injury detail, child abuse/sexual assault (offscreen, alluded to), violence, gore (brief description), vomit, death of grandmother (past, mention), very brief mention of past police brutality, systemic violence, school shootings, mass death, and other such atrocities.
Pet is definitely one of the most unique books I've ever come across.
Set in a world in which "monsters" - aka people who cause harm - no longer exist and "angels" - people who have rebuilt a safer world - are idolized, Jam is suddenly faced with a truth: there's a monster in her midst. This book discusses the dangers of using previous solutions as a way to blind oneself from present problems and how hard it can be to stand up against something that you're told isn't really there.
Surprisingly biblical in nature, this story is one that I believe should be on everyone's must-read list. It's more than just a book. It's a call to action.
When you think you've been without monsters for so long, sometimes you forget what they look like, what they sound like, no matter how much remembering your education urges you to do. It's not the same when the monsters are gone. You're only remembering shadows of them, stories that seem to be limited to the pages or screens you read them from. Flat and dull things. So, yes, people forget. But forgetting is dangerous. Forgetting is how the monsters come back.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Violence, Vomit, Child abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: Death
lolajh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Perfectly conveying racism and police brutality through fantasy themes and referring to the bad people in this world as monsters. Jam is a trans girl who uncovers an unfortunate mystery in her family with the help of the morally grey fantasy being: Pet. Pet acts as a guardian and protector of Jam and her community whilst having horrific and extreme motives that are what make it a morally grey character that I still adore. This book is quite reflective, because it makes you wonder if people who have done bad things like those that are done in this book do deserve to be dehumanised as monsters and be sentenced to death, which I can understand as a solution because of the objectively immoral things done by humans in this book. It opened my eyes to how much of the world is full of bad people, and how not all of them can be noticed as such straight away or are even conscious of it themselves. Very scary thought that Akwaeke illustrated so well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Rape, Incest, and Sexual assault
dalmavatai's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
4.5
Wow, this book completely took me by surprise and if I'm honest, just totally stole my heart.
This is such a beautiful book. The writing is gorgeous, the characters, especially Jam, and the relationships between them, are incredibly meaningful and well-developed. I loved Jam's family and her relationships with her parents as well as with her best friend Redemption, but most of all I loved her relationship with Pet. After her initial fear and apprehension, she was so accepting and managed to view Pet as her equal, which none of the other characters could do. I love how Pet is not otherized in this story, as in, it's not portrayed as a thing but as a creature with its own emotions, ambitions, worldviews, and personality. Pet and Jam had such a great friendship where they teased each other but also made each other grow.
I loved the social commentary in this book. I love how Akwaeke was able to imagine this world where there is no police brutality or even police anymore, no transphobia, no racism, in other words, so many things that we want to see destroyed in the present moment. At the same time, she explores how problems have not disappeared from Lucille and monsters still exist. I feel like a lot of the time when we imagine a better future, many of us are liable to see it as a utopian one, and it was refreshing to see a future world which has made a lot of progress but which has its very own issues at the same time.
I loved the conversations around seeing, and how ideology can convince us not to see certain things that are nevertheless there. I loved Jam and Redemption's journey of finding out the identity of the monster in their midst, and deciding how to bring about justice for the person harmed.
This book is at its core about change, both social and personal, and how to go about making change in the world, how to uncover a problem that everyone else seems to be in denial about. It was so poignant, so lyrical, so nuanced, so beautiful, and so unique. This book will stay with me for a long time, and I'd recommend even if you're not a magical realism/fantasy reader like myself.
This is such a beautiful book. The writing is gorgeous, the characters, especially Jam, and the relationships between them, are incredibly meaningful and well-developed. I loved Jam's family and her relationships with her parents as well as with her best friend Redemption, but most of all I loved her relationship with Pet. After her initial fear and apprehension, she was so accepting and managed to view Pet as her equal, which none of the other characters could do. I love how Pet is not otherized in this story, as in, it's not portrayed as a thing but as a creature with its own emotions, ambitions, worldviews, and personality. Pet and Jam had such a great friendship where they teased each other but also made each other grow.
I loved the social commentary in this book. I love how Akwaeke was able to imagine this world where there is no police brutality or even police anymore, no transphobia, no racism, in other words, so many things that we want to see destroyed in the present moment. At the same time, she explores how problems have not disappeared from Lucille and monsters still exist. I feel like a lot of the time when we imagine a better future, many of us are liable to see it as a utopian one, and it was refreshing to see a future world which has made a lot of progress but which has its very own issues at the same time.
I loved the conversations around seeing, and how ideology can convince us not to see certain things that are nevertheless there. I loved Jam and Redemption's journey of finding out the identity of the monster in their midst, and deciding how to bring about justice for the person harmed.
This book is at its core about change, both social and personal, and how to go about making change in the world, how to uncover a problem that everyone else seems to be in denial about. It was so poignant, so lyrical, so nuanced, so beautiful, and so unique. This book will stay with me for a long time, and I'd recommend even if you're not a magical realism/fantasy reader like myself.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Physical abuse
Minor: Death, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, and War