Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

26 reviews

te_ss_i's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Dysphoria, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Transphobia

Minor: Rape

julieyael's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

This was absolutely not what I was expecting (I bought it as a horrir book. Well, it’s about another, more real, kind of horror)
I enjoyed the way it’s written bringing tension to the story. 

I would have liked a deeper character building, but the novel is quite short, so maybe there was not space for it. 

I also felt that the particularities of the characters were a bit forced. It’s interesting and nice to find such a diverse set of characters and families, but sometimes it felt a bit artificial. 

Maybe if it had been written as an adult novel, not YA, it would have been more to my taste. 

Overall, the book finds its purpose and is a good read, and I am sure it will find a good audience and be useful and meaningful to a lot of people. 
It just didn’t « click » for me. 
I am glad I read it once, but it probably wonnt go on my list of novels that I can read twice (or more). 

Also, the subject is pretty heavy and the warnings should be taken seriously. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Child abuse

Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mass/school shootings, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Rape, and Violence

starsnstitchin's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.5

Spoiler

What i liked: the normalacy of a poly partnership and queer characters without that being what the story is about. Its as significant as somebody having brown hair. 
What i didn't like: i thought this would be a fantasy story but its more just normal life with metaphorical terminology labels. I also didnt really enjoy the simple everything wrapped up neatly and perfectly ending or the not so subtle christian undertones.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pedophilia, Incest, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, and Violence

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective tense

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Police brutality, Medical content, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, and Incest

Minor: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, War, Mental illness, Sexual content, Abandonment, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Mass/school shootings, Ableism, Confinement, Gore, Suicide, Transphobia, and Vomit

Ableism warning is to err on the side of caution, for disability framed as a punishment near the end.

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

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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

karissabubble's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This really dived into deep topics, even though it was fairly short! I loved the discussions on what is a monster, and what is an angel and how it's not always how they look that gives it away. It is the unseen and the ignored. I think everyone who is concerned about topics of justice and revolution should read this! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Child abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Death

clhtdr's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Incest, and Adult/minor relationship

modernmatilda's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Hmm I have mixed feelings about this. 

On one hand, NPR compared it to Wrinkle in Time (my fav) and I very much think it's a readalike. It has biblical undertones, kids having to handle things with the adults help, and this overall feeling of doom.

As another reviewer wrote, "Pet is the gorgeous story of a young black trans woman taking it into her own hands to see the unseen, and to protect the vulnerable, even when it means upsetting the balance of her life.".

I loved the first half; watching Pet come out of the painting, getting to know Jam, seeing them interact with other characters through sign language, it was all fantastic. 

But I had no idea this story was explicitly about child abuse. The emotions in this book were heartbreaking and big and messy and raw and HEAVY. I don't know if the message was clear and helpful for a middle grade reader... 

I thought the "perfect world can still be impect, need to grow, and have hidden flaws" was another sad part of the book. The story deserves the accolades it has received for its originality, representation, and heart.

But overall, it made me feel hopeless...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse

ashylibrarian's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

This was a really interesting read for me. I found it really hard to be fully invested in the story until around chapter 9. Once chapter 9 hit, I was sold and couldn't this book down. 

Part of me wonders if maybe I am just not smart/academic enough to full understand what was happening throughout. The angels were really throwing me off. I understood the part about the monsters, but the angels coming out of the painting had me a bit confused. 

Overall, I believe this story packs a huge punch and brings an interesting spin on some extremely heavy and important topics. It may not have been the book for me, but it is one I will remember and likley recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse