Reviews with content warning for Violence - Bitter

I didn’t even know what this was about going into it and wow what a timely book…we all have a part to play in the revolution.
Bitter is an artist. Aloe is a healer. Hibiscus is a fighter. During unrest and protest, all Bitter wants is for there to be no more monsters and maybe a teensy bit of retaliation. But not as much as some of the Assata members might...

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pikkumarja's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring mysterious fast-paced

Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

What an interesting book! I did not know it is a fantasy book but it all makes sense now. I loved the radicality and the discourse around the expectations and who's job is to change the world. The meaning and importance of the community is so beautifully written and all the young artists and activists are so brave.

The story could have been longer because from time to time it felt a bit rushed. But I love love love Akwaeke Emezi! And even when English is not my first language, this book is definitely a pleasant read.

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kschuster's review

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dark emotional sad 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

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draven_deathcrush's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-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

I love this book and Pet so fucking much. I love this book more tbh, but it's mostly because I just love Bitter and I love her relationship with Aloe. These books will forever be in my heart.

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sundayfever's review against another edition

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dark hopeful 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

4.75

When paired with Pet, this is an incredible story for anyone thinking about systemic change and oppression and how to build a better world. Dark but honest. I loved it.

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meant2breading's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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

4.0

“Hope is not a waste of time. It is a discipline.”

Akwaeke Emezi paints us a beautiful story of magical realism and fantasy, where a young Bitter contemplates her role in the revolution. I love how we learn alongside her that all roles in protests matter, whether it involves being on the front lines or not. I believe this prequel to Pet was very helpful to show aspects to abolition, the power of community support, and how a community can work to dismantle and destroy oppressive systems. While I did like the story of Pet better, both books in this duology should be read by YA and all adults too. The themes in both far too important to not reflect on and apply to the parallels we see in our own world. It’s saddening to see how many parallels there are, especially the systemic violence we see with policing. I will be reading more of their work without a doubt.

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charityc's review

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challenging dark emotional 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

2.75

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