PET | Akwaeke Emezi
09.10.2019 | Make Me a World
Rating: 5/5 stars
There are no more monsters anymore, or so the children in the city of Lucille have been taught. Jam has grown up holding this notion as truth her entire life. When she meets Pet, a creature made of horns and colours and claws, who emerges from one of her mother’s paintings and a drop of Jam’s blood, she must reconsider what she’s been told. Pet has come to hunt a monster and the shadow of something grim lurks in Jam’s best friend, Redemption’s house. Jam must choose what truth she will believe and ultimately how to protect her best friend.
PET is my first book by Akwaeke Emezi, but chances are you’ve likely seen this one floating around the book world since it was released. It’s a story that utilizes magical realism to explore the darker side of humanity. Emezi has stashed an incredibly deep story within the pages of PET. While the synopsis may seem to cover quite a bit of the plot to this story, it’s truly one that needs to be experienced.
I loved the entire concept of PET, but one of the things that truly sold me was the way Emezi is able to bring the world of Lucille alive. Everything is so vividly described that I felt I could truly see the story unfolding before my eyes. One of the things that lent to that was the exploration of Lucille’s past and the way parents in the town describe both the past and present for this world.
The intense realism of the story and the moral messaging behind make PET a must read for adults and the younger generation alike.
Note: It was announced the other day that a companion novel about Jam’s mother, Bitter, is being released in February 2022, so now is the time to snag this one!
This book is available to buy from: Amazon | Book Depository
Disclosure: What Jess Reads is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This in no way influences my opinion of the above book.
What Jess Reads 